Church life is messy. There are no perfect churches because they are no perfect people. The church at Corinth demonstrated the possibility of imperfection better than any other church in the New Testament. Their disarrayed congregation fell prey to the cult of personality (1:10-17), sexual immorality (5:1-13; 6:12-20), confusion about marriage (7:1-40), misuse of Christian liberty (8:1-11:1), dishonorable practices surrounding the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34), unhealthy practices concerning spiritual gifts (chs 12-14), and incorrect views on the resurrection (ch. 15).[1] A mess indeed.

Nevertheless, they remained God’s church. And the beginning of Paul’s letter to them tells us just how God builds, strengthens, and sustains His church, despite the mess they may create. He helps us clean up our mess by re-directing our attention to His work and to the ways that He builds, strengthens, and sustains His people.

1. God calls leaders to shepherd His people (1 Cor. 1:1).

¹Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes (1:1)

God does not desire for His church to function as an anarchic democracy. He raises up leaders to shepherd His people. Paul identifies Himself as one of these leaders in the opening verse of the chapter-as an “apostle” who was “called” to His assignment according to “God’s will.” It is the same with all church leaders- God appoints shepherds to lead His flock. “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers,[2] to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). The church should pray for, support, and follow the leadership of her shepherds, as they follow the Chief Shepherd.

2. God saves sinners and sanctifies saints (1:2-3).

²To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: ³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:2-3).

God’s church is the place where sinners become sanctified saints. It is where the gospel is preached, where sin is repented of, and where Christ is believed (i.e. “called upon”). Those in Christ are sanctified- a word that is in the perfect tense in Greek, emphasizing the resultant state. In other words, members of Christ’s church have been made holy in Christ, and are currently holy in Him. As such, the Scriptures call us saints.

Continue reading “How God Builds, Sustains, and Strengthens His Church (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)” →