I Corinthians 1:4-9: "Inherited Blessings"
In the first 3 verses of the opening chapter Paul addresses the believers in Corinth to remind them of their calling as Saints. Paul's main point is to help them to remember their holy and pure calling after being redeemed by Christ. In this next section, Paul will remind them of the rich inheritance they have in God, since being adopted as sons. Paul begins with the most important gift we receive at the moment of salvation. "I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus". First, let's recognize Paul's grateful heart. How often do we sit back and thank God for saving those around us. Are we grateful that God saved our friends, family, spouses, etc? Or do we take that for granted? Paul was constantly thinking of his fellow brethren and praising God for saving them. Paul is grateful for the "grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus". Paul desires the Corinthians to remember that it is only by the grace of God, nothing they did or deserved, that saved them from hell. God in His infinite love, mercy and grace, sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross that we may avoid the punishment which we deserve. It is only by this grace that any of us can approach God with a pure heart.
Paul continues with the blessings we as saints have, "that in everything you were enriched in Him". MacArthur writes, "The in Him qualifies the in everything. That is, we have everything that Christ has to give, and He gives everything we need - though many times not everything we want". As saints, Christ supplies us with all that we need. Our lives are enriched by the God who created everything. We must recognize this great and wonderful gift we have. To be more specific, Paul writes, "in all speech and all knowledge". In context, we can look at speech and knowledge as it pertains to the gospel. Paul here is saying that once we receive Christ, he enriches us and enables us to proclaim the truth that we know in our hearts. MacArthur writes, "God gives every believer the capacity to speak for Him. We do not all have eloquence, an impressive vocabulary, or a captivating personality. But we all have the necessary God-given ability, the same capability and the same capacity, to speak for Him in the unique way that He wants us to speak. . . . With provision of all speech necessary He also provides all knowledge necessary. It is not that we know everything, even about the gospel. Now we know on 'in part' (I Cor. 13:12). But we are given everything we need to know to speak effectively for the Lord". Once again, God provides all that is necessary for His children.
This grace,which Paul is referring to, which enables us with all the speech and knowledge we need, is settled and confirmed in us. Paul writes, "even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you". Everything God says He will do, He does. There is evidence all around of His faithfulness. The most complete and obvious of all His promises is the faithful testimony of His children who have been changed and transformed by Christ. MacArthur confirms, "When a person in faith accepts God's offer, grace becomes operative. All sin is forgiven and all guilt is removed, forever. At that time God begins to pour out the superabundance of His blessings and riches on His new child, and He will not stop throughout all eternity. That is the extent of God's grace". Paul confirms that "you are not lacking in any gift". No doubt that Paul had in mind the carnality of the believers in Corinth in mind. He wanted to make sure that they understood they did not lack anything regarding the tools they needed for the Christian walk. If God desired them to be pure and holy, He has provided them with the necessary tools to accomplish this. It was then up to them to use all they had been given. He wanted to make sure they understood that any failure in their Christian walk was not from lack of tools and ability. MacArthur points out, "Paul was speaking of God's provision, not their use of His provisions. God had already provided them with everything and continued to provide them with everything, despite the fact that they were so unfaithful and perverse in using His gifts and in being thankful for them".
Understanding all of the benefits we have received in knowing and trusting in Christ will naturally cause us to await "eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end". As the bride, we eagerly await the return of the groom to claim us. Just another truth that Paul is stating to remind the saints at Corinth to live in such a way as to be eager for the return of Christ. If we constantly have that in our minds, wouldn't we live a different life? MacArthur writes, "The revelation refers to His manifestation without the veil of humanity he wore in His incarnation. At His next coming He will be fully revealed in blazing splendor". When He comes, "every knee [will] bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). What we must also understand and rejoice in is that not only did we confirm God's grace in our lives when we first accepted Him, but He "shall also confirm you the the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ". This is just another text that proves we cannot lose our salvation. What Christ did in confirming us as His children when we first accepted Him, he will continue to do until we are presented to God as his spotless bride. To truly understand grace, we must understand that the free gift which God bestowed on us, namely salvation, would only be considered grace if he were to see it through to it's completion. If somehow we can fall out of His grace, or do something that would make us lose His forgiveness, than by definition, it would not be grace. Paul writes in Phil. 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus". God will see His promise through in all of us He has accepted. Paul confirms this by writing, "God is faithful". God is indeed faithful to us, and we must take Him at His word. To believe in anything contrary to what He says in His Word would be foolishness. MacArthur writes, "When God calls someone to salvation, He is faithful to that call. Thus our future glory at Christ's appearing is certain, for whom 'He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified' (Rom. 8:30)". For it was God who was faithful to us and "called [us] in to fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord".
