As we prepare the sermon series on 1 Corinthians, I want to look at a few verses that are not part of the sermon text.<\/p>\n
Paul begins with his normal salutation (vv. 1-3).\u00a0 In verse 4 Paul thanks God for His grace.\u00a0 This can be seen as a reference to the Corinthians salvation, since it is by God’s grace we are saved (Eph. 2:8).\u00a0 Those who have trusted Jesus as the only way to be saved, should always thank God for His grace.\u00a0 Especially in light of the fact that since the fall of man (Gen. 3), we are born with a sin nature which is inclined to rebel against and reject God.\u00a0 There are those who believe that man is basically good. I would challenge them on that by simply asking them to watch the nightly news and then defend their viewpoint that man is basically good.\u00a0 Paul said in Romans 3:10-12 that there are none who are good, no not one..\u00a0 That no one seeks God and that no ones understands.\u00a0 In fact we have all gone astray and out of the way to explain God, sin, judgment, and hell away.\u00a0 We must realize that it is the work of the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sin and need for a Savior (John 16:8), that we only turn to God as He draws us (John 6:44), and though salvation is a decision of man’s free-will, it is only offered by God’s grace.\u00a0\u00a0 Therefore, we can say that God initiated, provided for, and offers the gift of salvation.\u00a0 We should thank Him for that daily, because we deserve so much worse.<\/p>\n
Now that the Corinthian believers have been saved, we see that they have been given spiritual gifts (vv. 5-7a).\u00a0 A spiritual gift is different from a natural talent in that we only receive our spiritual gift(s) once we have been saved.\u00a0 A natural talent is something we are born with.\u00a0 A natural talent is used to glorify ourselves, while a spiritual gift is used to glorify God.\u00a0 God can use our natural talents in conjunction with our spiritual gift to glorify Himself and draw others into a relationship with Him.\u00a0 A great example of this would be an athlete like Tim Tebow.\u00a0 Tebow is a naturally gifted athlete.\u00a0 However, Tebow uses that platform he has been given to tell others about Jesus and to teach others about Christ (a spiritual gift).\u00a0 Every believer has at least one spiritual gift, and no one possesses all the gifts (1 Cor. 12).\u00a0 That is why we need each other in order for the body of Christ to function properly and to draw others to Christ.<\/p>\n
Finally in these verses we get a precious promise, the eternal security of our salvation (vv. 8-9).\u00a0 Because salvation is a gift from God, and does not depend upon the actions of man, those who are saved are sealed and secured by God as well.\u00a0 We read in John 10:29, “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.”\u00a0 This is a promise that if we have truly been saved, we are secured by God.\u00a0 And that because of the blood of Christ, we are blameless before the Father.\u00a0 The only way we can be blameless is for 2 Corinthians 5:21 to be true, “For He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God.”\u00a0 Literally at the cross, Jesus took our sins and in exchange gave us His righteousness.\u00a0 And as Christ is blameless, so are those who have trusted in His blood.\u00a0 In these verses we see the three stages of a Christian’s life.\u00a0 First we are justified (salvation), then we are set apart by God for God (sanctification), and one day when we leave this earth we will be changed and made like Christ (glorified).\u00a0 All this is possible only by the blood of Jesus Christ!\u00a0 To Him we give honor, glory, and thanks.<\/p>\n
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By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As we prepare the sermon series on 1 Corinthians, I want to look at a few verses that are not part of the sermon text. Paul begins with his normal salutation (vv. 1-3).\u00a0 In verse 4 Paul thanks God for … Read More