|
|
Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
May 24
Click on verses for Full Scripture
|
previous - - - - - - - - - -
next
|
Today's Pathway:
|
I Corinthians 1:8-12
- Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
- For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
- Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
|
|
|
Paul concluded verse 7 by commending the Corinthians for their anticipation of the Lord's return. In verse 8 he reminds them that Jesus will confirm them "unto the end". This is the promise of eternal security. The Bible never teaches that a Christian needs to keep himself saved. Paul says that it is Christ who confirms. The word means to be "steadfast" or
"established", and this confirmation continues until the end of our lives, or until Jesus comes, or until the end of time. Warren Wiersbe wrote,
"'Confirm' is a legal term that refers to the guarantee that settles a transaction. We have the witness of the Spirit within us and the witness of the Word before us, guaranteeing that God will keep His 'contract”'with us and save us to the very end."
In addition, this verse states that this confirmation is that we will be "blameless" when Jesus returns. "Blameless" is a legal term meaning that no accusation or charge can be successfully brought against those in Christ. It speaks of our eternal position in Christ. In our daily lives we obviously do commit sin. However, because God the Father has given the believer the righteousness of Christ, when He appears, our position will become our eternal reality. John MacArthur put it this way,
"When we enter Heaven we will not have all our sins and shortcomings flashed before us for everyone to see. Christ will affirm before the eternal throne of God that we are now counted blameless."
And, according to verse 9, we know that this will happen because God is faithful, and it is He Who has saved us.
Having given the Corinthians encouragement, Paul now begins to point out areas where they are having issues. One problem that Paul refers to throughout the epistle is the lack of unity that existed in the church. People who are saved and following the Lord ought to be able to get along with each other. I John 1:3 says,
"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
Those who are saved have fellowship with the Father, and because of that they can and should have fellowship with each other. According to verse 9 the Corinthian believers had been called into the fellowship of Christ, so they should have been united as the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:27). In verse 10 Paul challenges them that they need to be united in doctrine and practice ("speak the same thing"), and that there should not be divisions within the church, but rather that the members should be thinking the same way. It is worth noting that Paul does not ask them to do this for his sake, but he says to do it "by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ". It is their Savior Who expects this, for it was He Who prayed
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us" (John 17:21).
Rather than being "perfectly joined together" under Christ, the Corinthian church had different factions within it. According to verse 11, not only was the church not united, but they were in fact quarreling with each other. The word translated "contentions" has been described as "the spirit that is born of unbridled and unholy competition. It comes from the desire for place and power and prestige and the hatred of being surpassed." Galatians 5:19-20 lists it as one of the works of the flesh ("variance"). The members were following the opinions of various men rather than the Word of God. Tomorrow we will look at this more extensively.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
|
|
You Are Here: 
