1 Corinthians 1:2

unto the church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours:

'church of God' -the Church belongs to God. (Acts 20:28; Matthew 16:18)

'which is at Corinth' -'This church had been extended even to Corinth. That is the wonder. Even in that pagan city, amid its pride, its impurity, its absorbing rush for pleasure and for wealth,. brotherhood of believers had come into being; and never on earth has. place been found so degraded, so depraved, so morally hopeless, that the church of God cannot be established there.' [Note:. Erdman p. 23]

Point to Note:

'Commentators usually remark concerning this verse that the people in Corinth were still styled the church regardless of the immoralities, divisions, problems of worship, etc. which existed among them. Then the point is made that we can be the church even while we are in doctrinal and moral apostasy. Such comments overlook the fact that these very conditions were what prompted Paul to write this letter in which he was striving to persaude the Corinthians to correct these sins. He wrote to them commanding them to get rid of the wickedness which was in them or else, when he came, he would not spare them (2 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Corinthians 4:21). Paul did not close his eyes to the problems at Corinth; he sought to correct them.' [Note:. Willis pp. 6-7]

The same situation is true concerning what Jesus said to some of the congregations mentioned in the book of Revelation. (Revelation 2:5; 14-16; 20-23; 1 Corinthians 3:3;15-19)

At the same time, we need to note that Paul was not willing (nor was Jesus) to bury. congregation in. hurry. 'I am suggesting that when people go off half-cocked and wish to bury an assembly in. hurry you can rest assured there is little or no committment to that assembly.' [Note:. McGuiggan p. 18] Even. factious man was to be given the opportunity of two warnings. (Titus 3:10) Paul isn't tolerating sin, but he is giving people the opportunity to repent.

'even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus' -these are the individuals that compose the Church. The Church is composed of 'sanctified people', i.e. people that have come into contact with the blood of Christ. (Hebrews 10:29; Acts 20:28) The Church is composed of those 'in Christ Jesus', which infers that entrance into the Church of God involves faith and baptism. (Galatians 3:26; Romans 6:3) This agrees with Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41; Acts 2:47.

'called to be saints' -'Sainthood is not something which one attains years after he is dead; sainthood is something which belongs to every Christian. Sainthood is not something one attains because of his superior morals (just look at the people Paul calls 'saints' in this letter), although saints must exhibit purity in morals; sainthood is bestowed upon us by God on the basis of Christ having washed away our sins.' [Note:. Willis p. 10]

'Saints' -'The word is "hagios"..the word..describes. thing or. person which has been devoted to the possession and service of God..Now if. person has been marked out as specially belonging to God he must show himself to be fit in life and character for that service. That is how "hagios" comes to mean "holy". But the root idea of the word is separation...When Paul calls the Christian "hagios" (saints) he means that the Christian is. man who is different from other men BECAUSE he specially belongs to God and to the service of God.' [Note:. The Letters to the Corinthians. William Barclay p. 11]

'The repeated ref., to the holiness of the readers recalls them to their vocation; low practice calls for the reassertion of high ideals.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 758)

Point to Note:

Sanctification is not. process that operates against our will. These Corinthians were sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11), but they still needed much improvement. The blood of Christ separates us from our past sins, but we must continue to cooperate in setting ourselves apart from present and future sin. (2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14)

Some Christians fail to realize, that being set apart for the service of God, brings. great obligation to live like. person who has been delivered from the bondage of sin. (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:9) And God takes. dim view of those who are unappreciative for such deliverance. (2 Peter 2:20; Judges 1:5)

'with all' -Paul isn't writing this letter to Christians in every place (though it truths apply to them also), neither are all Christians joining Paul in writing to the Corinthians.

Fee suggests that this phrase is intended to remind the Corinthians that they composed. universal church,. body of believers that they seem to have struck an independent course from. (1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 11:16; 1 Corinthians 14:33)

'in every place' -the universal nature of the Church. (Matthew 28:19)

'their Lord and ours' -'I'm sure you've noticed in your reading of the first nine verses that Jesus is called "Lord" again and again. Mentioned give times and implied. sixth. Here again this quote from Morris: "The ideal of the Corinthian was the reckless development of the individual. The merchant..the man of pleasure..the athlete..are the true Corinthian types; in. word, the man who recognized no superior and no law but his own desires." Now, does this not suggest. reason for Paul's stress on the Lordship of Jesus?' [Note:. McGuiggan p. 19] (1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 10:12; Romans 14:9; Ephesians 4:5)