CALLED TO BE SAINTS

1

Called to Be Saints (1:1–3)

Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 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 upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1:1–3)

Rather than placing their names at the end of a letter, as is the modern custom, ancient Greeks put their names at the beginning, allowing readers to immediately identify the author. In a joint letter, the names of the others involved in sending the message were also given. Paul always gave his name at the beginning of his letters and frequently named other church leaders who, in some degree or other, joined him in writing. In 1 Corinthians he mentions Sosthenes, and in 2 Corinthians, Timothy (2 Cor. 1:1; cf. Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; Philem. 1).

Next was given the name of the addressee, the person or persons to whom the letter was sent, which for the present letter was the church of God which is at Corinth. Then words of greeting or blessing were often given, as in v. 3. Paul used such a threefold salutation in all of his New Testament letters.

Paul also generally referred to himself as an apostle, not for the purpose of identity—that is to distinguish himself from other Pauls in the church or simply to inform his readers of his office—but to indicate at the very beginning that he was writing first of all as an emissary of the Lord. His apostleship established his authority. Even in his letters to Timothy, his close associate and “true child in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2), Paul calls attention to his apostleship (1 Tim. 1:1; 2 Tim. 1:1). Only in Philippians, the Thessalonian letters, and Philemon does he not mention his apostleship in his opening words.

His description of himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God was not a reflection of pride or self-glory. He was not flaunting his position of authority, as some speakers and writers often do with their titles, degrees, and accomplishments. Self-glory was the furthest thing from Paul’s intent. Later in this same epistle he refers to himself as “the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (15:9).

Sometimes, however, it is important to establish one’s right to speak authoritatively on a subject. A person, for instance, who has no medical degree or training or experience would never get a hearing at a conference on medicine. A person’s credentials give some indication as to whether or not what he has to say should be taken seriously. Paul did not mention his apostleship in order to gain honor as an individual but to gain respect as a teacher of God’s Word. He was not an apostle by his own appointment, or even by the church’s appointment, but by God’s appointment—by the will of God. At the outset he wanted to establish that what he had to say was said with God’s own authority. Since his message was so corrective, this was of great necessity.

Five Reasons for Paul’s Asserting His Apostleship

I believe there are perhaps five reasons why Paul, unlike the other apostolic writers, was so careful to assert his apostleship in his letters. First of all, he was not a part of the twelve. He had not been called by Jesus during His earthly ministry to be one of the inner circle of disciples who accompanied Him “beginning with the baptism of John, until the day that He was taken up from us” (Acts 1:22). Of that original group, one (Judas) was disqualified and was later replaced by Matthias (Acts 1:21–26)—who, though identified by casting lots, was chosen by God (v. 24). With the selection of Matthias the apostolic ranks were again complete. Beginning at Pentecost the apostles were clearly the authoritative voice of the gospel. When Peter gave his message at that time, he did so “taking his stand with the eleven” (Acts 2:14; cf. v. 37), and the infant church in Jerusalem devoted itself to “the apostles’ teaching” (v. 42). The apostles were the Lord’s supreme earthly representatives, and they preached and taught with His authority. With Christ as the “corner stone,” the apostles were the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20).

As far as we know, however, Paul never saw or heard Jesus during that time. Paul was first known to the church as a bitter enemy and persecutor, “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1; cf. 8:1). He not only had not chosen to be a follower of Christ but had chosen to oppose Christ’s followers with all his might. Even after his conversion there was no way he could retroactively become one of the twelve. Yet he declared himself to be an apostle, based on the same foundational qualifications as those of the twelve. He, too, had seen the resurrected Christ (Acts 9:3–6, 17; 22:11–15; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8) and he, too, in unique revelations, had been specifically chosen by the Lord to be an apostle (1 Cor. 1:1). He was concerned to establish the fact that he was equal to the twelve as a foundational teacher of revealed truth.

Second, I believe that he emphasized his apostleship because of his dealings with detractors and false teachers, by whom he was continually being challenged and harassed. The Judaizers were particularly strong and persistent in opposing Paul’s authority and doctrine and in questioning his motives. Even some who claimed to be his friends resisted his leadership and questioned his teaching. Such ridicule and persecution Paul considered to be badges of apostleship. “For,” he said, “I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men” (4:9). In spite of denials, Paul’s teaching was true and reliable, for he was a divinely-called apostle of Jesus Christ.

