Genesis 6:5-10

In the Beginning

Genesis 6:5-10

Intro:

A couple of weeks ago we studied 6:1-4. I shared with you the three main interpretations of the passage and what I believe is most likely the accurate interpretation. The sons of God were angels who in a Satanic plot to pollute the human race impregnated human women. This was Satan's plan to foil God's redemptive plan. These disobedient angels were punished by being imprisoned in Tartarus until the Great White Throne Judgment. The Nephilim (“fallen ones”) were giants who were killed by the flood. The offspring of the demonic and human relationships were also killed by the flood. The flood undoes Satan's plot. God's plan will always be accomplished.

This week we are going to learn some more about the time leading up to the flood. We are going to learn a lot about God's character from these chapters. The human race is in rebellion against God and He will only allow it for so long. Eventually God must judge sin. He will not allow rebellion to last forever.

Message:

This section begins with God's observation of mankind (5). There have been a lot of people born since Adam sinned and every one of them was born with a sinful nature (cf. 5:3). As time progressed the sin of mankind continued to increase (cf. Rom. 1:18-25). The text informs us that man has a depraved nature (cf. Rom. 3:10-18). After Adam sinned, man's nature was bent toward evil (cf. Rom. 5:12-14, 18-21). This is one of the clearest descriptions of man's sinful nature. When man was created he was sinless (cf. Gen. 1:31; 2:25). All of that has changed. Now everything that man does is tainted with sin (cf. Rom. 8:5-8).

We learn from verse six how God truly feels about man's sin (6). God actually regretted that He created man. This is a very telling statement. Man's sin causes God grief. This is an indication of the person-hood of God, that He has emotion. God is not an impersonal force. He has emotion, intellect, and will. God because He is holy and just must judge sin (7). He decides that because mankind is so wicked that He will end their lives, therefore ending their sin. God also declares that He will kill animals, creeping things, and birds. Animals are morally innocent but fall under the curse placed on creation because of man's sin. They too will die in the flood judgment because of man's sin. God is gracious and merciful but as mentioned before He is also holy and just (cf. Ex. 34:5-7). He is all of these at the same time. God must punish sin (2 Pet. 2:4-9). God's period of grace was coming to an end.

The last verses of this section reveal hope for mankind (8-10). God has promised that one of the woman's descendants would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). This descendant would undue the consequences of sin. As we learn of God's anger over sin and His coming judgment of wicked man, we are introduced to a dilemma. Where would the descendant come from, if all men are wicked and therefore killed? We receive the answer in verse eight. Out of all the people on earth, Noah is the only one mentioned as being pleasing to God (8). Noah was not sinless, but he did walk with God (9). Noah sought to live his life in dependence upon God. The word “blameless” means “complete, having integrity.” Noah was a man who was consistent in walking with God; he was undivided (cf. Heb. 11:4-7).

Righteous Noah had three sons, who were named Shem, Ham, and Japheth (10). We will learn much more about these three sons very soon. Shem is the oldest, then Japheth, and then Ham being the youngest (cf. Gen. 9:23-27). Noah is the seed who will be used to continue the line from Adam until Christ (cf. Lk. 3:23-38).

Conclusion:

Satan controlled Cain and instigated him to murder Abel (Gen. 4:8). Satan thought that he had thwarted God's redemptive plan, but God produced Seth (4:25-26). Seth becomes the one through whom the Messiah would eventually be born. Satan's demons attempted to pollute the human race to thwart God's redemptive plan (6:1-4). God responds by killing the entire human race except righteous Noah and his family (6:17-22; cf. 1 Pet. 3:18-20). Noah becomes the one through whom the Messiah would eventually be born (Lk. 3:23, 36-38).

God will only put up with sin for so long. Eventually His patience runs out. He is holy and just, therefore He must punish sin. The time in which we live is like the period before the flood. God is giving people an opportunity to repent or be judged (2 Pet. 3:3-10; Matt. 24:36-41). Christ took the punishment for our sins on the cross so that we could be forgiven and saved (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; Col. 1:19-20; 2:13-14).

The Task at Hand

The Task at Hand

Intro:

God is in the process of saving people's souls in this world. He chose before time began to send His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to earth to pay the penalty for man's sin through His death on the cross. After Jesus died for man's sin God raised Him from the dead. Jesus has provided the means of forgiveness for all who will turn from their sins and accept Christ as Savior. Jesus has provided forgiveness of sins and conquered death by resurrecting! This is Good News!

