1st Corinthians Chapter One
Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1.
"Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and
Sosthenes our brother,"
This is a letter written by Paul
the Apostle (Apostle means "sent one"), using an "amanuensis", a brother in
Christ named "Sosthenes." An amanuensis is like a secretary but more, as
such a person was able to make small additions and modifications to the
text (God gave Paul those people he could TRUST). However, this is in
every way, a letter from Paul the Apostle, written in AD 56 or 57, and
sent from the city of Ephesus.
Paul was responding to a letter
or letters from the Corinthians, asking about (1) marriage and celibacy,
(2) bitter disputes about subjects like "meat offered to idols," (3)
proper dress for women in assemblies (heads covered or not), (4) the
relative value of spiritual gifts, especially speaking in tongues, along
with (5) concerns about understanding of the resurrection. Paul would
also address a concern about the collection for the poor in Jerusalem,
and respond to an invitation for Apollos to pay them a visit.
Paul had authority – he was an
ambassador, a sent one from God. Note that every true Christian worker
has a CALL from God, and knowing we are called makes us strong in Him.
We don’t accept everyone who comes our way, for we are to prove the
spirits (1 John 4:1). We are to test the credentials of those who come
to us. Paul knew that, which is the reason he identified himself – his
desire was that they might learn to receive those sent by God, and yet
at the same time be cautious about who they receive.
Verse 2.
"to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been
sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every
place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:"
At that time, the word
"Christian" was probably still an insult thrown by enemies, and was not
yet accepted into the Church as a badge of identification. They used
words like "called" and "saints" to describe our place in Him. Note
that ALL who are in Christ Jesus are called out of the world and into
our Lord by the summons of God. "Sanctified" is a truth about us that
we are involved in a process where we are set apart for the use of God
(and for the use of other believers).
To "call upon the name of our
Lord" is to reach out to Him in prayer. God has in mind for us that
each will become WARRIORS in prayer in Him – If we get out of His way in
that area, He WILL make this HAPPEN in our lives.
Verse 3.
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
We have grace and mercy in our
Lord, and these became the greetings of the early Church. "Grace" was
more of a Greek term, and it is a wonderful comfort to us that God looks
upon the guilty and speaks words of pardon (the meaning of "grace").
"Peace" (shalom in the Hebrew) is more of a Jewish greeting, and as it was used at
that time, implies a wish for joy and prosperity to the recipient. The
English phrase "good day" originally was "God bless you today" and we
are left with the shortened form "good day", changed over time. It’s
nice to know that when someone says "Good day" they actually are asking
God’s blessings upon us.
There is no greater blessing
possible, than to receive the grace of God, and to have peace with God,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Verse 4.
"I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was
given you in Christ Jesus,"
If we only knew – When we are
honestly thankful to God, it is the only time we truly acknowledge our
real condition before God. God ALWAYS gives to us. Everything we have
and are is from God. Our physical bodies, our minds, cultural setting,
everything is from Him, and we have a choice to either be grateful or
not.
True thankfulness is likely to
be unselfish. God’s choice for us is that we will become more pleased
for the success of others than for ourselves; for the grace of God in
the lives of other people. This is true gratitude, by the way, true
thankfulness is for God’s work in our lives (not just for human success)
– I may lose the job but learn more of Him. I can then be thankful
about two things, that (1) I lost the job, and (2) I learned more about
my Lord. Do we thank Him for "negative" things? – Let us learn to do
exactly that. Nothing can remain "negative" because He loves you and me.
Verse 5.
"that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all
knowledge,"
To be "rich" is to have money,
according to the understanding of this world. But from a truer
perspective, to be rich is have more of Him; more of God. We even have a
phrase in our language, "Money can’t buy happiness," and it can’t. In
fact, money often buys Unhappiness, for the wealthy person has many
traps in front of them, including a tendency to become shallow and vain.
(Don’t forget, though, that God gives wealth, and the wealthy can
receive the grace of God, just like the poor).
Note that we are given "speech"
and "knowledge." I can personally testify that He has changed me in
those areas. From a kid who did not do well in high school, partly because
I would not stand up and speak in front of other people (even when I
knew the material), I have become one who delights in learning about
Christ and sharing Him with others. God gives understanding of His
Word, and He gives the ability to share that which is given. You WILL
be changed by Him, and you will be SATISFIED with the work of God in
your life. Sharing Christ becomes the greatest joy of all.
