Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd. P.O. Box #3762 Gillette, WY 82717 (307) 686-1516

“Preaching the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)”

SANCTIFIED SALUATIONS

1Co 1:1-9 (5/25/11)

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

I. SALUTATIONS TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH (1Co 1:1-3)

A. [1Co 1:1] - Paul, who needs no introduction to the Corinthians, wrote that he was “called” (klêtos) as an apostle of Jesus Christ.

1. Paul was confronted by Christ to be His apostle on the road to Damascus (Act 9:1-5; 15-16 cp. 1Co 9:1), but called even from his mother’s womb (Gal 1:15 cp. Jer 1:5). Therefore Paul’s authority to correct the Corinthians was established by the “will of God.”

2. Paul also mentions Sosthenes who very possibly the same Sosthenes who was a synagogue leader in Ephesus, who became a believer, and was beaten to satisfy an angry mob (Act 18:12-17). Now he was Paul’s amanuensis (secretary) and mentioned only in this letter.

B. [1Co 1:2] - The church at Corinth was described as a “church of God” because it was God who saved them and sanctified them.

1. The Greek word for “sanctified” is hagiazō and means to make holy. The fact that it was written as a perfect participle means that the Corinthians have been made holy positionally at salvation and are being made holy conditionally through the Holy Spirit. Four aspects can be seen in Sanctification.

a) Preparatory Sanctification: is the effective work of the Holy Spirit that calls and brings a man to faith in Christ (2Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:2).

b) Positional Sanctification: is the believer's permanent state before God after trusting in Christ and receiving Christ’s righteousness (1Co 1:2; 6:11).

c) Progressive Sanctification: is the life-long process whereby the believer, who still has a sinful nature, becomes more holy like Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (Joh 17:17; Eph 5:26; 2Co 3:18).

d) Perfect (Ultimate) Sanctification: is when our sinless position in Christ will become our experience in heaven (Phi 3:21; 1Jo 3:2).

2. They were “saints by calling” (klêtois hagíois lit. titled“called saints” or “saints by calling”) and were called by God to be saints (hagioi - lit. “holy ones”, i.e. believers). This was a common title for believers used by Paul (Rom 1:6; 1Co 1:2; Gal 1:6; Eph 4:1; 2Ti 1:9).

3. Because they were originally called by God, they eventually called upon Christ as Savior and Lord and were connected to all other believers who also were the called.

4. Note that even though they had sins and problems, Paul affirms that they were believers.

C. [1Co 1:3] - Paul gives his typical salutation but it is anything but mundane.

1. “Grace” (cháris) from God is what the Corinthians received when they trusted in Christ. “Peace” (eirếnê) with God is what they experienced from the grace of God and a right relationship with Him (Rom 5:1).

2. The phrase “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” asserts that grace and peace also come from Jesus Christ. It therefore, asserts His deity.

II. GOD’S GRACE ON THE CHURCH AT CORINTH (1Co 1:4-9)

A. [1Co 1:4] - Paul thanks God for these genuine believers and the grace that had been given to them. Grace was given to them in salvation but also in sanctification (1:2), spiritual gifts (1:7), and eternal security (1:9).

B. [1Co 1:5] - God’s grace also includes the fact that they were “enriched” (ploutizō - cause to have an abundance) in speech and knowledge.

1. It is grace that enables the believer to have knowledge from the Word and to speak God’s truth.

2. But this speech and knowledge probably refer to the spiritual gifts that they had in Corinth (the gift of tongues, interpreting tongues, discernment etc. cp. 1Co 12 -14).

C. [1Co 1:6] - The testimony or message about Christ as Savior was confirmed in them.

1. In other words, they gave evidence of salvation, which included their spiritual gifts.

2. Each believer is given some spiritual gift(s) at the moment of salvation by the Holy Spirit (1Co 12:7).

D. [1Co 1:7] - They were so enriched and so blessed with these spiritual gifts that Paul said they were not lacking in any gift. However, they were abusing the use of those gifts (1Co 12-14).

1. They were at the same time awaiting the “revelation” (apokálupsis - uncovering or unveiling) or the coming of the Lord and probably refers to the Christ glorious appearing at His Second Coming (Mat 24:30; Luk 21:27; 2Th 1:10; Rev 19:12, 16).

2. The coming of the Lord was a theme taught by Paul to all the churches and an imminent return was expected by all of them.

E. [1Co 1:8] - Just as their salvation was confirmed by the evidence in their lives and gifts, so they will be “confirmed” (bebaióō - establish or make sure) in eternal security.

1. The Corinthian saints were being kept and preserved till the end of their lives by God. Even the carnal Corinthians could rejoice in eternal security.

2. They would be “blameless” (anegkletos - not called before a judge) when Christ came back for them because it is God who has already justified the believer (Rom 3:20, 24, 28; 8:30 cp. 1Co 6:11).

3. The “day of the Lord Jesus Christ” or “day of Christ” (Phi 1:6, 10; 2:16) would refer to the time when Christ comes back for His church, i.e. the Rapture (1Th 4:16-17).

F. [1Co 1:9] - The Corinthian’s salvation was secure by another factor, namely that God is faithful.

1. If God promised to continue to work in the believer until the day of Jesus Christ, that is exactly what the believer can expect (Phi 1:6).

2. It was God who called us into fellowship with His Son. The Father planned salvation, including the calling of the believer, and the Son made it possible by His redemption on the cross.

III. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. Carnality (fleshly living by a believer) is never condoned in the Scriptures, but it is portrayed as possible. Case in point: the first letter to the Corinthians. Even though they were carnal, Paul accepted them as genuine believers.

B. Paul used encouraging words first before admonishing them for their sin and problems. We always need to encourage others, especially before correcting them. Reaffirming that they were gifted believers showed the Corinthians their responsibility and hope through the Holy Spirit.

C. Every believer ought to be overwhelmed by the fact that he has been given God’s grace in salvation, sanctification, spiritual gifts, and eternal security.