Grace and Peace
1 Corinthians 1:1-3
It is customary in our time to skip
over the salutation in Paul’s letters.
Indeed, when our church was under “unified curriculum” we
started 2 Corinthians at verse 9 of the first chapter.
But Paul put thought into his salutations, and they are
usually instructive.
This we shall see, but first – an introduction to the city of
Corinth.
Corinth
It is not possible to understand
the city of Corinth at this time without a glance at the map:
It does not take much imagination to see the short cut through
the Greek peninsula which touches land at Corinth.
The primary east-west sailing route of the Mediterranean
traders went through this inlet.
One must recall that sailors of this time had only square
sails (no ability to tack into the wind) and navigation was best
done in sight of land.
What is not so clear from the
small map is that the primary north-south trading route went
through Corinth as well. By
sailing around the edge of the Mediterranean from Alexandria past
modern Turkey, you would come to the islands of the Aegean sea.
You could pick your way through these to reach Corinth, where
your cargo could be transshipped and sent to Rome.
The result was a city of wealth –
and wickedness.
Wickedness
If a Greek playwright of these
times needed a stereotypical drunk, he inserted a Corinthian.
Money was available in plenty there – and in envy the Greeks
would say that “not everyone can afford a trip to Corinth.”
(I’ve heard the same said about Disneyland.)
But if you could, the wine flowed.
Not just the wine – the women too.
Overlooking the town was a large temple to Aphrodite – Eros,
as the Romans would name her, from which we get our word “erotic.”
Over a thousand temple prostitutes lived there;
each night they would go through Corinth seeking customers.
Abortion was not unknown to the Greeks – interestingly, the
Hippocratic oath forbids a physician to give an instrument of
abortion to a woman, so they must have known how – and it would have
been common in Corinth.
Other sins were as common.
Homosexuality enjoyed the same popular favor it does in our
day; swindlers loved the place, as did the thieves.
History
The town was established in
ancient times, and was always one of the eminent cities in
ancient Greece.
Athens was noted for philosophy, Sparta for military might –
and Corinth for pleasure.
Unfortunately, military might was what they needed in 146 BC,
when the Romans destroyed the city. It lay dormant for a hundred years until 46 BC, when Julius
Caesar rebuilt it. It
became a Roman colony.
A Roman colony was a heterogeneous
place. It was settled
by retired Roman soldiers, who were given land after their service
in the army. Add to
that Greek merchants seeking to make money; a few Jews dispersed
over the world and any number of other traders who settled in the
town, and you have a mixture which was ripe for the Gospel.
Paul spent 18 months there,
establishing the church. The time is little recorded;
Luke gives us only the first 18 verses of Acts, chapter
18 on the subject.
But like many churches, it was birthed in oppression and lived
in fractious, argumentative times.
With that in mind, let us
examine the opening salutation of the letter:
(1 Cor 1:1-3 NIV)
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will
of God, and our brother Sosthenes, {2} To the church of God in
Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be
holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours: {3} Grace and peace
to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
FROM:
The theme of the first verse may be
summed up in the humility of the Apostle:
“called to be an Apostle”
- Note the word “called” –
this was not something that Paul earned by his own hard work or
merit. God chose him,
not the other way around.
- Indeed, we can see that he
did not even have the merit of volunteering to a general call –
he was specifically chosen.
- Why is this word here?
So that we can see the virtue of humility – for even the
highest in the church, an Apostle of God, must have that.
“of Jesus Christ”
- There is no other name like
that one. With all other
names there can be a comparison, but with this one, there is
only adoration.
- This name is the source of
unity in the church. As
there can be none other like it, it is the name in which we are
to be united. If there
are two strong men in the church, people may be divided and take
sides. If there is only
Jesus, the people must be united.
- It is also the source of
strength. Paul does not
perform his work in his own strength alone, but relies utterly
upon Jesus.
“by the will of God”
- In any other endeavor we can
credit ourselves, but in the church we understand that only
God’s worthiness can be honored.
- Also, we must understand
that the church is God’s plan, it is his creation.
We are the church because He wills it so.
“and Sosthenes”
We have met this man before, if
briefly. He was the
ruler of the synagogue in Corinth. He became a Christian;
like so many, that conversion cost him a beating.
He’s the local boy out on a missions trip.
- This shows us Paul’s concern
for those in Corinth, that they might know that Paul and their
friend Sosthenes are united in the appeal he is about to make.