God has also chosen to use those whom He has saved to carry out His mission on earth. We are going to be reminded today what God wants the church to be doing during our time on earth. It is huge! It is something that Jesus has called us to give our lives to do!

Message:

1. 
   
   The Mission (Matt. 28:19-20)
   
   
   

A little less than 2,000 years ago, after Jesus Christ had taken the punishment for man's sin while He was dying on the cross and after He had resurrected from the dead, Jesus spoke some very important parting words. Jesus had gathered the disciples and shared with them their life's mission. As He was sharing the mission with them He reminded them that their mission would be empowered by Him. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. This is important for the disciples to know because their mission will be carried out on earth. Jesus Christ is all-powerful and is going to build His church (Matt. 16:18). There is nothing that will prevent Christ from saving souls.

The specifics of the mission are as follows:

#1 – make disciples of all nations

#2 – baptize them in the name of the Triune God

#3 – teach them all that Christ commanded

Here is what Jesus called the church to do in all simplicity:

#1 – evangelize the lost (Rom. 10:14-17)

#2 – identify them with God

#3 – disciple the believers (Col. 2:6-7; 2 Pet. 3:17-18)

#1 – The church, that is all born-again Christians, are to share the Good News with lost people around them. Proclaim the Good News accurately and God will accomplish what He has determined to do. Remember, Jesus will build His church. Salvation is a work of God. Christians are just messengers.

#2 – God calls those who accept Christ as Lord and Savior to be baptized in the name of the Triune God. This is for the purpose of identification. It is a public statement of accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. A born-again Christian is boldly saying that he is saved by and belongs to Christ.

#3 – God calls upon the church to be involved in discipling believers in truth of God's Word. The purpose is so that all believers will be complete/mature (Col. 1:28-29). God has placed pastors in the church to help this process of discipleship (Eph. 4:11-16). Pastors are given to help equip/train believers for ministry/service (12). As the believers are trained/equipped it is for the goal of building up (strengthening) the body of Christ. This equipping/training takes place until every single believer becomes fully mature (Christlike) (13). The process doesn't end until each believer is in heaven.

The mature believers won't be misled by false teaching because they have been grounded in God's Word (14). The believers are to speak the truth in a loving way, for the purpose of helping each other become spiritually mature (Christlike) (15). Christ has given every born-again Christian at least one spiritual gift which they received at salvation (Rom. 12:3-8). As each Christian serves and cares for one another (“proper working of each individual part”) Jesus uses the believers to strengthen the local church spiritually (1 Cor. 12:4-7, 11, 18) (16). All of this is contingent upon the people being saved.

Pastors must focus their time on equipping/training believers in the local church, so that the believers can care for one another. When the believers are equipped and caring for one another, Christ will strengthen the local church spiritually through the believers ministering to one another. The Word of God emphasizes that this is Christ's plan for strengthening the church.

1 – pastors are given to lead, teach, and equip/train

2 – believers being equipped/trained mature spiritually

3 – mature believers aren't misled by false teaching because they have been trained

4 – mature believers speak the truth in love to other believers to help them mature spiritually

5 – mature believers use their spiritual gift to serve and care for other believers; Jesus uses this serving and caring to strengthen the church spiritually

Here is an example in a local church setting:

• 
  
  pastors serve by leading, teaching, and equipping/training
  
  
  
• 
  
  deacons serve by helping to care for the church
  
  
  
• 
  
  congregation serves one another to strengthen the church, does the ministry
  
  
  

Conclusion:

So what is the mission of the church? Evangelism, identification, and discipleship. Christ carries out His mission through born-again Christians. The most important part of the discipleship process is to make sure that there is a good strategy in place to equip people to serve and live for God. I have been working on a process of equipping/training believers here, so that I am doing and we are doing what Christ has called us to do in His way. It is so essential that the process be in place so that people are being equipped and the church is being cared for by the church. As we fulfill Jesus' desire for us in this way, Jesus will strengthen the church.