Third, Paul emphasized his apostleship because of his relationship to Christ. This emphasis was for the benefit of fellow believers. The Christians in Jerusalem, especially, had not been sure about the genuineness of Paul’s faith. Having known him, or known of him, as Saul of Tarsus, the fierce persecutor of the church, they had difficulty believing that he could now be a reliable Christian leader, much less an apostle (Acts 9:26). Their fears were, of course, also fed by the accusations and detractions of the false teachers. It was not hard to believe the worst about him. Christians in other places also had misgivings. Legalistic Judaizers, for example, had confused many Christians in Galatia both about the gospel (Gal. 1:6; 3:1–5) and about Paul’s authority in teaching it (1:11–2:10). He therefore carefully reminded the Corinthian church of his full apostolic authority in writing this letter to them, pointing out that, when he had ministered among them, he did so in God’s power and wisdom (1 Cor. 2:1–7).

Fourth, Paul emphasized his apostleship to point up his special relationship to the church in Corinth itself, which was “a seal of[his] apostleship in the Lord” (9:2). They, of all people, should recognize his special calling and position. Their very existence as a body of believers was a proof of his right to address them with divine authority. He had been the instrument God used to bring them to salvation.

Fifth, Paul emphasized his apostleship in order to show his special relationship to God as His emissary. He was an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. He was saying, in effect, “What I say to you is delegated by God. I am His apostle, and my message to you is God’s message to you.”

When the Jewish supreme court, the Sanhedrin, was asked to arbitrate a serious dispute or to give an interpretation regarding Jewish law or tradition, they would send their decision by an apostolos to the parties involved, who were often represented through a synagogue. As far as the message was concerned, the apostolos possessed the full authority of the Sanhedrin. He did not speak for himself, but for the Sanhedrin. Yet he was more than a messenger. He was an emissary, an envoy, an ambassador. Paul was God’s envoy, God’s ambassador (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:20), God’s apostolos. While among them he had not preached his own message to the Corinthians, but God’s message. He was not now writing his own message to them, but God’s message.

In light of the twelve, in light of false teachers, and in light of his relationship to Christ, to the Corinthian church, and to God the Father, Paul was fully an apostle. He was careful to establish the legitimacy of his apostleship in order to establish the legitimacy of his message.

The Purposes and Responsibilities of the Apostles

Apostles were chosen by God to work in the founding and forming of the church, after which time apostleship ceased. When all the apostles had died, the office of apostle no longer existed. They were selected, sent, and empowered by God for that period in the history of the church, which was over when their lives were over. As the human founders and foundation of the church, the apostles had particular purposes and responsibilities.

First, as eyewitnesses, they were to preach the gospel—the true, complete, and authoritative gospel of Christ’s substitutionary atonement by His death and resurrection and of salvation by faith in Him (1 Cor. 1:17–18; cf. 9:14). Their teaching was equivalent to Christ’s teaching. As will be developed in a later chapter, there is no distinction, as some interpreters maintain, between what Paul (or Peter or James or John) teaches in the New Testament and what God teaches. Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 7:12 (“I say, not the Lord”), for example, simply indicates that Jesus, during His earthly ministry, gave no specific teaching on the subject being discussed (that of a believer’s remaining with an unbelieving spouse). As an apostle, Paul was qualified to teach in behalf of Christ, and his teaching was as authoritative as if spoken from Jesus’ own lips.

The apostles also were to be devoted to prayer and to ministering the word (Acts 6:4) and to equipping believers for service in order to build up Christ’s Body (Eph. 4:11–12). Finally, they were to evidence their apostleship by performing miracles (2 Cor. 12:12).

Sosthenes our brother may have been Paul’s amanuensis, or secretary, at the time this letter was written. The fact that his name is included in the greeting, however, indicates that he not only penned the letter but fully agreed with Paul about its message.

This is no doubt the same Sosthenes mentioned in Acts 18, one who knew the Corinthian situation well. He had been a leader of the synagogue at Corinth, probably replacing Crispus, the former leader who had become a believer (Acts 18:8). On one occasion Sosthenes was beaten for his involvement in bringing Paul before the civil court at Corinth (Acts 18:12–17). Some ancient manuscripts of the text report that the Jews beat him and other manuscripts report that the Greeks beat him. If by the Jews, it no doubt was because he represented them so poorly at court. If by the Greeks, it was because they resented his taking up their court time with a matter that concerned only Jewish religion.

Now, however, Paul could refer to Sosthenes as “our brother,” indicating that some time after the incident just mentioned—and perhaps partly because of it—this former opponent of the gospel, like Paul himself, had become a Christian. Having likely been converted under Paul’s preaching and having worked with the apostle for perhaps a year or more in Corinth, Sosthenes was known and respected by the Corinthian believers whom he now joined Paul in writing.

