Hold the Line

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

God help us.

Envy, strife, and divisions in the church shows how shallow and selfish we can be. How many times have we all made this mistake in some form or fashing? All three of these traits usually are rooted in selfishness. If we know anything about selfishness, we know it is sin. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil as Paul wrote, but selfishness is the root of all evil.

How can anyone speak to people like that as spiritual when they are acting like the world? The world envies, fights, and divides over the smallest things. Christians who act like that are like little babies who can only drink milk instead of eating solid food. If you are a parent and have had a baby, you know one thing. Babies are only concerned with self. It is only as we mature and grow where we put ourselves aside and begin to think about others. The Christians here at Corinth are acting like they did prior to Christ instead of living as Christ. Jesus is the supreme example of self-sacrifice. Instead of being like Him, these are selfish Christians who have not grown in Christ.

We are to love one another as He loves us. We know that Christian love is not selfish or self seeking (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a). The love Paul describes in chapter 13 is the type of love that we all should be practicing in our churchs. There will always be problems at church, but it is our duty to do our best to not be the one causing the problem. If there is a problem we should confront it with the love of Christ, and act in the love that Paul tells us about. I love my many brothers and sisters because I know that I am a mistake making sinner saved by God’s grace. If it wasn’t for Him, I would be a terribly, selfish man.

No one is perfect. I am not perfect. Like I have said before if there was a perfect church I had better not attend or I’d mess it up. All we can hope to do is live out the life of Christ in our relationships and actions at church. Pray for our brothers and sisters, love them and bear with them. We all make mistakes, and I know I have had to be loved when I have messed up.

When there are problems we can always look at it as an opportunity to show Christ’s love to our brothers. While we were still sinners, Jesus loved us and died on the cross for us. We can do the same, dwelling with one another in love and understanding. Working on solving problems together instead of fighting over them. Part of Christ’s love is making peace and helping others to grow. That may mean we have to confront selfishness, envy, divisions, and strife among the brothers.

Above all else as Paul has written: we are to be one in mind and action for Jesus wants us to live in unity and love. We are to live the life Christ called us to. We should examine ourselves for these types of problems. When we see a problem recognize it, and work on changing it. Recognizing there is a problem can be the most difficult step. Pray about the problem in your heart. Do your best to lay aside selfishness. Look at the other side of the issue. Pray about it some more. Go to your brother and make things right. Humble yourself and apologize when you are wrong. Forgive your brother and love him if he is wrong. Move forward in your walk together.

“7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

The mystery of God, the hidden wisdom of God ordained before the ages for our glory is centered on Jesus Christ. All of the promises and wisdom of God is given to us in Christ. We have become new creations, the workmanship of Almighty God to be sons and daughters of the Most High. Who has poured out His Spirit into our mortal forms to be His Temple forever. Our mortal bodies may be weak and corrupted presently, but one day our bodies will be changed to be like Christ’s. We will be born in strength, incorruptible, and immortal. God will be glorifed in His vessels of mercy and grace, and the fullness of His indwelling will shine brighter than all the stars of the Heavens. We will walk with Him externally and walk with Him internally forever. All of the promises will be fulfilled in His people. No one has ever conceived of all that God has prepared for us. We will completely know God on that day, and all remaining mysteries and hidden things of God will be clearly revealed.

“14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The natural man can never receive or know the deep things of God. Unfortunately, the sinfulness of man in rejecting God has blinded him. Natural men are dead spiritually and can never understand. And because they can’t understand they think the things of God are foolishness. Passages like this is what brings in the topic of the inability of man when it comes to the things of God. Natural men are blind, deaf, and mute when it comes to spirtual knowledge, and they can’t respond to spiritual things because they are spiritually dead. That was part of the truth of the Fall of Man. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree they died immediately spiritually. Of course, they did die physically later. We are spirit, soul, and body. God’s pronoucement of death for disobedience smites all aspects of our being.

