1 Corinthians 1:1-9

God calls whom He wills. 

He has always known those who will accept Him in Jesus! Church attendance is not based upon the teacher/pastor but on our love of Jesus Christ.We love because God first loved us and all who love are showing His attributes to the world we live in.

Paul founded the church at Corinth during his second missionary journey (probably around ad 51). Paul likely wrote the letter known as 1 Corinthians in ad 54–55 after he had received a report concerning the Corinthian believers quarreling and a letter from them that raised questions about spiritual gifts, collections, and marriage. Paul’s appointment to the office of apostle was God’s decision, not a person’s or group’s. Paul doesn’t need the affirmation of the Corinthians because God chose him. Paul thanks God for the Corinthian believers despite their immorality. He is thankful that they’ve come to Christ and are at least staying engaged with the Christian community; this provides the opportunity for God to work in them and through them. Spiritual gifts and salvation do not come from people but from Christ. This also shows that the believers belong to Christ now that they’ve entered into a relationship with Him. To Paul, the only life worth living is one for Christ—even at the cost of all things, including wealth and physical well-being. Paul is modeling a life that doesn’t revolve around economy but on a relationship with God and others. His life is focused on love as God is focused on love. Paul uses the Greek word koinōnia here—meaning “to fellowship” or “join together.” God intended for the Corinthian believers to join together because of Christ; instead, they focused on leaders and teachers, which (among many other things) caused division within their church. Faithlife Bible.

Corinth The Corinth which Paul knew had been founded as a Roman colony during the century before Christ. It was strategically located in the Roman province of Achaia on a narrow strip of land between the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea, with two adjoining ports. Corinth’s location made it a center for trade routes passing from east to west, and the resulting prosperity brought both luxury and immorality. “To live like a Corinthian” meant to live in gross immorality, and many pagan temples located in Corinth encouraged this licentious way of life through temple prostitution. The letters Paul wrote to the believers in this city reveal the problems, pressures, and struggles of a church called out of a pagan society. Paul had founded the church in Corinth during an 18-month stay in the city (a.d. 51–52).

Thus in his greeting, Paul introduces his apostolic authority, the sanctification of his readers, and the unity of all believers, all major themes of the letter and concerns for the Corinthian believers. A local church of God is a group of people who identify themselves with God and gather together to worship and serve Him. The work of Jesus Christ makes a believer holy forever in God’s eyes. But in everyday living, sanctification involves small, daily changes. This is why Paul could call the Corinthian believers to become saints, even though the problems in their church testified that they were far from the goal of holiness.

The thanksgiving Paul offers to God for the Corinthians seems odd, considering the many problems the church was experiencing. However, Paul focuses his praise not on the troubled Corinthians but on the eternally faithful God. Paul does not praise the Corinthians for their good works as he does some other churches instead, he praises God who works in them. When we focus on people’s faults, hope soon wanes and discouragement follows. But when we concentrate on the Lord, even the darkest hours can be filled with praise. NKJ Bible.

1 Corinthians 1:1–9 (NKJV)

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

² To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, ⁵ that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, ⁶ even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, ⁷ so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 1:7 (NKJV)

⁷ To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 7:9 (NKJV)

⁹ “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

Isaiah 49:7 (NKJV)

⁷ Thus says the Lord,

The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,

To Him whom man despises,

To Him whom the nation abhors,

To the Servant of rulers:

“Kings shall see and arise,

Princes also shall worship,

Because of the Lord who is faithful,

The Holy One of Israel;

And He has chosen You.”