Imagine a place where mature Christians are serving/caring for one another. Imagine a place where people are growing spiritually. Imagine a place where believers go out into the world and are sharing the Good News with lost people. Imagine a place where God is opening the eyes of lost people and saving their souls. Imagine a place where those newly saved people are being served/cared for by the church (the believers). Imagine a place where those newly saved people are being equipped/trained and they begin to mature spiritually. Imagine what God will do!

As believers are equipped/trained and mature spiritually, they are to be using their spiritual gift to serve the rest of the church. If the whole church is not serving and caring for one another, the church is weakened. If the pastor is serving and caring for the church by doing the ministry, then the church is weakened because he is doing the wrong thing. It is also against Christ's instructions (Eph. 4:11-16). The pastor needs to be praying and studying the Word of God, so that he can effectively lead the church and equip/train it for ministry. When he is equipping/training the saints to serve/care for one another, then the Word of God says that the church is strengthened. But, a pastor and local church have to have an intentional strategy to equip/train believers for ministry. I am hoping some time soon that I will be able to share this plan with you.

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

1 Corinthians

3:16-23

Intro:

A couple of weeks ago we studied 3:10-15. We learned that Paul laid the gospel-foundation by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ in Corinth. Paul then informed the Corinthians that another person was now building on the gospel-foundation. The materials used to build on the gospel-foundation consist of a pastor's teaching and life-example. Paul declared that every pastor's work will be revealed in the presence of Christ when He tests it with fire. A ministry of pure biblical teaching and life-example will survive the fire and result in heavenly reward. A ministry of impure teaching and life-example won't survive the fire and will result in the pastor being snatched from the fire with nothing to show for it. Wow! Can you imagine? It is going to happen. There will be saved pastors and Christians who will stand before Jesus and because of impure living will receive no heavenly reward.

This week we are going to study 3:16-23. In this passage Paul is going to discuss leaders and people who destroy the local church through false teaching and wicked actions. Paul teaches the believers that human leaders are nothing, God is everything! The apostle teaches how not to conduct yourself in a local church.

Message:

Paul asks the Corinthian church if they recognize what they are as a local church in the eyes of God (16). The local church (saved people) as a whole is a temple of God. The “you” here is plural so Paul is referring to the church as a whole, not just individual believers as a temple of the Holy Spirit, as he does later (cf. 6:19). God's Spirit dwells in the church as a whole. This is very important to understand for one to be able to comprehend what follows.

Paul has already mentioned two types of workers who build on the gospel-foundation (vv. 12-15). They refer to saved men who build on the gospel-foundation through their teaching and life-example. A man who builds on the gospel-foundation with pure biblical teaching and life-example will receive heavenly reward. A man who builds on the gospel-foundation with impure teaching and life-example won't receive heavenly rewards. Now, Paul describes a third type of worker (17). A person who tears apart the church through false teaching and wicked actions. Paul uses strong language to describe the consequences for such a worker, as someone whom God will destroy. This is very strong language, which indicates that such a person is not born again. This language seems to indicate eternal destruction for this false teacher (cf. Rev. 20:11-15). This worker destroys the church through false teaching and wicked actions. Paul teaches that the temple (“the church as a whole”) is holy and the church is that temple. The church is holy because it has been set apart by God through Christ for His use and glory.

Paul urges his hearers not to deceive themselves (18). In fact, if they think they are wise and it is with worldly wisdom, Paul tells them to become foolish in the eyes of the world. Remember, the world views the gospel as foolish (cf. 1:18-24). They need to be saved through faith in the gospel, so that as a result they may believe the Word of God and become wise with God's wisdom (cf. 2:14-16). In the N.T. when the “world” is mentioned in the majority of cases it refers to the world system, which is under Satan's authority and is opposed to God (Eph. 2:1-3; Jas. 3:13-18). Believers are to reject man's wisdom and to seek God's wisdom (Jas. 1:5; Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Pet. 3:14-18).

God has declared this world's wisdom to be foolish (19). The reason for this is that worldly wisdom is man's wisdom, which is opposed to God (Rom. 8:5-8). Paul quotes Job and declares that God won't be outwitted by men who think they are wise. Then he quotes Psalm 94. Peter states that God knows what the wise of this world think and God declares their thinking to be useless (20). Unregenerate man is unable to please God and his thinking is opposed to God (Rom. 3:10-18).

Paul calls the Corinthian church to no longer spend any time boasting about humans (21). Anyone who truly is wise has received his wisdom from God, so it is God's wisdom. The implication is that they are to boast about God! He informs them that all things belong to the church (21).