Even Christians do not know everything there is to know about spiritual things yet. One day we will know, but it pleases God to teach us through our lives. The Spirit illuminates the Word to us and teaches us. He also teaches us through our life experiences. The difference for us is that God has given us eyes to see and ears to hear. He has opened our minds to receive the things of the Spirit, and He has given us the ability to understand. We see the truth of Christ, and we understand that truth.

We perceive the truth as God wants us to perceive it. We perceive Christ as the beauitful plan of God, a sweet aroma of life. The natural man perceives Christ as death leading to death (2 Corinthians 2:16). They perceive it that way because they are dead, and Christ is death to their way of life. And even though they know they are wrong for what they choose and want, knowing the judgment of God against such things, they still reject Christ and the truth of God. (Romans 1:32).

“1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.”

The kingdom of God is not built by persuasive, wise men of great words, nor is it possible to be built by such things. No one can argue or persuade anyone to follow Jesus. I’ve talked my head off, did my best to present good information, logic, and good points to no avail. It wasn’t that I was trying to do the work of the Lord on my own, but I did not realize the truth. God is the one that saves, not men. It doesn’t matter how wise or how great of an orator a man is, nor does human effort. It is true that God has chosen to use men to spread the Good News of Jesus, but we can’t cause the Gospel of Jesus to fail, nor can we with our best efforts make it successful. It is God’s work that makes the difference. We are just a tool in the hand of God. It is His ability, skill, and plan that makes the Word successful.

“2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.”

Making Christ, His cross, and His resurrection known is the calling that God has given us in the work of Evangelism. I know I have felt like Paul many times. I am weak. When I have approached people to share Christ, it has been scarey at times. I am sure I trembled as well. At first, Evangelism was difficult. Over time as I have learned and experienced more and more while sharing Christ, it has become easier.

The best thing I learned is that there is nothing I can do to cause God’s truth to fail. My job is to be obedient to share it. That is where our success is based. If no one ever followed Jesus through a life time of sharing Him with others, I would still be successful because God called us to preach the truth. Obedience is the key. Salvation is His work, and He is the one that changes the heart and draws men to Himself.

“4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

The key to the success of the Gospel is found here in verse four. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that the Word takes root in the heart of those who hear it. Plus, the Apostles were blessed to be used by God to demonstrate His power in a variety of ways. They saw people healed, the blind given their site, and the lame standing up on strong legs and feet in the name of Jesus Christ. The miracles were no greater than the miracle of God changing the hearts of those who heard and saw these things. Every time a sinner repents and believes on Jesus, we witness a miracle and the power of God in that life.

“18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. “

Paul makes a clear distinction between two groups here. Those who are perishing and those who are being saved. The only difference that I can see here between the two is the group being saved has had salvation initiated in them by God who makes His light shine into the heart to bring the knowledge of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). God is the one who gives eyes to see and ears to hear (Proverbs 20:12). When God reveals the truth to a man, the man sees Christ and the cross for what it truly is: the power of God unto salvation.

“19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

God chose to bring judgment against the wise and those who understand according to the knowledge of men. We see the reason in verse 21.

“20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

The work of God in Christ through the cross is the complete opposite of what men would devise. For the Jew, the Messiah would be a great and powerful warrior king. He would free them from the yoke of oppression and bring all the promises of God to fulfillment. Of course, Christ will do that at the Second Coming, but the wisdom of the Jewish leadership led them to ignore the suffering servant passages revealed in the prophets. Even the disciples of Jesus asked when He would restore the kingdom of Israel and fulfill that role (Acts 1:6). The gentile nations always followed the conquering leader. Strength in leadership. For Christ to be put to death was something they would never have imagined.

“21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”

Paul clearly gives us the reason why God chose to destroy the wisdom of the world because through the greatest earthly wisdom, men did not know God. Therefore God is pleased to carry out His plan of salvation to save those who believe when the world considers it foolishness. They see the truth of Christ as something to be ridiculed. This fact is true even in our day. If you watch any of the secular shows about Jesus and the Bible they always have liberal “scholars” in interviews saying that Christ isn’t what the New Testament claims. Many say He never died on the cross. Many say that He never rose again. They sit there with a smirk and a look of contempt on their faces. It is a shame. For us, who are being saved, we see and know the truth. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and He was resurrected proving everything in the Bible true. From the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation. We see it and believe it because God reveals it clearly to us.

