daily bible readings

As Paul thanks God for the work He’s done and doing in the Corinthians, he opens up a minefield of deep, rich and valuable theological truths to behold. One could spend hours digging in these six verses and not plumb the depth of riches available.

Paul begins by telling the Corinthians that God’s grace was given to them in Christ Jesus. The word grace in and of itself signifies that salvation is a gift. Using the word “given” immediately after nails the point. You cannot earn salvation. You cannot deserve salvation. You cannot win salvation. The only way to receive the grace of salvation is to have it given to you through faith in Jesus Christ. How humbling to think that we cannot earn our salvation. It has to be given to us.

Paul tells the Corinthians that they have been enriched in Him in every way, v5.While the Corinthians were boasting of their knowledge and their various preaching and speaking abilities, seeking to be like the worldly orators that often frequented Corinth, Paul gently reminds them through the use of the passive voice that they have been enriched by another. Again, like grace,  they did not earn their riches or provide for  themselves. It was not a product of their knowledge or hard work or natural talents. They were enriched by another, by the Lord Jesus Christ who gave them grace beyond measure.

In their boasting, Paul reminds them that it was because of the testimony of Christ, that Paul brought to them that they were enriched and lavished with grace. Like a helpless and hungry babe, they had to wait for the gospel to be brought to them. They had no power in and of themselves to go out and find Jesus Christ and the grace that He offers to all by faith. As Jesus reminds us in Luke 15:1-7, the lost sheep does not go looking for the Shepherd. The Shepherd goes out to find the lost sheep.

The Corinthians did not lack any spiritual gift but, like all other Christians, they too were waiting for Christ to be revealed. They had not yet arrived at spiritual maturity as they claimed. They were not the super Christians they thought they were. Like all Christians, their maturity and sanctification would be complete on the day that Jesus is revealed with blazing fire from heaven.

I suspect that the Corinthians felt slapped in the cheek, especially by verse 8. It is Christ Jesus who would keep them strong to the very end and not their own maturity and strength. They need a guardian, as all Christians do. Paul teaches a similar thing to the Philippians in Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. He tells the Romans a similar truth, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39). Jesus Himself taught that no one can snatch believers out of his hand because the Father is greater than all, (John 10:29).

The Corinthians had turned salvation to be about themselves. Many Christians today make the same mistake. Christianity becomes about what they want and what gift they have and how they like to serve and where they feel blessed and blah blah blah...Paul points them in the true direction as he declares in v:9, “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” Father Yahweh has called them into fellowship with the Son and He is faithful to the very end. God will not prove unfaithful. He will deliver them safely to the heavenly kingdom.

Paul opens up a theological treasure chest in just 6 verses that we can mine and dig deep in. As we look closer at these verses we see a wealth of knowledge, truth and wisdom. The more we dig, the more we find.

PRAYER

Adoration:

· Adore God that He is the one who gives us grace, spiritual gifts and eternal perseverance.

· Adore God that He is faithful in all things and to every promise He has made.

Confession:

· Take time to confess your sins to the Lord and to ask for forgiveness

Thanks:

· Thank God for the Spiritual gift or gifts that He has given you.

· Thank God that He is protecting you and guarding you to the very end of time.

Supplication:

· Pray that we would grow strong as a congregation as we read these verses and study them together.

· Pray that we would have a growing God-oriented perspective as we dig depe into God’s Word and seek to apply it to our lives.

Discussion Questions

1. What theological doctrines are mentioned in these verses?

2. Can you find where Paul talks about each one in 1 or 2 Corinthians?