Saints and Sinners

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)

The Basket Case Chronicles #1

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:1-3).

The letter commonly called 1 Corinthians was written by two men—Paul the apostle, and Sosthenes, here simply called “our brother.” How much of the letter comes from Sosthenes we don’t know, but it was enough to warrant mention (v. 1). Paul identifies himself in accordance with his office as apostle, which was his common practice (v. 1). He was an apostle of Christ through the will of God, which Paul knew full well, recalling how God had called him on the Damascus road. It certainly had not been part of Paul’s plans.

This letter was written to the church of God at Corinth (v. 2). This church was made up of those who were sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints. These saints had been called alongside everyone who called on the name of Jesus Christ. This Jesus was both Lord of the Corinthians, as well as of anyone who called on Him in that same way (v. 2).

Paul pronounces a benediction upon them—grace and peace both, from the Father and from the Son. The Spirit is not mentioned expressly here, but that should not be a great concern. The Spirit is the grace and peace that rests upon them (v. 3). Paul has just finished saying that they are sanctified in Christ, and that they are called to be saints. The words used here (for sanctify and saint) are variations on the same word that makes up part of the Holy Spirit’s name. So He is not absent at all.

Two other comments. First, Paul is called to be an apostle, and the Corinthians are called to be saints. They are summoned to different stations but they are both summoned. That summoning occurs in an ongoing way as we call upon the Lord. As we call upon Him, it is revealed that He has indeed called us.

Second, we are going to learn in just a few pages that the Corinthian church had some appalling things going on in it, such that Paul could not identify them as spiritual men, but rather as carnal (3:1-4). Nevertheless, knowing what he is going to say about the state of their sanctification, he nonetheless here has some high words to say here about the reality of their sanctification. In the same way, we should always stand ready to receive the apostolic rebukes, but we will only be able to do this to the extent that we have heard the apostolic assurances.