Recipients
of a letter in the days of the New Testament knew who had sent it in the opening
line of the letter. That’s the pattern of most New Testament letters. A writer would
always identify himself and his credential first. So following the known pattern
then, Paul began by identifying himself and his credential in his first letter
to the Corinthians. In this opening verse, Paul made known who he was and then
revealed his credentials. He was an apostle who belonged to Jesus Christ. He did
not become an apostle by personal design but was called into that role. It was
God who had desired it, hence he said his calling was God’s will.
As an apostle, he was sent out by someone with higher authority and in his case, that someone was Jesus Christ. He functioned with the full authority of Jesus Christ, who had sent him. The message of his mission was not his own but the message of Jesus Christ and it would only be a message outlined by Him. Evidently, Paul had to establish his credential because of the presence of false apostles in the church in Corinth, and some people there had come against him. In this letter to the Corinthians, he included Sosthenes, a brother in the Lord. Who was this Sosthenes? According to Acts 18:17 he was a chief leader of the synagogue in Corinth. He obviously became a Christian and a close friend to Paul. Being a respected man he would help Paul to break down some barriers the Corinthians had against Paul. Sosthenes was a brother as far as Paul was concerned. His apostleship did not isolate him from those he came to serve.
As an apostle, he was sent out by someone with higher authority and in his case, that someone was Jesus Christ. He functioned with the full authority of Jesus Christ, who had sent him. The message of his mission was not his own but the message of Jesus Christ and it would only be a message outlined by Him. Evidently, Paul had to establish his credential because of the presence of false apostles in the church in Corinth, and some people there had come against him. In this letter to the Corinthians, he included Sosthenes, a brother in the Lord. Who was this Sosthenes? According to Acts 18:17 he was a chief leader of the synagogue in Corinth. He obviously became a Christian and a close friend to Paul. Being a respected man he would help Paul to break down some barriers the Corinthians had against Paul. Sosthenes was a brother as far as Paul was concerned. His apostleship did not isolate him from those he came to serve.
Having
established who he was and who he represented, Paul described his recipients.
He said several things about them:
Firstly, they were collectively known as the church of God. Despite the colorful infamous activities among them which we will discuss later, Paul called them the church of God. In calling them the church of God, Paul was not addressing individuals but the whole assembly.
Secondly, the church was located in Corinth. A local assembly would never be unconnected from the locality she is situated in. The people who came into the church in that particular locale would bring with them their attitudes and activities they had developed living in that city.
Thirdly, the believers were described as “…sanctified in Christ.” Words like saints or holy are used in place of the phrase, “…sanctified in Christ” in other translations. It simply meant that the Corinthians had identified themselves with Christ and had set apart themselves to Him. Notice that they were not saints because of their conduct but because of their calling. They became saints because they responded to the call of Jesus Christ through the Gospel.
Fourthly, the Christians in Corinth were connected “…with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” The church of Jesus Christ is never just a local concern. It is global. Whatever happens in one congregation affects the whole universal Church of Jesus Christ. The church as a whole reveals Christ’s Lordship.
Fifthly, when Paul said “…their Lord and ours,” he was linking them with all others who acknowledged the Lordship of Christ. People who call upon Him in prayer and worship. It is He who unites the believers, not the leaders nor the church name, nor the church structure. If Jesus is both their Lord and ours also, then there should be a commonality with other believers. We are partners and fellow servants of His, regardless of status or position.
In verse 3, Paul then went on to pray briefly for the Corinthian believers to have grace and peace. The source of both the grace and peace, he said, come from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace refers to what God had done for our good. Grace received must also be shared and imparted. Peace comes as a result of grace. These grace and peace come from one divine source i.e. from God and Jesus Christ as a unit.
In three verses Paul told the Corinthians not only about himself but also whose they were and what God had given them. As fellow believers with the Corinthians, the message to them also applies to us since we are linked to the same Lord. We belong to the Lord and what they received are ours as well. Think of the richness of relating to the Lord. We are set apart for Him. So let’s live a life truly set apart for Him. Let’s experience His grace and peace together!
Firstly, they were collectively known as the church of God. Despite the colorful infamous activities among them which we will discuss later, Paul called them the church of God. In calling them the church of God, Paul was not addressing individuals but the whole assembly.
Secondly, the church was located in Corinth. A local assembly would never be unconnected from the locality she is situated in. The people who came into the church in that particular locale would bring with them their attitudes and activities they had developed living in that city.
Thirdly, the believers were described as “…sanctified in Christ.” Words like saints or holy are used in place of the phrase, “…sanctified in Christ” in other translations. It simply meant that the Corinthians had identified themselves with Christ and had set apart themselves to Him. Notice that they were not saints because of their conduct but because of their calling. They became saints because they responded to the call of Jesus Christ through the Gospel.
Fourthly, the Christians in Corinth were connected “…with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” The church of Jesus Christ is never just a local concern. It is global. Whatever happens in one congregation affects the whole universal Church of Jesus Christ. The church as a whole reveals Christ’s Lordship.
Fifthly, when Paul said “…their Lord and ours,” he was linking them with all others who acknowledged the Lordship of Christ. People who call upon Him in prayer and worship. It is He who unites the believers, not the leaders nor the church name, nor the church structure. If Jesus is both their Lord and ours also, then there should be a commonality with other believers. We are partners and fellow servants of His, regardless of status or position.
In verse 3, Paul then went on to pray briefly for the Corinthian believers to have grace and peace. The source of both the grace and peace, he said, come from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace refers to what God had done for our good. Grace received must also be shared and imparted. Peace comes as a result of grace. These grace and peace come from one divine source i.e. from God and Jesus Christ as a unit.
In three verses Paul told the Corinthians not only about himself but also whose they were and what God had given them. As fellow believers with the Corinthians, the message to them also applies to us since we are linked to the same Lord. We belong to the Lord and what they received are ours as well. Think of the richness of relating to the Lord. We are set apart for Him. So let’s live a life truly set apart for Him. Let’s experience His grace and peace together!
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