I Corinthians 1:26-31
What’s the difference between a tuna, a piano, and glue? You
can tune a piano, but you can’t piano a tuna. What about the
glue? I knew you’d get stuck on that.
Today we are going to read the conclusion of I Corinthians 1.
Paul continues his discussion about their division and gives them
a few things to remember.
I Corinthians 1:26-31
Corinth was known for its boasting
People would boast about their worldly wisdom,
People would boast about their power,
People would boast about their family name or social status.
As Paul finishes his thoughts on the division that has occurred, he
prompts them to:
Remember their Calling
Paul reminds the Corinthians that their call is from God alone.
They didn’t go seeking after God, He chose them.
And God didn’t choose those who deserved it.
In fact, the Bible tells us that there is none righteous and that we
have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.
Listen to how Paul described the calling in his second letter to
Timothy.
2 Timothy 1:9 including the last word of v.8 God “who saved
us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works
but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us
in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”
Remember the Context
Paul is writing to them about the division among them. They are
taking sides and acting as if some are superior to others. They
were proud because of who they followed, Paul, Apollos, Cephas.
Remember their Previous Status
Most of them had none.
Not many of them were wise or powerful; not many came from
noble families.
Later on in this same letter Paul reminds believers what they were
like before.
I Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that the
unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves,
nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will
inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But
you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our
God.”
You were washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God
It’s only because of the completed work of Christ on the cross that
we can be cleansed from our sin, forgiven and made right in the
eyes of God.
The Miracle of Grace
God chose the foolish in the world to shame the wise
God chose the weak in the world to shame the strong
God chose the low and despised in the world even things that are
not, to bring to nothing things that are,
He did this so that they would have nothing but God to boast
about. God wanted them to see that it was all because of His
grace that they had been saved, it had nothing to do with who
they were or what they had done or how much they knew.
Those in the church at Corinth had nothing to be proud about …
to boast about. They were all just common, everyday sinners.
I like the fable about the two geese that were about to begin their
annual fall migration south when a frog entreated them to take
him with them. The geese said they would be willing to do so if he
could devise a means of conveyance. So the frog produced a
long stalk of grass and got each goose to take an end in his
mouth while he grasped the middle with his mouth. The geese
took flight and the frog held on as they began their long journey
south. They made great progress on the trip when they were
noticed by some men below. The men loudly expressed their
admiration at such ingenuity and asked who had been clever
enough to come up with this plan. The proud frog opened his
mouth to say , “ I did” and fell to his death. The moral of the fable
is simple: When you have a good thing going, keep your mouth
shut!
We have nothing in or of ourselves to boast about.
Remember their Position in Christ
Those who trust in Jesus are “In Christ”
God shows His wisdom by giving us:
Righteousness
Righteousness is about our standing with God. When He saves
us he justifies us making us righteous before God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who
knew no sin, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God.”
Sanctification
Sanctified means set apart, we are to be holy as God is holy. God
sets us apart. We are to live differently than the world.
John 17:19 “And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they
also may be sanctified in truth.”
Redemption
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we have been set free
from the bondage of sin. He has paid the price for our sin and will
one day come back for His children.
Romans 3:24 “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
I Corinthians 6:20 “for you were bought with a price. So
glorify God in your body.”
APPLICATION
Because of what God has done through Christ, we have only one
option…
Boast in the Lord
Paul has proven that believers have nothing to boast about in
themselves. If anyone should desire to boast, it should be about
Christ.
Christ has done all the work.
He humbled Himself and went to the cross in our place.
On the 3rd day God raised Him from the dead.
He has reconciled us to the Father.
It was always God’s plan.
And it’s all because of His grace and love towards us.