“22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; “

The Jews did request signs, and even when Jesus performed miracles that no one else had ever done they didn’t believe. An example would be when Jesus healed the man who had been blind from birth (John 9). No one had ever done that before. The Greeks who represent the enlightened, educated Gentiles of the day seek after wisdom. But they can’t accept Christ crucified as true wisdom because it doesn’t line up with what they believe. They want to believe what they have been taught growing up (tradition), what they believe to be wisdom (man made), or what they want to believe about (a) god(s) (man made religion). They will not believe the true word preached.

“23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,”

Men will not accept God’s plan. It is His design and His purpose. It is not what men want to believe. For the Jews, Jesus became the stone on which they would stumble. Which points to Jesus being God (Isaiah 8:13-15). And of course, Jesus is not what the Greeks wanted to believe. Anything men do not want to believe they will call foolish or other worse terms. When Paul preached the message at Athens he was mocked by a number of those who heard him (Acts 17:32).

“24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. “

The difference between those who are perishing and those being saved is shown in this verse. It is those who are called who see Jesus as God’s salvation and wisdom. And men do not see unless God reveals it to them, nor can they know God unless Christ reveals Him (Luke 10:21-23). Jesus is the power and wisdom of God in all things. Also, we see that God chose to save Jews and Gentiles through Christ. I love the text in Isaiah 49:6. It is too small a thing for Jesus to only bring salvation to the nation of Israel, therefore God made Him a light to the gentiles so that God’s salvation would reach to the ends of the earth. All glory be to His name.

“25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. “

I would say that the wisdom and strength of God can’t even be compared to men. His wisdom is so far above ours, and His strength can’t even be comprehended by us. Our brains are too small to conceive of Him in the fullness of His wisdom and strength. I do understand what Paul is saying here.

“26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. “

This section of 1 Corinthians is the only part of the New Testament where we get a little insight into God’s will and purpose in calling those He did. We get a very small sliver of understanding of God’s will and purpose in His election. We know He did not call many according to wisdom, strength, or nobility. Though He did call some because it is His desire that all classes of men are saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

“27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

God’s purpose in choosing those He has chosen is so that no one will be able to glory in His presence. So no one will be able to come before God in pride and arrogance. God hates the look of the haughty (Proverbs 6:16-17). God chose the foolish, the weak, base things, those who are despised, and those things that are not. Those few who are called from the noble, mighty, and wise will recognize that they really are not noble, mighty, and wise. They will see that they are really nothing just like everyone else. For the truth of the matter is that God has created all men equal and we are nothing but dirt. The only reason we have life is because God breathed life into us. We live because of Him.

“30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— “

The ESV says, “because of him you are in Christ Jesus.” This gives us a clear understanding that it is God’s choice, it is His calling, His election, and His work that brings us to Christ. We belong to Jesus because we were given to Him by the Father (John 17:6-11). Jesus is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and redemption. He has done it all from beginning to end.

“31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” “

We cannot take credit for any part of our salvation. God and Christ did it all. All glory for our salvation goes to God. All glory and honor are due to Him. Our part is kneeling at His precious feet in worship and honor. Giving back to Him everything He has given us. Even the rewards and crowns we receive from Him are placed at His feet (Revelation 4:10). All glory and honor be to the name of Jesus Christ. Praise Him all you people from the least to the greatest.

From the English Standard Version:

“1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,”

Specific men are called to fulfill specific service according to God’s will. A man cannot fulfill a role unless God has called him to it. Paul was called by God to be an apostle. He successfully completed the work that Christ gave to him to do during his life time. He was set apart as an apostle.