All of the truth Christian leaders belong to the entire church, not just certain groups (22). The universe is still the God-given and God-made possession of all believers (2 Cor. 4:15; 1 Jn. 5:19; Rom. 8:18-21). Believers will inherit the earth someday when Christ establishes God's Kingdom on earth (Rev. 21; Dan. 7:22, 27). Believers possess eternal life through Christ (Jn. 14:23; 2 Pet. 1:3-4). Believers have overcome physical and spiritual death through Christ (1 Cor. 15:54-57; Phil. 1:21-24). Believers have overcome all things in the present world through Christ (Rom. 8:37-39). Believers possess the blessings of heaven through Christ (1 Pet. 1:3-4). Through Christ all good and holy things are for the believers' blessing and God's glory (Eph. 1:3; 2:4-8; 2 Pet. 1:3).

Paul has just finished informing the believers that all things belong to them. Now he tells them that the whole church belongs to Christ (23). Born again Christians were placed into a spiritual union with Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:15, 17; Eph. 5:23). The Holy Spirit united them with Christ when they believed the gospel (Eph. 1:13-14, 22-23). Born again Christians belong to Jesus Christ. Paul concludes his argument by declaring the Christ belongs to God. Jesus Christ is God the Son, the Second Person of the divine Trinity. God the Son is in union with God the Father (Jn. 10:30) and God the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). The argument that Paul makes is that: Christians are in union with one another and they are also in union with Christ (23). Christ is in union with the other two members of the Trinity. All things belong to God, so make a big deal out of God!

Conclusion:

Local churches are visible expressions of Christ's universal church. The Word of God says that anyone who destroys a local church through false teaching and wicked actions will be destroyed by God. This refers to unbelievers who somehow end up being pastors, or teachers, or members of a local church. Their false teaching and wicked actions lead to the tearing apart of the local church. They will be judged by God.

Paul concludes the passage by calling them to seek God's wisdom, which is obtained through salvation by faith in Christ. After accepting Christ as Savior they are able to continually receive more wisdom through the Word of God. We belong to Christ, He is our Lord. We are in spiritual union with Jesus Christ and also all other believers. As a result of belonging to Christ, we belong to God. Therefore, we should glorify God only and above all.

Man's Role in Church Growth

I have been through church growth classes.  They all seem very impressive and convicting in the moment.  Now I am somewhat disillusioned by the findings and recommendations.  The truth is that much of church growth has nothing to do with issues of sin or obedience.  It has to do with techniques.  Ultimately if one uses the Word of God with any regularity you will find that God alone saves souls.  God alone is the one who transforms people into the image of Christ.  One of the main problems is that Christians are not evangelizing!  Christians are not being Christlike to visitors when they attend church.  Christians are not encouraging one another to live for God and faithfully involve themselves in the local church. 
Individualism has truly hurt local churches and harmed the spiritual well-being of believers.  People view their relationship with God as a private issue.  This has led to people living in sin with no correction and encouragement.  This is to our detriment that we are neglecting these things.  I am saddened that instead of asking whether believers in our local church are growing in Christlikeness, we are more concerned with whether our attendance is going up or down.  God change our worldly thinking, please!

Restlessness

Do you ever have those times in life and ministry where you are restless?  As I write this the introduction to John Ortberg's book "The Life You've Always Wanted" comes to mind.  He mentions that if you feel "discontent with your spiritual life, then this is the book for you."  I am very discontent with my level of devotion to Christ.  I have found that prayer is not easy.  Well, it is when I have no other options.  I am always thinking of how I can fix my own problem or how someone else can fix my problem.  It is really easy to criticize Jacob's self-sufficiency demonstrated in Genesis.  The truth is that I am probably worse than him.  When you read about his life he knew what God would deliver and yet he was always seeking to deliver those things himself.
I am frustrated with the local church.  It seems as though we are more caught up in the way that ministry has been done historically (1900-1970) than what the Bible outlines.  The role of the pastor has been altered to resemble more of a "butler" or "nursemaid" than to be a preacher, teacher, and equipper.  This has greatly crippled the church because it has weakened the body, as a result of the believers not ministering.  The body is weak because only one part of it (the pastor[s]) is actually caring for the whole body.  Anyone who has a casual familiarity with the N.T. will know that each member of the body is called to care for the rest of the body.  The pastor(s) are called to oversee the body, teach, and equip the rest of the body to serve the body.  I am very restless and discouraged that the wrong mentality of pastoral ministry is continuing today.  I truly believe that some of this problem is laziness on the part of members of the body.  On the other hand, a large part of the problem is that members of the body have not been taught what the roles of the pastor and congregation are.  The blame for this lack of knowledge falls on pastors who out of fear or out of desire to be needed have failed to present the biblical model of ministry to the church.
My greatest desire is to see the local church function biblically by God's grace.  I would love to see pastors preaching, teaching, and training the church to do the ministry of evangelism and discipleship.  The church needs to care for itself.  Maybe then will we see Christians displaying more spiritual fruit to the glory of God.

