The Bible Says
1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Meaning

In 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Paul greets the Corinthian believers and highlights the security of their justification before God due to His promises and the finished work of Christ on the cross. The letter opens: Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother," (v.1).

The opening of this letter immediately highlights the apostolic authority of Paul. Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated apostle means “one who is sent.” In this case the sender is Jesus Christ. Paul emphasizes that his apostleship did not stem from personal ambition or human appointment but from the specific and sovereign will of God.

Throughout both the first and second letters to the church at Corinth, Paul has to continually defend his apostleship. So, the phrase by the will of God is key to Paul's understanding and his presentation of what it means to be an apostle. This assertion underscores the divine call and origin of his mission and teaching. It provides the foundational authority from which he addresses the Corinthian church. As we will see, when Paul defends his apostolic authority, he does not particularly take it personally, since his calling as an apostle was God’s idea, rather than his.

In including Sosthenes our brother, Paul shows that this letter has a co-contributor. Sosthenes is referenced by Paul as a leader and significant figure among the Corinthian believers. He was a fellow Jew, having been the leader of the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:17). As one trained in the scriptures as well as believing in Jesus, Sosthenes would have served as a valuable co-laborer in the faith. His presence as a brother also highlights the unity and fraternity among believers.

We can note that Paul opened many of his letters by identifying himself and sometimes a fellow worker, establishing both authenticity and accountability (Romans 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1). This sets the tone that the message to come is not a private message but one in harmony with trusted companions and the broader Christian community. By stressing the will of God in his selection as an apostle, Paul reminds the Corinthians that his leadership is a divine call rather than a human promotion.

Having established his authorship, Paul addresses his letter: To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints, by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours, (v. 2).

Corinth was a prominent city located in southern Greece, known for its wealth, strategic trade routes, and immorality. Corinth was situated on the narrow isthmus connecting mainland Greece to the Peloponnesian Peninsula. It served as a major commercial hub in the Roman Empire, having two ports, one on each side of the isthmus. The isthmus was sufficiently narrow that cargo was often ported from one port to the other via land, thereby saving shipping time. Thus, Corinth’s strategic location made it a hub for trade, creating an engine for material prosperity.

The church of God was newly established, as with other churches in the Roman world. This letter was likely written in 52-55 AD, where Christianity had been established some twenty years prior, at the ascension of the resurrected Christ into Heaven. Paul began the church in Corinth only two or three years before this letter was written (Acts 18:1).

By calling the Corinthian believers those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus (v.2), Paul positions the Corinthians not as mere adherents to ritual but as transformed people, set apart through Jesus’ sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10). The word sanctified means to be set apart for sacred or holy use. In this case, the holiness referred to is the fundamental identity of these believers as children of God and members of His forever family. Paul defines this new identity in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

It is important to note that verse 2 describes a past tense sanctification. Other verses refer to a present tense, ongoing process of sanctification. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:3 expresses that the will of God is for believers to be sanctified through living in a manner that is set apart from the world. But “sanctification” is not a technical term in scripture. What is being set apart for what reason is determined by context. Verse 2 speaks of believers in Jesus Christ being placed into Christ’s body through a new spiritual birth. They are positioned in Christ and made a part of Him.

By making these emphatic statements as to the condition of the Corinthian believers, Paul is setting the stage for his later corrective words. In no case will Paul be doubting their position as children of God. Rather, he will be exhorting them to live consistent with their calling that they might gain the rewards and experience of their new nature and escape the destruction that attends continuing to walk in our old nature.

When Paul refers to the Corinthians as saints by calling (v.2), he defines their identity as being set apart (sanctified) from the world through Christ. The Greek word “hagios,” translated here as saints, in this case refers to any person who believes in Jesus. As Jesus asserted, God will give eternal life to all who have sufficient faith to look upon Him on the cross, hoping in God’s promise to be delivered from the poisonous venom of sin (John 3:14-15).