One definition of an apostle is one sent out directly by Christ to fulfill a mission. It appears that the apostles were sent where no one had been before to plant churches. There were twelve official apostles and Paul, who was a special calling by Jesus to the work. These men had a special mission, and were also given special gifts to accomplish it. We call those sent on missions today, missionaries, and I believe they are empowered by the Spirit with everything they need to accomplish it. Though, they may not be empowered in the same way as the first apostles.

Judas did not fulfill the role of an apostle and was replaced by Matthias after Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts 1. Sosthenes was a helper to Paul in the work of the ministry.

“2 To 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:”

The letter was written to the church at Corinth. That is the audience of the letter and must be taken into account when interpreting it. The audience here is believers. Then we have some truth about the church. The church here was sanctified in Jesus , which means set apart. They were called to belong to Jesus. The question could be posed, “called by who?” The answer would be called by God. They are called just like everyone, everywhere, who call upon the name of Jesus. Who is the Lord of all Christians across the planet. If the Lordship of Christ is not part of a believer’s walk, then I would be concerned about the truth of their call. If Jesus is Lord, then He holds authority and power over those who call on His name, and it is the believer’s obligation to obey Him in their lives.

“3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. “

Paul desires for God’s grace and peace to cover the believers here at Corinth. I think this would be the desire of any Christian for other believers. I think it would be especially true for those who God has called into leadership of His people. It shows that Paul had concern for them, and its used as a greeting to them as well.

“4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, “

Paul is thankful to God. He gives thanks because Paul recognizes that these people at Corinth who have believed belong to God. They were given grace through Christ Jesus. And also, Paul is thankful for what he discusses next. But ultimately, Paul recognizes God’s hand in the grace that had been given. If the grace did not come from God there would be no reason to give thanks.

“5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— “

It is by the grace of God that we grow in Jesus. The words of the church at Corinth show that they are growing in Christ. Those who follow Jesus should do so in word and action. God found it good to teach them all knowledge concerning Jesus. That confirms the word that Jesus spoke, that the Holy Spirit when He came would teach them all things (John 14:26).

“6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— “

The testimony here I believe refers to the message brought to them by Paul. That message about Jesus was confirmed to them by the great work of the Holy Spirit through various gifts of the Spirit. The fact that some believed could be confirmation as well as faith if a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). And, it could be that God confirmed the message in various other ways.

“7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, “

The Holy Spirit had fully blessed them with the gifts they needed, and one of the marks of those who belong to Jesus will be waiting for His revelation. We are to wait patiently for the Lord to be revealed from Heaven. We are to look for His coming as we are instructed to do so by Him (Matthew 24:42).

“8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. “

God is the one who keeps, strengthens, and gives us everything we need. We will be kept by the Spirit guiltless when that day arrives. The reason is that our guilt was placed on Christ at the cross. He died for all of our sins from the beginning of our life until the end of our life. The price was paid, we were bought in full. The perservering of the saints is brought about not by our strength, but by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. It is part of God’s grace to those who are called.

“9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The foundation of that grace and promise that we will be sustained is God Himself. It is by His faithfulness, who called us into the relationship we have with Jesus. Who of course is the Messiah and Lord of all those who are called.

There is one powerful truth that I see in these first nine verses. That it is God who does all these things. God chooses and calls men into His service in specific roles. It is God who sanctifies, God who calls us into a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is God who teaches us all things. It is God who blesses us with all knowledge and spiritual gifts. It is God who sustains us through our lives as we wait for Jesus to return. And all of that is based on God’s faithfulness alone.

When Abraham had finished cutting the animals in two (a blood covenant) and God chose to make an everlasting covenant with Him, it was God alone who passed between the pieces of the animal. Abraham was in a deep sleep laying over at the side. God’s covenant would be kept based on God’s faithfulness, not on Abraham’s faithfulness (Genesis 15). The covenant has a number of aspects to it, but two of the greatest promises is that God would be God to Abraham and his descendants forever, and through Abraham all nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen 12:3; 17:7) . We know those promises are fulfilled and focused through Jesus Christ.