Verse 6.
"even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,"
God will confirm His Son, His
Word in us. Our faith in God is the creation OF God (Hebrews 12:2 –
Jesus invented your faith and He’s bringing "your" faith to perfection
in you). Again, the faith you have is not your own; it’s God’s gift.
The faith itself is the testimony of God in you, that you are His
(Hebrews 11:1 – "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen").
That faith will express itself
in many ways, including an increasing tendency to be open to the work of
God in our lives. If He wants to give you a spiritual gift, you might
feel cautious at first, but later you will receive with joy, as He
confirms His presence in your life in innumerable ways. There comes a
time when we KNOW we belong to Him; when our greatest joy is more of
Him.
Verse 7.
"so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the
revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
God will give and give and give,
until you are so satisfied, the whole of your life is spent in thanking
God. Those who really know JOY in the Lord, have finally said "Yes" and
fully let the Lord into their lives. As we shall see in these chapters,
by the way, "gifts" of the Holy Spirit do not necessarily include
maturity on the part of the believer. The gifts are given us for the
benefit of those around us, and maturity comes when our whole life is in
sharing with others that which God has so graciously given to us.
However, receiving a gift is
delightful to the recipient. We are children after all, and what child
does not like to receive a gift from one who loves him? We never lack
with our Lord. Sometimes we have let bitterness from the past interfere
with our joy, but the Giver is always giving, and someday soon He will
return and we will have it all, for we will not only have Him in our
hearts but we will also be in His Arms of Love.
Verse 8.
"who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ. "
WHY shall we be confirmed to the
end, and WHY are we held blameless? Since we are like sheep that wander
away, why does He accept US? --- Because God is faithful, even when we
are not. He keeps up both ends of the bargain. We are yoked together
with Him, and if you think about it, He’s the One doing all the work.
We are kept by God’s promise – "Where I am, there you shall be also".
He is faithful, He is love, His justice is expressed in Christ Jesus. We
are His and we can believe in His love.
We can trust that we are
confirmed, blameless in Him, not because of our merit, but because of
His.
Verse 9.
"God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Fellowship is more than
discipleship or even friendship. It is the same root word used when the
sons of Zebedee are described as "partners" with Simon, and it was used
again about the early Church having all things in common. The Son had
(and has) this kind of deep relationship with the Father – no division
could be drawn between the Father’s will and the will of the Son; the
Father’s works and His works. Jesus kept and received those the Father
had given Him; the hatred He received was the hatred of the world for the
Father; His glory was the glory of the Father.
We are permitted into this
relationship through adoption, made one with Him, through faith in His
grace. We have common cause with Him. His Father is our Father. His
Spirit is made one with us. His service, perhaps His suffering, are
ours. Our concerns are His concerns and His are ours. We walk the
path which He walked. Fellowship is partnership with God, given by the
gracious call of God. He leads us away from what might be called evil
associations and glues us, in love, to others who are in Him.
Verse 10.
"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be
made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Paul (and the Holy Spirit)
exhorts us –you and me– to end our divisiveness, for it is our habit to
be divided. "My" way, "my" ideas seem better than "yours" but really
they are not . God really does have better ideas than we do, and we are
to be one in Him. I’ve often thought the attitude of humanity could be
summed up as follows: "I’m so glad I’m me; don’t you wish everybody
was?" We are a wrong-headed people.
We are to be one in heart,
having the same love that we have seen in Christ Jesus. This does not
necessarily mean that we are to be one theologically, because doctrines
tend to divide us, where Christ unites us. This is not one in the
letter of the law, but in love for one another; that we actually may be
joined as ONE in Him. I give up my rights to be the one who is right –
in love, in Him, for you.
Verse 11.
"For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's
people, that there are quarrels among you."
Paul, the writer of this letter, was astonished
that Christians were actually quarreling with one another. Such divisions cause weakness in the
body of Christ. We only have so much strength and it should be saved to
win unbelievers, to fight sin, through the power of God, in the world.
Instead, we fight each other. We’re talking "bad testimony" here. How
many AVOID the Church because of people like you and me?