God's Supernatural Work in Salvation

God's Supernatural Work in Salvation

Intro:

The idea of how a person comes to have a relationship with God and ultimately enters heaven has been greatly confused by misunderstandings and false teaching. Throughout the centuries Satan has brought great confusion by introducing pagan ideas into the church's understanding of these important biblical doctrines. The Word of God is very successful in clearing up the confusion.

The myth of Purgatory arose from non-biblical understandings of the afterlife. Most notably, pagan teaching proposed the need for purification after death for impure souls. It is not supported by Scripture. The reason for inventing a place named Purgatory was that peole in the past believed that even though a person was a Christian, when he died he still sinned, and God cannot allow sin into heaven. Therefore, Christians must go to a holding-tank named Purgatory where they are purified (punished). Only after being purified in Purgatory can one then be transferred to heaven. This is unbiblical and entirely false. A true believer is chosen by God for salvation, declared righteous by God through Christ, matured spiritually by God, and made sinless (glorified) by God upon death or the rapture. True Christians receive Christ's righteousness at salvation. True Christians immediately enter Christ's presence when they die or are raptured. Nevertheless, let's study what the Word of god has to say about this important issue.

I) God's role in positional, progressive, and final sanctification (Rom. 8:28-30)

True Christians are given Christ's righteousness at salvation. Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians that God the Father chose/elected true believers before He created the world, and this results in true believers being holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:3-7). True believers are adopted as sons through Christ's redemptive work on the cross (v. 5). This is according to God's will (good pleasure).

Probably the greatest passage in Scripture dealing with the issue of sanctification is found in Romans 8. Sadly, its significance is often missed because it includes a verse that is so frequently used out-of-context to comfort others. Paul begins by asserting that he and the recipients of his letter know (oida – factual knowledge) that God superintends all events, using them for good in the lives of those who love Him (8:28). The people who truly love God are those whom He has called (kalew, elected) according to His purpose. It was God's will that they be called (in Greek culture the word was used to describe inviting someone to an event or place) (29). Paul uses a very rich word to describe what God did in eternity past. God foreknew true believers. Many people have thought that this meant that, since God knows all things, He looked ahead and chose those whom He knew would believe. This is incorrect since it is a misunderstanding of the context and it is unbiblical (Rom. 3:10-12, 18). The word proegnw (from proginoskw) means to know before, know in advance, to choose beforehand. It has the sense of God choosing to know us. God foreknowing means that He chose in eternity past to enter into a relationship with individuals through Christ. He chose to elect them. True believers are true believers because God chose/foreknew them. There are several biblical examples of God doing this (OT = Gen. 18:19; Jer. 1:5; Am. 3:2; NT = Rom. 11:2; Acts 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:2, 20).

Paul says that God predestines those whom He chose to have a relationship with to be conformed to the image of His Son (29). The purpose for which God foreknew individuals was to make them like Christ morally. A believer becoming like Christ is the good that God accomplishes (cf. v. 28). This helps us to define what good means. The good that God works for and accomplishes in the life of a true believer is that he becomes like Christ morally. This is the final outcome in the life of every true believer. It is complete when the true believer stands before God in heaven upon death or the rapture.

