The Truth comes to Corinth

Paul Affirms the Church in Corinth

1 Corinthians 1:4-9 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in everything ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 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. KJV

Paul tells them how often he keeps them in his thoughts being concerned for them and such so as it drives him to his knees in prayer. Paul’s heart is filled with gratefulness and gratitude to God the Father for reaching down to these individual people in Corinth and plucking them out of the sewer of sin and giving them grace (unmerited favor; Divine influence upon the heart) in our Lord Jesus Christ making them now members of His Mystical Body. Paul was so thankful to the Father on their behalf that he wants to make it known to them at the very beginning of his letter. Paul declares his thankfulness to God the Father, through God the Son, and by the Power of God the Holy Spirit that these Corinthian believers were “enriched” and this English word is translated from the Greek word ploutizo which means to make wealthy or to make rich or enrich with spiritual riches. Paul spent over a year with these believers and saw the transformation wrought by God the Holy Spirit in these people’s lives. Paul wanted them to hear from him (even after this long absence from their physical presence) how he recalls the great and mighty work our Lord Jesus Christ did in them when they were regenerated and born again. Paul says that our Lord Jesus made them spiritually rich in everything including giving them the ability to speak with diverse tongues or languages as well as giving them the ability to speak forth boldly and accurately the truth of God’s Holy Word. Our Lord Jesus granted them personal wisdom and power as they came into union or intimate fellowship with Him.

Paul witnessed many of their conversions to Christ (as being the human instrument our Lord used to proclaim the gospel to them) and how they initially being ignorant of the knowledge of the True God were born again to a living hope and made alive from their deadness in sin and granted the power to know God and to understand Him and His Word. Paul says to them that the “testimony” of Christ was “confirmed” in them or among them. The English word “testimony” used here is translated form the Greek word marturion which means something evidential, that is, evidence given, a witness. Paul affirms to these believers that he witnessed or saw the evidence that Christ had taken up residence “in them” individually and “among them” collectively as the Lord Jesus added to the Church those who were being saved from their sins. The English word “confirmed” Paul uses here is translated from the Greek word bebaioo which means to stabilitate giving a person the strength to stand or endure; to establish; to make firm; to make sure. Paul has first in his greeting to them reminded them of who they now are in Christ “called to be saints” and sanctified or made holy or set apart in Christ for holy and pure purposes and now he further bolsters this truth by telling them how they are strengthened in Christ, established in Christ, and made sure in Christ.

Paul then tells them how our Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit has collectively made them spiritually rich by heaping on them many spiritual gifts. Paul says of them that they “come behind” in no gift to any of the other Churches in Christ. The English phrase “come behind” is translated from the Greek word hustereo which means to be inferior, fall short of, to suffer need, or to be deficient in. Paul affirms to them that our Lord Jesus has abundantly blessed them individually and collectively in spiritual gifts and they are lacking in want or behind any other believers in the gifts of the Spirit in their midst. Paul declares to them that it is our Lord Jesus Christ who will “bebaioo” them to the end or the conclusion of all things in this temporal earthly life we must live down here until we are face to face with our Lord Jesus Christ in Glory forever. Paul declares to them that it is our Lord Jesus who will keep them faultless, blameless, and un-accused when they come before His Throne they will be spotless before Him. All of this Paul declares to them and affirms it by the Faithfulness of God through Christ Jesus our Lord who will do it. Paul wants these men, women, boys, and girls to know that they are affirmed not because of any “spiritual gifts” they have received i.e. speaking in tongues or prophesying or miracles or anything, but they are affirmed because of the Gift Giver our Lord Jesus Christ who will never leave them or forsake them and will keep them their entire earthly life safe in His Hands and then for all eternity in Heaven with Him.

“If we would live a true life, we must draw on Jesus Christ. Our riches are in Him, awaiting our claiming and use. The unsearchable riches of Christ are at our disposal, but we must appropriate and use them. Let us begin to live as God’s heirs. Utterance and knowledge are ours through the Holy Spirit. We have looked into ourselves for them. That is the mistake! We must look up and reach down. God has called us into partnership with His Son. We share His sorrows, sufferings, and labors for a world’s conversion; He bids us share in His grace.” F. B. Meyer

To be kept by the power of Christ from the power of our own corruption and satan’s temptation, that we may appear without blame in the great day! O glorious expectation, especially when the faithfulness of God comes in to support our hopes! He who hath called us into the fellowship of his Son is faithful, and will do it, 1 Thessalonians 5:24. He who hath brought us into near and dear relation to Christ, into sweet and intimate communion with Christ, is faithful; He may be trusted with our dearest concerns. Those that come at His call shall never be disappointed in their hopes in Him. If we approve ourselves faithful to God, we shall never find Him unfaithful to us. He will not suffer His faithfulness to fail, Psalms 89:33.

“Paul gives these Corinthian believers so much assurance, affirmation, and authority with their new lives in Christ that should have made every person who found themselves drifting back into their old lifestyles weep salty tears of godly sorrow that led to true repentance just from his greeting alone.” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…