Romans 14 has been a gift from
God to me. To sum up that chapter, the weaker Christian is the one who
has many stringent rules of behavior, whereas the stronger is that
person who knows "freedom" in Christ. However, Paul concludes by
admonishing us that we are not to mislead the "weaker" brother to do
things he cannot in good conscience do, and Paul reminds us that
whatever is "not done in faith is sin." In other words, each of us is
personally led by God, the One who is creating faith like a work of art
in us; a picture of breathtaking beauty. Your work and mine may differ
but we are one in Christ, and are to be patient with one another,
understanding that we each belong to Him.
Verse 12.
"Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, I am of Paul, and I of
Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ."
Divisions do arise in the body
of Christ, from preferring certain leaders more than others – a LOT of
divisions. Apollos was a very eloquent speaker, whereas Paul was
thought to be very spiritual. Cephas (Peter) had been personally
associated with Christ, and each of these men had their following. I
think we should follow Christ, not people, and HE will direct us to the
pastor of HIS choice. You may care less for that speaker (than someone
else), but the Lord may have led you there specifically to PRAY for that
person.
Another area of division is
found in beliefs about certain doctrines. We should remember that we
please our Lord by LOVING our brother, not by defeating him in clever
argument. Our need is less to hold on to certain doctrinal beliefs
(extraneous to our central belief in Christ), and more to follow the
Lord. Why is there so much division in the body of Christ? We tend to
cherish mere ideas and people, and let them the place of Christ in our lives.
Verse 13.
"Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or
were you baptized in the name of Paul?"
Jesus Christ is all in all for
you and for me, and we are merely sheep to His position as Shepherd to
all. Though He shares all with us, Christ’s teaching is original - ours
is merely derived from Him. His authority is supreme, whereas ours is
delegated from Him. The whole foundation of life is Christ, and we
simply are His workmen, putting up walls by following His blueprint.
Jesus died for each one, and we
love Paul, but he merely points to the Savior, as each true pastor must
do. Christ’s ministers teach, bear authority, and are builders in His
kingdom. We can actually be co-workers in His work, but HE was
CRUCIFIED for us. In HIS Name, we are baptized. We cannot give one
another the Spirit of God, but we can introduce people to the One Who
can.
Verse 14.
"I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,"
Paul is a man who loved to see
souls come to Christ, as in Romans 10:1, "My heart’s desire and prayer
to God for Israel that they may saved." He beseeches us, in Romans
12:1, that we "present" ourselves utterly to the Lord. And baptism is
a picture of our coming to Christ. Each time someone comes to Christ,
he is placed under the water (symbolically drowned), indicating he has
voluntarily left this sinful world. To give up breathing as people do
underwater (without scuba gear) is to give up life in this world. We
are then brought up out of that water, symbolizing that we are now alive
in Him. Paul LOVED baptism for obvious reasons – it said so MUCH about
our place in the Lord.
Yet here Paul is, saying he was
GLAD he had baptized few – and that was because of DIVISION in the body
of Christ. When we are divided against our brother, it brings
distortion to our Church. Yes, we must agree on Christ Himself – He
is our Savior, our all-in-all. There is no compromise about Him. But
ask yourself, are the doctrinal beliefs you hold so dear, essential to
salvation or not? What’s more important, your doctrine or your brother
in Christ?
Verse 15.
"so that no one would say you were baptized in my name."
We are to preach Jesus Christ;
the gospel, the good news about Him. We are to preach in simplicity,
knowing that the truth of Him is greater than the thoughts of men.
Paul understood very well that for us to take the thoughts of John
Wesley, or Martin Luther, or Calvin and spend our lives in serving
religious systems, falls short of the glory of God. Each one of us is
to be an original, looking to those who have come before, but
worshipping only Christ, and finding that which is true first in His
Word.
In Corinth there were people,
sincere people, who were trying to follow men instead of God. Paul is
one of the greatest men in human history, yet Paul in this section is
emphatic that to be religious or follow Paul is not enough. To follow a man who is
truly spiritual is never enough – We must each personally receive the Son
of God, be filled with His Spirit, read His Word, and live our lives for
God.
Verse 16.
"Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do
not know whether I baptized any other."
What is baptism anyway
(revisited)? It is our testimony that we have received Christ, died to
this world, and have come alive in another. That’s the teaching of
Colossians 2:12, where it is shown we acknowledge by baptism that we are
buried with Christ and are raised with Him through faith. It is a
"picture" or parable that we are changed by our Lord. Just as we
understand that marriage is a symbol to help us understand the
relationship of Christ and His Church, so baptism is given to reveal the
nature of our salvation in Him.