Next, Paul explains how predestination works. He outlines how God works out the process of conforming each true believer to the image of Christ (30). First, He called (kalew) them (Eph. 1:4-6; 2 Th. 2:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:1-5; 2 Pet. 1:1-4, 10-11; Col. 1:19-23; 2:13-14; 3:20-21; 1 Jn. 2:1-2). This is the deliberate act of God to choose individuals to be saved. This is the act of electing to salvation. Second, He justified them (Rom. 5:1-2, 6-11, 19; 2 Cor. 5:17-21). After God called them to be His own, He declared them righteous. This is a legal term which means to pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin. In the case of an individual who has been called by God, he also receives Christ's righteousness imputed to his account. Third, God glorified them (Eph. 1:4; 1 Th. 5:23-24; 1 Cor. 1:8-9). After God called them, and then justified them, He chose to glorify them. This refers to final sanctification when a true believer stands before God in heaven. At this time God will remove all sin from him and will conform him to the image of Christ. He will be blameless. God is the one who does this for the believer whom He has foreknown. There is no human effort involved in being: called, justified, or glorified. It is all the supernatural work of God.

Conclusion:

Since God works out the removing of sin (glorification) from every true believer when he dies or is raptured, there is no need for such a place as Purgatory (which doesn't exist anyway). The one phase of predestination that is yet future is glorification. In the Greek it is a past tense verb. The reason for this is that since God has predetermined that He will accomplish this, it is as though it has already happened, even though it is still a future event. When a true believer dies or is raptured, he immediately enters God's presence in heaven (Phil. 1:18d-24; 1 Th. 5:9-10; 2 Tim. 4:16-18; 2 Cor. 5:6-10; Col. 3:1-4). There is no intermediate place such as Purgatory. A true believer enters heaven.

1. 
   
   God foreknew individuals – chose to enter into a relationship with them through Christ's redemptive work
   
   
   
2. 
   
   God predestined them to be conformed to the image of Christ
   
   1. 
      
      He called them (Eph. 4:1-6; 2 Th. 2:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:1-5; 2 Pet. 1:1-4, 10-11; Col. 1:19-23; 2:13-14; 3:20-21; 1 Jn. 2:1-2)
      
      
      
   2. 
      
      He justified them (Rom. 5:1-2, 6-11, 19; 2 Cor. 5:17-21)
      
      
      
   3. 
      
      He glorified them (Eph. 1:4; 1 Th. 5:23-24; Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:8-9)
      
      
      
   
   

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

1 Corinthians

Introduction

1:1-9

Intro:

Paul wrote this letter around AD 55 from Ephesus (16:5-9; Acts 20:31). Paul founded the church on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-17). God had to reaffirm that it was His will for Paul to preach the gospel in Corinth (Acts 18:9-10). Apparently opposition had caused Paul to become afraid.

Corinth had a population of about 250,000 freemen and as many as 400,000 slaves. It was not a university town like Athens but its people were interested in Greek philosophy and valued wisdom. Corinth had at least 12 temples in its history. It is unsure whether all were in operation at the time of Paul's writing. There was a temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, whose worshipers practiced religious prostitution. A fourth of a mile north of the theater stood a temple to Asclepius, the god of healing. In the middle of the city was the 6^th Century BC temple of Apollo. The Jews also had a synagogue here; the inscribed lintel from the building is in the museum at old Corinth. Since Corinth was a large commercial city it was filled with immoral living. At one time 1,000 prostitutes served at Aphrodite's temple. The immorality that took place in Corinth became so well-known that the Greek verb “to Corinthanize” came to mean “to practice sexual immorality.” In such a place it is not surprising that this new church was plagued by numerous problems.

I) Greetings to the church at Corinth (1-3)

Paul greets the church by providing his credentials. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ (11). The Greek word apostoloV means sent one. Paul was given the office of apostle. He was one of the twelve. Apostles had to be chosen directly by Christ. Sosthenes is a co-sender with Paul. It is likely that this is the same man who was the synagogue ruler at Corinth (Acts 18:17-18). He had been assaulted by the Greeks and apparently converted to Christianity at a subsequent time.

Paul addresses the church in Corinth, the gathering of the body of Christ which lived in that city (2). Paul describes them as having been sanctified in Christ, saints by calling. Paul says that they were set apart by God in Christ. These true believers have become known as being in Christ. They are saved. This is driven home by the following statement that they are saints by calling. God chose them before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) but from a human perspective it came to reality when the individual put his faith in the gospel (Rom. 10:9-11, 13). They were set apart by God in Christ, they were called to be saints, which means holy ones. We are going to learn that their conduct wasn't holy (progressive sanctification) but their standing was holy (positional sanctification) because of salvation through faith in Christ. Paul in his address to the church is pointing out the great standing that they have with God through Christ. Paul also points out that wherever people live, if they have accepted the gospel, they are saints also. Jesus is the Lord of the Corinthian Christians and of all other Christians.