It is by faith we receive the free gift of God’s grace, and that places us into Christ and makes us holy because He is holy. Believers in Jesus are, in this manner, saints, those who are set apart. “Hagios” is often translated as “holy.” The phrase saints by calling translates two Greek words, “hagios” and “kletos.” It is probably better translated simply “called saints,” referring to the certainty of God’s declaration that those who believe in Jesus are righteous before God. As Paul notes in Romans 4:3, in God’s sight righteousness comes solely by His grace.

God pronounces righteous those who believe. In Romans 4:3, Paul quotes Genesis 15:6, which shows that righteousness in God’s sight has always been by His grace, through faith. It was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ through which the sins of the world were atoned (Colossians 2:14). It is by faith that His atonement is attributed to those who believe.

The Corinthian believers are included among all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (v.2). This statement links the local assembly in Corinth to the universal Church throughout the world. The local assembly in Corinth was likely several house churches, so it was important to Paul that they realize that they were part of a larger community of believers.

Their faith in Christ makes them participants in a global community of believers—a concept Paul highlights to unify a church that was wrestling with division (1 Corinthians 1:10). The unifying factor is Christ Himself, as Paul notes that all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ have Jesus Christ as their Lord and ours. Jesus is the Lord of Paul, of the Corinthians, and of all believers who have believed in Him. There is oneness in Christ through faith in Christ.

Paul gives a salutation: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (v.3).

With this greeting, Paul offers two prayers: grace and peace. The source of both comes from one source: God. And God consists of both the Father as well as the Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word “charis,” translated grace, means “favor.” Context determines who is granted favor and for what reason. We can see this in Luke 2:52 where Jesus is said to have increased in “favor [“charis”] with God and men.”

Since these believers have already been redeemed by Jesus through faith in Him, and placed into Christ by His grace, Paul’s statement of wishing grace upon the Corinthians is likely Paul’s prayer that God would have mercy on them by looking favorably upon their deeds.

Paul expresses something similar in 2 Timothy 1:16-18 where he prays that God would grant “mercy” to Onesiphorus because of the service of ministry he rendered to Paul. In saying he prays for God’s mercy to reward for faithful deeds, Paul underscores that nothing humans do can obligate God, and His favor/grace toward us is always a matter of His mercy.

In the Greek translation of the Old Testament (known as the Septuagint), the Greek word translated peace is used to translate the Hebrew word “salom” (“shalom”). In fact, this Greek word is used to translate “salom” (“peace”) in the blessing God gave to Aaron to bless Israel:

“The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.”
(Numbers 6:24-26)

Shalom is a broad concept of harmony that can apply to many contexts. In the broadest application, it can include all things working together according to God’s good design. In speaking a blessing of grace as well as peace upon the Corinthian believers, Paul desires that they gain God’s favor as well as experience the fullness of life.

Just as in other letters, the mention of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (v.3) serves as a reminder that our spiritual origins as a new creation in Christ comes from God our Father who sent the Lord Jesus Christ to atone for our sins (John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17). As believers, our ongoing fellowship in our Lord depends on walking in the Spirit, in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive (1 John 1:9).

Our position in Christ, belonging to Him as His child, depends only upon the blood of Christ (Colossians 2:14). As His children, we only need forgiveness to maintain fellowship/peace with Him and have our consciences cleansed (Hebrews 10:19-23).

Paul next moves to the thanksgiving section of the letter, which is a common characteristic of his other letters included in the New Testament. Even though Paul will bring admonishment regarding difficult issues in the Corinthian church, he also recognizes the grace God has given to the Corinthian believers to place them into His family as His children. He acknowledges that they have progressed in their spiritual development.

Paul understands that spiritual growth is a journey; believers do not grow up in one step. He himself experienced a faith journey and will speak to them as a fellow learner. He says, I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus. (v.4).

