1 Corinthians 1:1-9

1: Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
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 on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4: I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5: that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge,
6: even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,
7: so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8: who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9: God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

*** 

Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth around Easter, before Pentecost, 57 A.D. while at Ephesus. He began the greeting mentioning Sosthenes “our brother” who was, or had been, the leader of a synagogue in Corinth who formerly opposed Paul, but apparently had converted to Christ (Acts 18:17). Some speculate he may have mentioned Sosthenes to give weight to Paul’s authority as an apostle which some at Corinth had questioned.

Paul addressed the letter to those who had been sanctified in Christ, saints by calling, and to all who called on the name of the Lord everywhere. This may have been a hint of what was to come in that Paul would speak against divisions in the church, among other things. All believers—all who call on the name of the Lord everywhere—are sanctified saints in Christ and have the same Lord. There should be no division or needless quarrels.

Paul sent grace and peace and let them know of his thankfulness to God for them—for the good in them. He did this first before going on to reprove them for disorders within the church. He first gave thanks for all of their enrichment in Christ--affirming their speech and knowledge. He remembered the testimony of Christ having been confirmed in them—most likely by the display of gifts present at their conversion, and evidently still present among them. Paul acknowledged that they were not inferior to other believers in any spiritual gift. This was all evidence that they were true believers, including the fact that they were eagerly awaiting the return of the Lord. Paul expressed his confidence that the Lord would keep them, so they would be blameless at His return.



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