- It also reestablishes the
relationship; it says,
“You know us!” This is a
personal letter.
TO:
The theme of the second verse is
simple: the unity of
the church.
“the church of God”
- The word is ekklesia
– meaning those who are assembled.
It is therefore a general description of the people of
God.
- We must therefore remember
to whom we belong – God.
This is his church; we
are his. What a comfort
that is!
- We need to remember whose
church this is not – ours.
It is not our personal property to manipulate, but his
precious bride.
“in Corinth”
- The New American Standard
translates this as “which is at Corinth.”
In other words, there is nothing special about being the
Corinthian church; it is simply a fact of geography.
- Subtly implied in that is a
central fact: there is only one church.
It is composed of all Christians of all times and places.
It is his, not ours.
“to those sanctified in Christ
Jesus”
- What does it mean to be
“sanctified?” It means
to be cleansed by Christ Jesus – you didn’t do it yourself.
- It also means that you were
dirty – i.e., sinful.
Always remember that to become a Christian means to admit that
you are a sinner first.
We should never lose this sense of
being a sinner; it is helpful both to us and to those around us:
- It is helpful to us in that
it aids us in humility, in seeking repentance and in being
thankful for the grace of God.
It puts us in the right perspective to see God.
- It helps others too.
What sinner would dare come into a church composed of
those who never were sinners?
But if he can see that these people were sinners just
like himself, would he not feel right at home?
The hospital is not for the doctors;
it is for the sick.
“called to be holy”
The New American Standard is a bit
more accurate here: “saints by calling”.
- Again, we are called – not
volunteers who made it on our own merit, but as Paul was called
to be an Apostle, we are called to be saints.
- To be holy is to be separate
– to be in the world but not of the world.
Yes, Virginia, Christians are supposed to be different.
- We are to be saints – the
visible representation of Christ.
“together with”
Note who we are together with:
all who call on the name of the Lord.
It is not ours to pick and choose those with whom we would
prefer to worship. The
church is often far too polite about this;
we need to remember that our Lord is a rock of offense and a
stone of stumbling.
“all who call”
·
It is not ours to pick
and choose our brothers and sisters in Christ.
God calls; they
call on him; that
should be good enough for us.
·
See, however, the
grand spiritual unity of the church!
Not just all in this place and time, but all places and all
times – these are the children of God.
It shows us our unity – and his mercy.
·
We should learn from
this: the church should
be the open door to God.
Grace and Peace
Chrysostom commented on this verse
as follows: “If peace
be of grace, why do you have high thoughts?”
- Isn’t it your pride which
destroys your peace?
Think about it: why do
you fight with others?
Is it because you are too proud to humble yourself and be in
agreement? You must have your own way?
Isn’t it the case that your own pride is the destroyer of
your own peace?
- But how can you have pride –
if you admit to being one who receives the grace of God?
How can you be proud – and still say, “I’m a sinner saved
by grace?”
But if you will receive God’s grace,
will you not also receive the peace of God which passes all
understanding? Accept
it in humility, and see how it spreads through your life.
“from God”
Remember that this grace and peace
flows from God. Is the
reason that you have no peace simply that you’ve been looking for it
in the wrong places?
Some seek it in drugs and alcohol, or riches, or the right companion
– but it can be found only in Christ.
Most of us are content to “go with
the flow.” But whose
flow are you going with?
The world’s, or God’s?
“and the Lord Jesus Christ”
Isn’t our lack of peace, our
dissension, our trouble with other people, simply our refusal to
accept and acknowledge the lordship of Christ?
- We want to be “in charge” –
telling God that we know the right answer.
He tells us to accept his lordship and his leading.
- We are impatient – we want
something and we want it right now.
He tells us to wait on him, and he will give to us all we
need at the best possible time.
- We often are quick to point
out to God what we see “a better answer.” He is the master craftsman, the one who knows best that doing
it right the first time is always the best way.
- Sometimes we just don’t
think – we just run ahead with our own ideas.
Does this not come from our refusal to take time with Him
alone?
In these few short words Paul is
laying the groundwork to speak to the church regarding the unity of
the church. We find in
this something very obvious to most of us: if you lay the foundation correctly, the building goes up
right. The foundation
of the church is Jesus Christ her Lord.
- From his hands let us accept
grace, acknowledging ourselves to be sinners.
- From his hands let us accept
peace, which passes all understanding.
- In his hands let us place
our lives, acknowledging him as Lord of All.