By expressing such a bold affirmation—I thank my God always—Paul lays a foundation of love and encouragement. Even when believers struggle or fail to live up to the ideals of the gospel, God’s grace remains active. Those who have received this grace can be realigned and re-strengthened through confession, repentance, and continued reliance on God's mercies (1 John 1:9).

Paul expresses thanks for what God has accomplished among them. The phrase which was given you in Christ Jesus brings attention to the reality that the blessings and spiritual gifts the Corinthians have received are a free gift of God’s grace; they were given. No one can earn God’s grace to be made new creations in Christ; it is a free gift that is received through faith and given by God (Romans 5:15).

The gift comes through Christ. The phrase in Christ Jesus indicates that the grace of God was given to the Corinthians through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is through His death that believers are justified in God’s sight through faith in Christ. Upon belief in Jesus, believers are placed into the body of Christ and made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Paul adds that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge (v. 5). This highlights Paul’s understanding that the Corinthian believers have received an abundant measure of spiritual riches. The phrase in everything indicates the breadth of God’s favor/grace that has been poured out upon them. The description of all speech and knowledge infers a special gifting of eloquence, wisdom, and prophetic utterances. Again, the focus and the originator of these enrichments was Christ, in Him.

All aspects of a believer’s life (in everything) have been blessed by God through Christ (you were enriched in Him). This makes logical sense, given that believers are placed into the body of Christ, therefore have within them the resurrection power of Christ which can be applied through faith.

With such great gifts come great responsibilities. The term enriched suggests that God has not only provided believers with skills but also entrusted them with tools for building up the church and glorifying Christ (1 Peter 4:10-11). Rather than neglecting or boasting in these abilities, they are to use them in service to one another, as unto the Lord. Paul later corrects the Corinthians about their tendency to value eloquent speech and Greek wisdom above God’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:1-5), reminding them that these gifts should be applied to magnify Jesus rather than man.

Moreover, the emphasis on knowledge ties to the Greek cultural value of wisdom. Corinth, being Greek, prided itself on philosophical prowess. Paul reshapes that cultural aspiration by insisting that knowledge must be sanctified and submitted to God’s revelation in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:19-21). This verse foreshadows one of the core messages of 1 Corinthians: the primacy of Christ-likeness over worldly recognition, position, power, and wisdom.

Again, we see that the blessing of God’s gift through His favor/grace toward believers comes in Him. Jesus is the source and substance of all blessing. The Corinthian believers were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge. The phrase were enriched in Him is actually in the passive present tense (“ploutizó,” to be enriched) indicating that Paul is speaking of the speech (the teaching) the Corinthians received from Paul and others testifying to them, which conveyed knowledge to them of Christ, and is continuing to enrich them.

It is interesting that Paul adds all to the phrase all knowledge, referring to what the Corinthians received. The context would indicate that the comprehensive knowledge the Corinthians received was of the good news of Jesus. It is the full spectrum of good news, from our new birth in Him to the rewards we can receive for living as a faithful witness. Paul will speak of rewards soon, in 1 Corinthians 3:11-17.

This full spectrum of good news is confirmed by verses 6-7 which go on to say even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ (vv. 6-7).

The phrase testimony concerning Christ points back to the apostolic proclamation of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. The testimony referred to here is the testimony that Paul was given by God and that he imparted when he was among them in Corinth. This core message, when received and empowered by the Holy Spirit, transforms lives (Romans 12:2).

By declaring that this testimony was confirmed in you (v.6), Paul affirms that their lives bear witness to the truth of Christ. Transformation—evident in changed character, supernatural gifting, and devotion to the Lord—becomes visible evidence of a transformational encounter with the gospel. That the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you points to a confirmation before men.

God knows the heart, and redeems humans based on their faith. A primary biblical example is Abraham, who was made righteous in God’s sight simply because he believed (Genesis 15:6). This verse in Genesis was referenced by Paul in Romans 4:3 to prove the point that being justified in God’s sight is wholly apart from deeds. When Abraham believed God’s promise, there was no testimony before men, it was only a matter of the heart.