Paul continues with the blessings we as saints have, "that in everything you were enriched in Him". MacArthur writes, "The in Him qualifies the in everything. That is, we have everything that Christ has to give, and He gives everything we need - though many times not everything we want". As saints, Christ supplies us with all that we need. Our lives are enriched by the God who created everything. We must recognize this great and wonderful gift we have. To be more specific, Paul writes, "in all speech and all knowledge". In context, we can look at speech and knowledge as it pertains to the gospel. Paul here is saying that once we receive Christ, he enriches us and enables us to proclaim the truth that we know in our hearts. MacArthur writes, "God gives every believer the capacity to speak for Him. We do not all have eloquence, an impressive vocabulary, or a captivating personality. But we all have the necessary God-given ability, the same capability and the same capacity, to speak for Him in the unique way that He wants us to speak. . . . With provision of all speech necessary He also provides all knowledge necessary. It is not that we know everything, even about the gospel. Now we know on 'in part' (I Cor. 13:12). But we are given everything we need to know to speak effectively for the Lord". Once again, God provides all that is necessary for His children.
This grace,which Paul is referring to, which enables us with all the speech and knowledge we need, is settled and confirmed in us. Paul writes, "even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you". Everything God says He will do, He does. There is evidence all around of His faithfulness. The most complete and obvious of all His promises is the faithful testimony of His children who have been changed and transformed by Christ. MacArthur confirms, "When a person in faith accepts God's offer, grace becomes operative. All sin is forgiven and all guilt is removed, forever. At that time God begins to pour out the superabundance of His blessings and riches on His new child, and He will not stop throughout all eternity. That is the extent of God's grace". Paul confirms that "you are not lacking in any gift". No doubt that Paul had in mind the carnality of the believers in Corinth in mind. He wanted to make sure that they understood they did not lack anything regarding the tools they needed for the Christian walk. If God desired them to be pure and holy, He has provided them with the necessary tools to accomplish this. It was then up to them to use all they had been given. He wanted to make sure they understood that any failure in their Christian walk was not from lack of tools and ability. MacArthur points out, "Paul was speaking of God's provision, not their use of His provisions. God had already provided them with everything and continued to provide them with everything, despite the fact that they were so unfaithful and perverse in using His gifts and in being thankful for them".
Understanding all of the benefits we have received in knowing and trusting in Christ will naturally cause us to await "eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end". As the bride, we eagerly await the return of the groom to claim us. Just another truth that Paul is stating to remind the saints at Corinth to live in such a way as to be eager for the return of Christ. If we constantly have that in our minds, wouldn't we live a different life? MacArthur writes, "The revelation refers to His manifestation without the veil of humanity he wore in His incarnation. At His next coming He will be fully revealed in blazing splendor". When He comes, "every knee [will] bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:10). What we must also understand and rejoice in is that not only did we confirm God's grace in our lives when we first accepted Him, but He "shall also confirm you the the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ". This is just another text that proves we cannot lose our salvation. What Christ did in confirming us as His children when we first accepted Him, he will continue to do until we are presented to God as his spotless bride. To truly understand grace, we must understand that the free gift which God bestowed on us, namely salvation, would only be considered grace if he were to see it through to it's completion. If somehow we can fall out of His grace, or do something that would make us lose His forgiveness, than by definition, it would not be grace. Paul writes in Phil. 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus". God will see His promise through in all of us He has accepted. Paul confirms this by writing, "God is faithful". God is indeed faithful to us, and we must take Him at His word. To believe in anything contrary to what He says in His Word would be foolishness. MacArthur writes, "When God calls someone to salvation, He is faithful to that call. Thus our future glory at Christ's appearing is certain, for whom 'He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified' (Rom. 8:30)". For it was God who was faithful to us and "called [us] in to fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord".
posted by amesfam | 12:58 PM
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