Paul (again) LOVES baptism, and
yet here in this section he is disclaiming much of a relationship with
it, as a method of communicating the very serious truth that we do not
follow people in our Christian walk, we follow God.
Verse 17.
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in
cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made
void."
Man is helpless to do the work
of God, unless it is God who calls him and then enables him to do the
work. To the question, "What do you call a dog that has no legs" the
answer is "nothing" because you can call him all day and he won’t come
to you. We are just as helpless as that dog, and the Spirit of the Lord
who calls us, will also enable us to do the work.
The Lord Christ sent Paul, as He
eventually sends every one of us, to do a specific work of His
choosing. And it is not in our cleverness of speech or in our action
that we are sent, but in His strength and for His purposes, that the
cross of Christ shall be honestly and completely given to this world.
"We were buried therefore with Him (Christ)
through baptism into death"
(Romans 6:4).
Paul states he was not called
to baptize, yet he did baptize some (verse 14, verse 16), as God led
him, and we should look to God and follow Him as God wills for each one
of us.
Verse 18.
"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
God views the "wisdom" of this
world as foolishness. When you compare one philosophical system of this
world with another, they may seem OK, but God is comparing your thoughts
with His; not the guy next door. In Isaiah 55:9 and context, it is
revealed "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways
higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
The Cross is both a wonderful
expression of God’s love, and an assertion of His holiness. To fail in
one point of God’s law is to be guilty of all (James 2:10). We deserve
to be cast into hell, because (Romans 3:23) "ALL (of us)
have sinned and
come short of the glory of God." He is holy – and only those who are
holy can stand before Him.
The good news is presented in
Romans 6:23 – "the wages of sin is (indeed) death,
but the gift of God
is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." Jesus Christ paid the price
and we are free in Him. To think this is "foolishness" is simply to not
understand – we were in debt without the ability to pay, and He paid the
debt for us. On God’s ledger is written the words "paid in full" for
those who trust in Christ.
Verse 19.
"For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the
cleverness of the clever I will set aside.’"
The world does not understand
God because they do not have His Spirit. They don’t have the Spirit
because they really do not want God. This is even worse than
foolishness and now the world’s so-called "wisdom" is unnecessary
anyway, because Christ has come.
What is the Cross to us? To
some, it just consists of relics, little tokens from long ago, a symbol
(of who knows what?) to be worn around the neck. To us, it represents
the saving power of Jesus Christ, the suffering He endured which became
salvation for those who trust in Him. He has thrown us a true Lifeline,
and if we are so "clever" or "wise" that we refuse that Lifeline, then
we are destroyed along with our "cleverness" for all eternity.
Verse 20.
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of
this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
The philosophers of this world
have been making great arguments for centuries, each trying to destroy
the philosophical arguments of all those who preceded them. The cross
of Jesus Christ destroys them all – He has revealed as foolishness the
thought that mere words can sustain people in the day of our trouble.
We are not saved by more
effective thinking, we are saved by faith through the grace of God. No
amount of wise, pithy sayings, no debate can do the job, for God has
made foolish the wisdom of this world. Words of wisdom don’t save the
person in trouble. It’s like calling to a person caught in a whirlpool,
"Why don’t you swim to safety?" The response would be, "I CAN’T swim
away – I’m caught in a whirlpool!" We are caught in the whirlpool of
sin, and only Jesus can speak to the waters "Peace, be still," and make
you free.
Verse 21.
"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not
come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the
message preached to save those who believe."
Thomas Aquinas believed in
faith as a means of salvation, but he also believed there were men (like
himself) who were intelligent enough to find God through intellectual
comprehension. That’s too bad, because it just isn’t true – we are ALL
saved through faith in Jesus Christ and faith (operative through the
grace of God) alone.
Basically, what Jesus did is
equivalent to a man who, when he saw us trapped on the train tracks, ran
to help us by knocking us out of the way, just when the train was
arriving. We were saved but He, our Savior, lost his life. We have
sinned, (just one sin condemns us before a holy God), and whatever you
personally might think of the process, we have a Redeemer, sent from
God, who has given His life for us.
Think of Christ as a medicine.
You might think, "Taking pills is foolishness," but if you take the
pill, you will live, if you don’t, you will die. Jesus will satisfy
your intellect, if you let Him, but first receive Him, and then, after
that, you will begin to understand.
