For God so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten Son that through Him the world could be saved. (John 3:16-17) In the unity of Holy Spirit we can be doers and not just followers of Christ our Lord.
The Israelites, the chosen of God, would be set aside for a period. In this time the Body of Christ is formed. That believers throughout the world would be brought into the Body of Christ was not revealed until the road to Damascus and the Apostle Paul. His epistles were scripture. Only in the power of His gift, Holy Spirit, can we overcome the evil of this world.
Romans 16:25-27 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 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.
All of the long-suffering and mercy of God is revealed to mankind in the person of Jesus, all-God/all-man. In Paul’s epistles the plan of salvation is revealed that by faith in Him alone we are saved. Without this hidden revelation the rest of the world would not have access to our triune Godhead. When God set the chosen aside, because of their rejection of their King, we were ushered into the Kingdom. Jesus Christ, was born, was crucified and was resurrected and in our faith in Him alone we are saved. Grace through faith, the gift of God, is given to us who believe. God’s mercy and His agape love for His creation is beyond our understanding! Jesus would die for our sins, in our place, and to Him be all glory! Carla
Statements of thanksgiving are a common feature in ancient letters. 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.
The grace of God refers either to the undeserved gifts the believers have received from God—speech, knowledge, and spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 1:5–7; 12–14; 2 Corinthians 8:7)—or to their receiving salvation.
In Christ Jesus emphasizes that 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. In Paul’s worldview, the believers have been rescued from the reign of Satan (evil) and placed under the reign of Christ (God’s proper and intended order of creation).
Since there was a very large wealth gap in Corinth, Paul emphasizes that riches are found in a life of following Christ; Christ’s gifts are what matter. This is Paul’s first response to a problem he addresses further in 1 Corinthians 11:17–34. People are poor prior to coming to Christ in the sense that they are removed from the life that God wants them to have in 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 (13:1–3).
The Greek word used here, logos, refers to that which is spoken (in this instance). The Corinthians highly esteemed both speech and knowledge because of their cultural value. The Greek word used here, gnōsis, may refer to an understanding of Christian teaching but based on Paul’s subsequent reference to the testimony of Christ among believers in verse 6, it likely refers to remembrance of how Christ has worked in people’s lives.
Romans prized speech and knowledge—rhetoricians were renowned. It’s likely that because of this, believers in Corinth were drawn to the ministry of Apollos; he was knowledgeable and eloquent (Acts 18:24–25; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4–5). Likewise, they have been drawn to the ministry of Peter (Cephas) because he had firsthand experience of Jesus during His life before the resurrection, whereas Paul only knew Jesus in person briefly after His resurrection. Paul emphasizes that all spiritual gifts come from Christ, and thus one person’s gift doesn’t make that person any more important than others (verses 6–15; 12). Instead, the emphasis should be on Christ.
Testimony is Paul referring to the work that he told the Corinthians that Christ would do in them; it’s now happening and is providing a witness for Christ in the world. Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to them to transform them. Literally “spiritual things”—refers to the gifts described in chapters 12–14. The Greek word used here, apokalypsis, often rendered as “revelation,” can either refer to the second coming of Christ or to God revealing something directly to a believer through the gift of tongues, prophecy, or a vision (1 Corinthians 14:6, 14:26; Revelation 1:1).
Blameless, means being free from accusation (Colossians 1:22; 1 Timothy 3:10; Titus 1:6–7).
The day of the Lord refers to the day when Christ will fully inaugurate justice in the world by delivering His followers and purging the world of evil.
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 (1 Corinthians 1:11–12). Faithlife Study Bible
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.
Enriched means that the Corinthians had been spiritually destitute but had become abundantly prosperous through God’s grace. Gift here is probably a reference to the spiritual gifts described in chapters 12–14. Despite the Corinthians’ boasting, their many gifts had come from God (12:11, 18, 28). The Corinthians were richly blessed with spiritual gifts because God was giving them everything they needed to do His will (12:14–27).
Because God is faithful to His word, Paul was confident that even the sin-plagued Corinthians would stand blameless before Him. This blamelessness does not refer to the Corinthians’ works, but to their standing in Christ, their justification (3:14, 15). The NKJV Study Bible.
Luke 17:30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
Deuteronomy 7:9 “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;
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
“The question can no longer be ‘What can I expect from life?’ but can now only be ‘What does life expect of me?’” Viktor Frankl reminds us.
This is not a pep talk. This is not a test to pass. Or a list I check off for God’s thumbs up. This is permission; the invitation and the affirmation to be and to live, wholeheartedly and kindheartedly, the truth of who I am. And that truth is connected to fundamental reality that we are all walking one another home. In a world of noise, that’s easy to forget.
When our narrative begins with grace and sufficiency, it births compassion, inclusion and connectedness—we are on this journey together.
And here’s the deal; God’s grace is always bigger than (and never confined by) any dogma we use to comprehend it. Sabbath Moments
Rather than turning from God, let's turn toward Him by admitting our need for His presence, power and grace in our lives. He loves us enough to adopt us into His family and call us His beloved children when we walk by faith in His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:15; 1 John 3:1). We can trust His heart. First5
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