Abraham was later justified in the sight of people because he believed God sufficiently to act upon his faith and prepare to sacrifice Isaac, his only son. This is referred to in James 2:21, which refers to justification before men rather than before God.

Paul speaks here of a similar view regarding the Corinthians. Though God only needs to know the heart, the Corinthians’ faith is evident to Paul and others because of their gifting and their eager awaiting of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. That the Corinthians also had moral struggles did not surprise Paul, as he understands the struggle humans have with our fleshly nature; he himself engaged in that struggle (Romans 7:14-18).

The practical outcome of having spiritual gifts confirmed among them is that they are not lacking in any gift (v.7). The Greek word "charisma" is translated as gift. This word comes from "charis,” which means “favor” or "grace.” These "gifts" represent expressions of God’s favor, His grace toward these believers. That their spiritual capacities are described as a gift makes clear that they were not earned. Paul will expand on the nature of and responsibilities inherent with spiritual gifts in chapters 12-14.

The phrase awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ refers to His return, at which time believers will be judged for deeds done while living on earth (1 Corinthians 3:11-17, 2 Corinthians 5:10). That Paul indicates the Corinthians are awaiting eagerly the return of Jesus indicates that he believes they are living well, and will be rewarded when Jesus returns.

Early Christians believed that Jesus could return at any moment (Matthew 24:44). This anticipation shaped how they ministered to one another, governed by the knowledge that their time was entrusted to them for God’s purposes. Living in expectancy reminds believers to remain awake spiritually, steward their gifts responsibly, and avoid complacency. This is a timely reminder to the church today that we are to live in the eager expectation of Christ's return (2 Peter 3:12-14).

This filtered perspective encourages a Christ-centered worldview. The abilities God supernaturally imparts to believers are not ends in themselves but means for preparing believers and the world: "But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13) when Jesus returns. It invites us today, just as the Corinthians were invited then, to use our gifts and resources with an eternal mindset (Colossians 3:1-2).

Notwithstanding Paul’s reference to Jesus’s return, and the judgment and rewards He will bring with Him, the sentence ends with an emphasis on the believer’s security in Christ: who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 8).

Regardless of deeds believers may or may not do, they will be blameless before God because Jesus took on the sins of the entire world when He died on the cross (Colossians 2:14). Describing the Corinthians as blameless (v.8) does not imply moral perfection in their own strength. Rather, it indicates a standing of righteousness made possible through faith in Christ.

All that is required to be made a new creation in Christ is enough faith to look upon Jesus on the cross in hope of His promise to deliver us from the deadly venom of sin (John 3:14-15). God’s promise is that all who believe are made new creations in Christ through Jesus taking our sins upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21). The day of our Lord Jesus Christ refers to the final judgment and consummation of history. At this point all who believe will stand before God in Christ, redeemed through His righteousness.

In calling attention to God’s sustaining power that will confirm us to the end, Paul comforts believers in every era who wrestle with sin, doubt, or failure. God is the great initiator and finisher of our salvation story (Philippians 1:6). He does not abandon His people but ensures that His children are His through the finished work of Christ.

Believers will be judged for deeds, to receive (or lose) rewards, but in God’s sight all believers are blameless because of the sacrificial death of Jesus (Romans 5:17-18). As Paul asserts in his last letter:

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
(2 Timothy 2:13)

If Jesus rejected any who are placed into His body by faith, He would be rejecting Himself. Believers can rest in this promise, that they will never be rejected. Verse 8 affirms this truth expressed in 2 Timothy 2:13, that Jesus will confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Even if believers do not live life as a faithful witness, we will still be received into heaven as a child of God because we are blameless in God’s sight. This is because of Jesus’s substitutionary death on the cross. The verb translated confirm in the phrase will confirm you to the end is future tense. The word end translates the Greek word “telos” which means “as far as can be seen” and can refer to future or past events. In this case, context indicates that the end in mind is the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In general, the phrase “the day of the Lord” refers to a time when God intervenes in human affairs, particularly times of judgment. The phrase appears five times in Joel, three times in Isaiah, twice in Ezekiel, Zephaniah, and Amos, and once each in Obadiah, Malachi, Acts, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 2 Peter, and here in 1 Corinthians. To gain a feel for the term:

• In Isaiah 13:6, the “day of the Lord” is described as coming with “destruction from the Almighty.”
  