Verse 22.
"For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;"
There are two types of people
who are pre-dispositioned to reject Jesus: the "Jews." Not Jewish
people per se – this is a broader description of people who insist on
miracles; those who want miraculous deliverance from problems in their
lives, as in "Master, we would see a sign from Thee" (Matthew 12:38).
He answered them with His DEATH; they would see the "sign
of Jonah" (Matthew
12:39). There are those among us who want the sensational in worship and
preaching, and a rescue from problems. These are the people talked
about here.
A second group is the "Greeks" –
Again, this is not really about nationality; instead it speaks of
ATTITUDES – There are those among us those who substitute human wisdom
for the power of the Cross. The test of the reality of Christ in our
lives is not the change in our IDEAS (though what we think is important)
but the change in our LIVES because of the encounter with Christ and Him
crucified, dead and made alive again. Do we now love our brother? Do we still love him even when
our brother disagrees with us theologically?
It has been said there is an
idolatry of talent and books in the Church – and there is! We want an
intellectual banquet. God wants us rather to "feast" on Christ ("I
am the bread of life") and become like Him, humble and satisfied
with who He is.
After all these centuries of
trying, human wisdom still cannot save a single soul.
Verse 23.
"but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to
Gentiles foolishness,"
Jesus Christ died for you and
for me. Those words at the top of the Cross, "the King of the Jews"
really should have been a statement of your sins and mine. He was
innocent, we are guilty. He died when it really should have been you
and me. You might say to me, "Speak for yourself" but actually, God,
through Paul, spoke for both of us when it was said "ALL have sinned and
come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Those who limit their religion
to emotional satisfaction and social form, will have great difficulty
with the "simplicity" of the Cross. The "intellectuals" in our midst;
those who desire things to be endlessly complex, will have satisfaction
in Him, but only AFTER coming to Him in simple FAITH in His death on the
Cross for our sins.
Verse 24.
"but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power
of God and the wisdom of God."
In Christ, we see the power, the
extent of God’s love. God loved the WORLD (John 3:16) so much, that the
Son was sent to die for us. His death shows the power of His JUSTICE.
Is the law impartial? – Will it punish every sin, every sinner? The
price of our indebtedness MUST be paid, IS paid in Jesus Christ.
God is just - the debt has been paid in full.
We see His power over the
creatures of darkness. The Son was manifested to destroy the works of
the devil - Colossians 2:15, "He made a show of the principalities and
powers, triumphing over them in it" (the Cross). We see His power in
the salvation of sinners, made possible through the Cross. Take Paul’s
conversion. Yours (if you have been saved). Mine. This is nothing less
than a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The temple of God in us is
built out of the ruins of our former selves.
We see His power in the
suffering His people can endure in Him, for His sake. Take the
sufferings of Paul (2 Corinthians 11:23-33) – The power of Christ, given
through that Cross, makes it possible for us to do all things – in Him.
Verse 25.
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of
God is stronger than men."
The word "foolishness" here must
be in quotes because the Cross of Jesus Christ is the greatest act in
history. How would YOU do it? What do YOU think is the best way for God
to rescue this people, when we often simply don’t WANT to be saved? To
give us some difficult intellectual test would be unfair, because most
or all would fail, and few to none would be saved. An act of physical
courage? What could be more courageous than the work of Jesus on that
Cross? And many, weak physically, would not succeed.
It took superhuman strength to
die on that Cross. Not just the physical difficulties, like the
terrible wounds in His body, but He also bore our sins. I cannot bear
my own sins, so I could not effectively bear yours, either. I am not
qualified to bear your sins, just as you are not qualified to bear
mine. We couldn’t do it, and it would not satisfy the Father.
We can’t do it – We are not wise
enough or strong enough to do the job. But the "foolishness" of the
Cross and His "weakness" in dying for us, was more than sufficient for
our salvation in Him. Paul is using sarcasm – There is nothing "weak"
about Christ.
Verse 26.
"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;"
The purpose of our weakness is
to humble human pride. His power is found in His work on the Cross and
our pride would be a permanent barrier to His salvation - there is no
other way to be saved, except to receive His finished work through faith
in what He has done. His power can save us; our pride can only destroy
us.
