November 28, 2015
1 Corinthians 1:1-2
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes. To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
CONSIDER THIS
TO THOSE SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST JESUS AND CALLED TO BE HIS HOLY PEOPLE (i.e. “US”):
Ten weeks ago we began this journey through Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. I wanted to reflect on a few of my takeaways from this time through. There’s always so much more to uncover and discover in Scripture. We will never exhaust it of its revelatory power.
- Letters matter. We can’t forget that much of the New Testament comes to us in the form of letters. While these letters were not written to us, they were written for us. It’s astonishing to think we are still reading and re-reading these letters some two thousand years after they were written. Astonishing.
- The church is made up of fallen people on the road to redemption. As a result, the church has problems; always has and always will. Someone once remarked the church was a lot like Noah’s Ark—had it not been for the floodwaters outside who could have stood the stench inside? 1:10-12
- We bring no qualifications to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we will make no improvements on it. 1:26-31
- The way of the Cross is antithetical to the way of the World. 1:18-19
- The aim of the Gospel is not to barely save people but to save them completely. The goal is adult faith. The biggest challenge the church faces in every age is the arrested development of its members. See chapter 3.
- It is one thing to be thankful for the grace of God and quite another to be responsive to it.
- While sin may be sin with respect to degree, sins of sexual immorality may carry greater consequences because they are sins against the body.
- The human body matters more than we can possibly imagine. We must grow in honoring God in our bodies.
- The resurrection of the body may be the most essential doctrine of the entire Christian faith.
- The future has already begun. We live in the age of the Holy Spirit, somewhere in the middle of the beginning of the end.
- Eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
- Love is the whole tamale.
I wonder what’s on your list. So for the last time this time around, let me close by saying.
CALLED WITH YOU TO BE HIS HOLY PEOPLE.
Now, let’s press on to the Sixth Day Exercise.
DO THE SIXTH DAY EXERCISE HERE.
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J.D. Walt serves as Seedbed’s Sower in Chief. jd.walt@seedbed.com.