  
• In Isaiah 13:9, the “day of the Lord” is described as being “with fury and burning anger” in which God will “exterminate its sinners from [the land].”
  
  
• Ezekiel 13:5 speaks of a “battle” on the “day of the Lord.”
  
  
• Ezekiel 30:3 speaks of the “day of the Lord” as being a “time of doom for the nations.”
  
  
• Joel 1:15 speaks of the “day of the Lord” as coming with “destruction from the Almighty.”
  
  
• Joel 2:31 speaks of the “day of the Lord” as attended with the sun being “turned into darkness.” This is the verse Peter quotes in Acts 2:20 in context of saying that what onlookers saw in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was what was “spoken of” in Joel. This indicates that the “day of the Lord” has shadows of fulfillment prior to the ultimate fulfillment when Jesus will return and judge the world (Acts 17:30-31).
  
  
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2 speaks of the “day of the Lord” as coming “like a thief in the night” and 1 Thessalonians 5:3 refers to “destruction” that will come upon those who are judged.

The day of the Lord Jesus Christ refers to the time when Jesus will return to earth, set up His kingdom and judge all things (Acts 17:30-31.) When He judges all things, He will divide the sheep (believers) from the goats (non-believers). This is dividing those who are His children in the faith from those who are not (Matthew 25:32-33). The unbelievers, the “goats,” will go into the “eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

That Jesus will confirm all believers to the end, even until the day of the Lord, verifies that believers are secure in Christ because He is faithful. We are His sheep and He is our shepherd. It is He, Jesus, who will confirm us. No sheep spends eternity in the lake of fire. It is not our deeds, but His promise, that is our security in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Believers’ deeds will be judged for rewards, as Paul will discuss in Chapter 3 (1 Corinthians 3:14-15). But all believers are sheep and will avoid being consumed in the lake of fire. Believers’ deeds will be judged by fire, and we will be rewarded for deeds done while in the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:14-15). Living courageously as a faithful witness brings great reward (Revelation 1:3, 3:21). Believers who do not live faithfully will suffer loss of reward (1 Corinthians 3:15). But all believers will spend eternity in God’s presence as His children.

Both Paul and Jesus go to great lengths to urge their followers to understand the vast opportunity believers have to gain reward for living as faithful stewards. The parables of Matthew 25 leading up to the parable of the sheep and goats is written to exhort believers to live faithfully and gain the reward of faithfulness. As the master says to the faithful servant in Matthew 25, “You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).

The “joy” of the master refers to the immense privilege of reigning with Christ. Jesus looked forward to the “joy” of sitting at the “right hand of the throne of God” as a human, and it was that goal that spurred Him on to endure rejection of men and death on the cross, according to the will of the Father (Hebrews 12:2). Hebrews 12:1-2 exhorts believers to follow Jesus’s example, and keep our eyes fixed on Him, for we have the same opportunity before us.

Each believer can gain the immense reward of reigning in harmony with Him. Jesus promises that those who overcome as He overcomes will share His reign, thereby possessing their inheritance as sons (Revelation 3:21, 21:7).

Paul appropriately comments next that God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (v. 9). We can rest in God’s promise that He will confirm us to the end, solely because we believed in Jesus, because God is faithful to keep His promises. Our security in Christ does not rest upon our own deeds, but upon God’s faithfulness. The sacrifice of Jesus paid for sins, once for all (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 10:10). Believers in Jesus can rest upon this promise; in spite of our failings, God’s word never fails.

