Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: 1 Corinthians 1 and Psalm 113

Having completed the letter to the Romans, we now turn to 1 Corinthians. This letter was written by the apostle Paul to the Christians in Corinth, most likely towards the end of his 3-year ministry in Ephesus (see Acts 19). He wrote it mainly to address specific problems within the Corinthian Church that had been brought to his attention. It is a great example of Paul exercising his apostolic oversight from a distance.

The first issue, addressed in 1 Corinthians 1, was the senseless division among the Christians in Corinth:

“(S)ome from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you … What I mean is this: one of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided?“

That rhetorical question, “Is Christ divided?” is the very heart of Paul’s response to the quarrels and divisions among the believers. As believers, we have no option but to pursue unity with one another because our very salvation is founded on our union with Christ. As Paul writes in v.30, “(Y)ou are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”

Being saved from our sins is not something we accomplish by our own effort or wisdom; it is a work of God, accomplished through Christ. None of us can boast about our salvation; nor can we claim any superiority to others who are saved, because we have been saved by God: “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus,” says v.30.

If two of us are both “saved” it is because I am united with Christ and you are united with Christ. And if we are both united with Christ, then there is an inherent unity between us. Our responsibility is thus to work to make that inner unity-in-Christ an outward reality too.

Life application: Repent of any sense of superiority to other Christians, and be grateful for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that has saved you and them. Treat your fellow Christians with the honour and love that is born of humility.