1Corinthians 1:2 – In every place

…to the ecclesia of God which is in Corinth, hallowed in Christ Jesus, called saints, together with all in every place who are invoking the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours…

If you read the first letter to Corinth, you will notice that there was a lot to criticize on this ecclesia. Sects, quarrels, fornication, mutual lawsuits, drunkenness, etc. That was the practice. Yet Paul begins to address them as “hallowed in Christ Jesus”. Sanctified in him. That is their position and identity. That’s where Paul starts. In order to know what you have to do, you first need to know who you are and what your place is. From that base we think and walk. It is not through our walk that we understand who we are, but vice versa: because we understand who we are, we learn to walk!

This letter is not only addressed to the believers in Corinth. The letter is not tied to one place. All the teaching that Paul records in this letter is for all who, wherever, call upon the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. They are “the body of Christ”. They are “the body of Christ” as he later calls them in this letter (10:16, 12:12). This letter is up to date for all believers!

Delen: