The Christian calling and the problems faced in Corinth: (chap.1):
Paul was given special calling to be the Apostle to preach the good news to Gentiles. Sosthenes may have been Paul’s secretary who wrote down this letter as Paul dictated. He was probably the Jewish synagogue leader in Corinth (Acts 18:17) who was beaten during an attack on Paul and then later became a believer. Sosthenes was well known to the members of the Corinthian church and so Paul included his familiar name in the opening of the letter.
The qualities of a believer: (1:2-9)
- Sanctified by God: (1:2): The believer of Corinthians were sanctified (set apart) and members of that elect group, the church! But they were not living like saints.
- Grace of God (1:3-4): Grace means that God gives us what we don’t deserve; mercy means He doesn’t give us what we do deserve. This grace came through Christ by faith.
- Gifts from God (1: 5, 7): The Corinthian church had all the spiritual gifts they needed to live the Christian life, to witness for Christ and to stand against the paganism and immorality of Corinth. But instead of using rightly the gifts, they were arguing over the gifts to know which was better.
- Testimony for God: (1:6): The presence of gifts also bore a wonderful testimony of the believers of the Corinthian church. God gave them to speak out for Him and understand His truth and the reality of their spiritual gifts.
- Waiting for the 2nd coming: (1:7-9): They were waiting for Christ to return but their lives were not proper (1 Jn. 2:28). Though the Corinthians were sinful on earth, God would be able to present them as blameless in heaven. This guarantee was not because of their great gifts or their shining performance, but because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for them through His death and resurrection. We should not use this passage as an excuse for sin; rather it should be seen as an encouragement that God is faithful even though we may fail Him.
Problems confronted: (1:10-15)
Chloe was a Christian woman whose household had business interests in Ephesus and Corinth. The family must have got converted through the teaching of Paul. They have brought the news to Paul at Ephesus about the problems arising in Corinthian Church. The problems are that Church seems to get into divisions as:
- Paul’s party: They say that We are following in the footsteps of the man who founded our church, the apostle Paul. We’re the ones really right with God!”
- Apollo’s party: Some are saying that we are following in the footsteps of a man who is great in power and spiritual gifts, and an impressive man. We’re the ones really right with God!” (Acts 18:24-25)
- Cephas’ party or Peter’s party: Some are saying that they are following the first disciple or apostles. Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom of heaven. So we are the ones really right with God.
- Christ’s party:Some saying they are following only Jesus Christ. Following the footsteps of mere men are carnal. So we are the ones really right with God.
The divisions in the church is very ungodly but not in distinctions between churches and ministers. God has made different churches and different ministries with different callings and characters, because the job of preaching the gospel is too big for any one group.
“I bless God that there are so many denominations. If there were not men who differed a little in their creeds, we should never get as much gospel as we do. God has sent different men to defend different kinds of truth; but Christ defended and preached all . . . Christ’s testimony was perfect.” (Spurgeon)
That’s why Paul asks: Is Christ divided? Jesus does not belong to any one “party.” These parties ignore the truth of unity over all diversity in the church, even if they were all in the name of spirituality.
Ex: There was an old, contentious Quaker who went from one meeting to another, never finding the “true” church. Someone once said to him, “Well, what church are you in now?” He said, “I am in the true church at last.” “How many belong to it?” “Just my wife and myself, and I am not sure about her sometimes.”