This is an important foundation for this letter because Paul will soon elevate numerous failings within the church at Corinth. The failings range from dissension to immorality. These failings have real consequences, and Paul exhorts them urgently to address these problems—to repent and follow Christ in full obedience to the truth. But Paul begins the letter making it abundantly clear that none of what is to follow affects in any way the reality that they are secure in Christ as His. They are the sheep of His flock, not because of their faithfulness, but because of His, for God is faithful.

It is through God that the Corinthians were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. That Paul calls Jesus our Lord again emphasizes that the Corinthians have a like faith with Paul. Jesus is not merely “my Lord,” but our Lord, a Lord shared by both Paul and the believers in Corinth. Paul calls himself “foremost” among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Even though Paul is sinful, Jesus is still Paul’s Lord, because Jesus fully accepts all who come to Him in faith (John 3:14-16). Similarly, the Corinthians have Jesus as Lord because they have believed in Jesus as Lord.

The Greek word “koinonia” is translated fellowship. It refers to a state of community and teamwork. “Koinonia” is translated “sharing” in 1 Corinthians 10:16 where taking communion is referred to as “sharing [“koinonia”] in the body of Christ.” It is translated “participation” in 2 Corinthians 8:4 and “contribution” in 2 Corinthians 9:13, which both speak of financial donations being made to help fellow believers in need.

1 John 1:3, 6-7 indicates that fellowship is conditional. Believers in Jesus can walk in fellowship with Jesus because we are accepted into a relationship with Him as His children through the redemption of His blood. We are called into fellowship, but whether we walk in fellowship depends upon our choices. As 1 John indicates, we have fellowship with God through walking in the light and following in His commands (1 John 1:3-4, 7-9).

That the Corinthians were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord indicates that it is God’s desire that they live in harmony rather than in dissension. They have divisions, which breaks fellowship. Believers are called into fellowship with His Son, and part of living in fellowship with Christ is to live in fellowship with one another. Our relationship with Christ as His child is secure because of God’s promise. But our fellowship with Him and with others depends on our obedience. Paul sets up this distinction early in this letter to make it clear that he is speaking to sheep and encouraging them how to walk in the path that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).

Wrapping up, a summary of this section follows:

   -Paul declares he is an apostle of Jesus Christ (v.1)

   -He refers to the church as the church of God, not belonging to him or the people of Corinth, but to Jesus (v. 2)

   -He writes to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, making clear he is speaking to those who have already believed in Christ as their savior (v. 2)

   -He, along with the Corinthian believers and Christ followers everywhere call on the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ (v. 2)

   -The greeting is not so much from him, but Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 3)

   -The grace they experience was given you in Christ Jesus (v. 4)

   -in everything you (Corinthian believers) were enriched in Him (Jesus Christ) (v. 5)

   -the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you (v. 6)

   -We are to be awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 7)

   -It is Christ who will come and until He does, He will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 8)

   -It is through Him and by Him that you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (v. 9).

To walk in fellowship with Christ is to seek to walk in fellowship with one another. And in order to do that, the Corinthians have some issues that need to be dealt with.

Facing the important issues in the Corinthian church, Paul knew that the only way forward was through, by, and in Christ Jesus. This template is just as appropriate for the church today. Rather than turning to the wisdom of this world when faced with issues or obstacles, believers have the opportunity to saturate ourselves with His wisdom, grace, love, and peace. Through the Holy Spirit we can walk in the obedience of faith and have fellowship with Him. When we do, we can spread fellowship to others. This is the path for our joy to be full (1 John 1:3).

By reasserting the full name Jesus Christ, our Lord (v. 9), Paul merges the identity of Jesus the Messiah (or Christ) (the promised deliverer for Israel, fulfilling prophecies dated centuries before His birth) and Lord (the exalted Ruler over all creation, enthroned after His resurrection). Thus, the Corinthians are reminded that the fellowship they are called to is not with a mere religious teacher but with the sovereign King of kings—a relationship anchored in the eternal faithfulness of God.