Our weakness brings us to the
Cross, the place where we need to be. Paul GLORIED in the Cross of
Christ, and for good reason. Note Paul’s sad commentary – There are not
many from the intellectual community among us. Successful athletes tend
to be satisfied with physical achievement & what they have done. The
nobility (Kings, Caesars, etc.) produce few for Christ. It is better
for us to have less and to need Him more.
Verse 27.
"but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise,
and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things
which are strong,"
In Luke 7:22, we find that the
"poor" have the good news preached to them. Others are often too busy
for Christ; they have so much of "IMPORTANCE" to do. What a difference
between many of God’s people in Scripture, and those in Athens (Acts
17:16-34). Only a few were converted in this center of human wisdom.
At Rome, initial successes seemed to only be among the "lower" classes
of society. This fact was often used AGAINST Christians – The Romans
could not understand a religion that treated a slave as a man. (Or gave
status to a woman).
Verse 28.
"and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the
things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,"
Again, why did God choose the
method of faith? Humiliation of human pride remains at the top of the
list. See verse 29 – if people can boast, they will. It is difficult
to give ourselves credit when we have done nothing to be saved. If I
fall out of a window and someone catches me, who gets the credit? Is it
me? No – The newspaper will NOT say "Hero falls out of window; valiantly
saves self by landing on another person."
The one who caught me is the
hero who gets the credit. I was merely the one stupid enough to fall
out of the window in the first place. Jesus is the Hero who has saved
us from our sin, and the ones among the human race who think they are
something (when we are not) has difficulty accepting the completeness of
what He has done on our behalf.
Verse 29.
"so that no man may boast before God."
If we can take the credit for
what is done, we will. But salvation is ALL of God, and what human
being can boast in the face of something like that? Matthew 18:3 tells
us we must be as "little children" and what is the natural tendency of
our little ones? Unless we ruin that tendency in them, they tend to
trust in and love their parents. My Dad and I began later to disagree,
but early on, he was my hero who could do no wrong. I trusted in him
and loved him with all my heart. That is the right way of a little
child, and that is the way we are with our Lord. He has done it all and
we simply REJOICE in Him.
Verse 30.
"But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from
God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,"
Here is some of what Christ has
done for us: 1) He has given us redemption. We are delivered and are
being delivered into a state where we are "without blemish" before Him
(Ephesians 5:27). We are truly redeemed in Him, right now, by what is
inside, and later, our bodies will follow where our hearts have gone. 2)
We are given righteousness. In Jeremiah 23:6, He is called "Jehovah our
righteousness." To be "righteous" is to be utterly in concert, to be
consistent with the mind and will of God. Only in Christ can that
righteousness be wrought in us. (In 2 Corinthians. 5:21, we are called the
"righteousness of God in Christ")
He has given us 3)
Sanctification. We are being made into the image of God as the
character of Christ is imputed into us. We are being made into something
noble – in Him. 4) Wisdom. Colossians 2:3 - in Him is all wisdom and
knowledge hidden. When He comes into us, He brings His wisdom with
him. Our quest for wisdom can only be satisfied in Him.
Verse 31.
"so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the
lord.’"
He has done it all. We are not
merely rescued from destruction, though that is true, but we are also
given every heavenly blessing in Christ Jesus. We are grafted into Him,
enclosed with Him in heavenly places; we are literally IN Him, by the
Grace of God, safe forevermore. We, who are foolish, are given wisdom.
We, who are not righteous, are given righteousness. We, who are unholy,
are given sanctification. We, who are just as lost as all other men,
are given redemption in Him.
Many who call themselves
"Christian" act foolishly. We the foolish, must look to Him anew. We
are not righteous at all, except in Him, so let us look to Him in all
things. Our holiness is impossible, except in Him. We can be
"religious" and "ethical" but it does not change our world. First WE
need to be changed, and then He will use us for others in need.
Redemption is only based in Him. We are BOUGHT and fully paid for in
Him. Our life is His; His is ours. Freed from punishment, freed from
guilt, He is our all in all.
How can we boast? We cannot,
except we boast in Him.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.FirstChurchOnTheNet.org
www.FridayStudy.org
Write to:
Letters@FridayStudy.org
"While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"
(Romans 5:8)
__________________________________________________
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email, contact:
Ron@FridayStudy.org or sign-up in our
Weekly Bulletin.
To join our Prayer Team, contact
Ron@FridayStudy.org or go to
Prayer Team.
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