Next, Paul wishes God's blessing upon the Christians in Corinth (3). In the Greek culture individuals would bid someone grace (xariV) in letters or greetings. In Hebrew culture, one would bid someone peace (shalom, or in this case eirenh). Paul combines the two here in his letter to the church in Corinth. He does this in the majority of his letters. Paul desires God's best in the lives of these Christians.

II) Paul's gratitude for God's grace in the Corinthians (4-9)

Paul expresses his gratitude for the Corinthian believers' spiritual giftedness (4). Paul says that the Corinthians were made rich in everything through Christ. Their speech and knowledge refers to spiritual gifts given by God when they were born again (1 Cor. 12:8; 2 Cor. 8:7). Paul thanks God for this grace that He extended to them in Christ. The apostle says that they received these spiritual gifts when they first believed the gospel (6). Salvation by is received by God's grace through faith in the gospel. Paul explains that their salvation was evidenced through the spiritual gifts they received when they believed the gospel (5). As Paul was preaching to them and they believed the gospel, God confirmed the authenticity of their salvation by giving them spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are given by God to each true believer to be used for the spiritual health of the church and for God's glory (Eph. 4:11-16; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; 1 Cor. 12:4-11).

Paul states that the church in Corinth is not lacking in any way in regard to spiritual gifts (7). The Greek emphasizes that it is a gift of grace. The church has been abundantly blessed by God in this way, yet it has resulted in selfishness and pride. The apostle mentions that they are saved, possessing spiritual gifts, and awaiting Christ's return. This is speaking of the blessed hope of Church-age believers, the rapture (1 Th. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-58). The N.T. repeatedly urges Christians to wait expectantly for the return of Christ (Jn. 14:1-4; Phil. 3:17-21; 2 Th. 2:1-2; 1 Tim. 6:13-16; Heb. 9:27-28; 1 Pet. 1:13; 2 Pet. 3:11-13). Paul prays for the return of Christ (1 Cor. 16:22). Jesus encourages us to pray for His return (Matt. 6:10). It is unknown whether they truly were eagerly awaiting Christ's return. They were living very selfishly and Paul may have been reminding them of how a mature Christian would feel.

Paul tells them that God the Father will confirm them to the end, blameless when Christ returns (8). God is the one who brings spiritual growth (Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Th. 5:23-24). God is supernaturally at work in the life of true believers (Eph. 2:8-10; Phil. 2:12-13; Jn. 3:21; Tit. 2:11-14). God will present every true believer before Himself blameless in Christ (Eph. 1:4; Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Th. 5:23-24). Paul says that they can expect that they will be blameless when they stand before God (9). The reason for this is that God is faithful. A true believer can trust God and His Word. God the Father is the one who called (kalew; elect) all true believers into a relationship with Himself through Christ. God is the one who made the person a believer in Christ, choosing him before the foundation of the world, so a true believer can rely on God to complete what He began (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:3-8; 2:4-10; Phil. 2:12-13; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Th. 5:23-24). Salvation (positional sanctification), spiritual growth (progressive sanctification), and being blameless before God (final sanctification) are all supernatural works of God (Phil. 3:20-21; Gal. 1:15-16; 1 Cor. 15:51-57; Rom. 5:1-2, 8-11).

Conclusion:

Paul begins by mentioning how he thanks God for giving the believers in Corinth spiritual gifts when they believed the gospel and were saved. They received these spiritual gifts as a result of God's grace. Paul concludes his greeting by teaching that God will present them blameless before Himself in Christ. They can expect that as true believers God will do this because He is the one who called them to be saved through faith in Christ. Salvation (positional sanctification), spiritual growth (progressive sanctification), and sinlessness (final sanctification) are all supernatural works of God (Rom. 8:28-30).

All true believers are saints because God has called them to be saved. All true believers receive spiritual gifts to be used to promote the spiritual health of the church and to glorify God. All true believers will stand blameless before God in heaven because God called them to be saved through faith in Christ.