PAUL wrote this letter to the Christians in Corinth in 57 AD and evidently written from Ephesus. Acts 18 gives the account of his ministry in Corinth which lasted around 18 months, and was much blest by God. The Church in Corinth was a church which was very much alive, but as often happens the devil had got in and caused much disorder in every way. Paul wrote to correct this disorder, and give instruction concerning questions of how to behave in the heathen culture and society in Corinth at that time. Corinth was a very important city being the political capital of Greece.
The verses that we are considering make up the introduction to the letter, and are written in gentle and encouraging terms before Paul has to deal with the more difficult problems in Corinth. Nine verses may seem a very short passage to study, but every sentence is pregnant with meaning, and are worthy of close and long study and meditation, so I make no excuse for choosing such a short passage for our first study in this letter.
Verses 1-3 INTRODUCTION.
V.1 Here Paul establishes his authority to write and instruct. This was very important because of the problems in Corinth. His authority is that he was called, that is appointed, by the will of God, to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. An apostle means messenger, herald, ambassador. Paul was called as the messenger of Jesus Christ to declare the truth and Gospel concerning Jesus Christ. The Apostolic ministry and call was unique in that it was divinely inspired to declare and record the revelation and truth of God. However the character of this ministry establishes two things about the ministry and the minister in the church of God. The minister must be called by God, and the church's roll is simply to confirm that call. The minister is a messenger of Christ to teach and preach the truth of Christ. The Christian church has no earthly priests or mediators, and the Christian minister is neither of these. Our priest and mediator as Christians is Christ himself, who offered a perfect sacrifice and is our advocate before the Father to mediate on our behalf. To suggest that ministers in the church are priests is to dishonour Christ and suggest he is not up to his roll as our Priest and Mediator.
V.2 The Church in the NT was the company of believing people. The church in Corinth was the people of God gathered in Corinth. Paul makes this clear by saying the church consists of those sanctified in Christ Jesus. Sanctified means set apart in Christ Jesus, and means justified before God on the merits of Christ's life and death for them, and so joined to Christ that their life is a new life of Christ within them. "In" Christ is a very important expression. Paul tells us in Romans 8:1 That there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. To be in Christ Jesus is to be joined to him as as to be part of him. Paul illustrates this later in this letter by speaking of the body of Christ. Jesus spoke about in John's Gospel by saying he was the Vine and we the branches. It means we are joined to Christ so that all he won becomes ours and his life is flowing in us, and where he is so we are also. We are in Christ by faith only. This is why we are called to demonstrate this life in holiness.
V.3 Grace and peace are the two great blessings which flow to us from Christ. Grace is God's unmerited favour which bestows on us every blessing of the Gospel - forgiveness, justification, redemption etc. Peace is the blessing that flows from grace. Peace is being reconciled to God, and so having peace of conscience through Christ, and peace in the knowledge that God works all things for our good.
Verses 4-9 THANKSGIVING.
Here Paul gives thanks for the very evident grace of God in salvation that can be seen in the Church, that is in the believers, in Corinth.
In verse 5 Paul indicates that this is evident in the spiritual knowledge and speaking which they show they possess, which reveals the testimony of Christ, that is the truth of the Gospel of salvation which is seen to be confirmed in them through their testimony or witness concerning Christ.
From this evident grace in salvation which they have, they are blessed with spiritual gifts from the Spirit of God v.7. From this grace also they have the glorious hope of heaven demonstrated in the fact they eagerly looked for the return of Christ - Christ's revealing, when they would be gathered into Christ's glory and sin and Satan would be judged and condemned. In v.8 Paul assures them that through this grace they have received they may be sure that Christ would keep them safe in this salvation to the end, keeping them in the faith in Jesus which caused them to be blameless in the eyes of God, and so heirs of heaven. Paul tells them that this must be so v.9 because God is faithful and so his word of promise in Christ will never fail.