Sainthood

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 upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. (1:2)

The church to whom Paul was writing was not the church of the Corinthians but the church of God which was located at Corinth. The church is a body of people who belong not to themselves or to any leader or group but to God. Believers, whether pastors, officers, or ordinary members in the church, together compose Christ’s earthly Body and all are called to be stewards of it (Eph. 4:11–13). We are not our own, individually or collectively, but have all been bought with the price of Christ’s blood (1 Cor. 6:20).

position and practice

All believers have been sanctified in Christ Jesus and are saints by calling. A saint, as the term is used in the New Testament, is not a specially pious or self-sacrificing Christian who has been canonized by an ecclesiastical council. The Greek word translated saint is hagios, meaning “set apart one,” or “holy one.” The Corinthian believers were holy in God’s sight, regardless of their sinful living and distorted doctrine. They were saints because they had been sanctified (from hagiazō), set apart from sin, made holy in Christ Jesus. According to Scripture, every true believer in Jesus Christ—whether faithful or unfaithful, well known or unknown, leader or follower—is a set apart person, a holy person, a saint. In the biblical sense, the most obscure believer today is just as much a saint as the apostle Paul. This is the believer’s position in Christ.

Holiness, in that positional sense, is not a matter of good works, of holy living. As Christians we should live holy lives, but holy living does not make us holy. To the extent our living is holy, it is because, in Christ, we already are holy and have the counsel and power of His Holy Spirit. We are holy because the Sanctifier (the One who makes holy) has already sanctified us in response to our trust in Him (Heb. 2:11). Christ’s work, not our own, makes us holy. We are “saints by calling.” That refers to the efficacious call of God to salvation (1:24, 26).

Like all believers, the Corinthians were saints because God called them to be saints (cf. Gal. 1:6; Eph. 4:1, 4; Col. 3:15; 1 Tim. 6:12; 1 Pet. 2:9, 21; 3:9; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 1). “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10; cf. v. 14). By His own sacrificial work on the cross, Jesus Christ sanctifies those who believe in Him. He sets them apart (the root meaning of hagiazō) for Himself, cleanses them, and perfects them. God provides holiness through His Son. Man’s part is to claim holiness, to claim sainthood, by faith in the Son (Acts 26:18). We have a new nature, the divine nature, and have escaped the corruptions of the world, possessing all things related to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3–4).

Paul’s declaring all the Corinthian believers to be saints was quite a declaration in light of the things—very evident from the rest of this letter—that characterized their living. The Corinthian church was far from being saintly in the sense in which the term is often used. They were particularly worldly and immoral, yet in his opening words Paul stressed that every one of them who had truly believed in Jesus Christ was saved and was a saint. Not only are all saints saved, but all the saved are saints. Every believer has the right to call himself a saint. None of us is worthy of the title, but God has declared us to be saints because of our trust in His Son. Our practice, our behavior in our humanness, needs to be conformed to our “saintly” new divine nature.

Paul seems to have been especially determined to make that truth clear to the Corinthians. Virtually the entire letter of 1 Corinthians, beginning with 1:10, deals with wrong doctrine and wrong behavior. It seems that nearly every serious doctrinal and moral error imaginable could be found within that congregation. Yet Paul begins the letter by calling them saints. In practice they were gross sinners, but in position they were pure saints. We should note that there were, no doubt, some in the church who were not saints at all, who were unbelievers (16:22).

It is important for every Christian to keep in mind the great difference between his position and his practice, his standing and his state. God sees us as righteous, because He sees us through His righteous Son, who has taken our place, and because He has planted in us a righteous new nature. Without keeping this important and encouraging truth in mind, it is impossible to clearly understand 1 Corinthians or any other part of the New Testament.

Presidents do not always act presidentially, diplomats do not always act diplomatically, kings do not always act kingly—but they are still presidents, diplomats, and kings. Christians do not always act like Christians, but they are still Christians.

Some years ago a young boy, whose father was a pastor, was put in jail for stealing some merchandise from a department store. His father happened to be playing golf with some of the church leaders at the time and received a call while on the golf course to come down to the jail to get his son. Thinking it was a mistake, the pastor took the other men with him to the police station, where embarrassment abounded. The deepest impression of the incident left on the boy’s mind was made by the repeated reminders he received from those men, and from many others afterward, about who his father was. “Having a father like yours,” they would ask, “how could you have done what you did?” Yet as humiliating and painful as the experience was, the boy knew he was still his father’s son. He had not acted like a son of his father should have acted, but he was still a son.

As Christians one of the strongest rebukes we can have when we sin is to be reminded of who our Father is. And reminding ourselves of whose we are should be one of our strongest deterrents to sin. Remembering our position can compel us to improve our practice.

Further, Paul increased the Corinthians’ sense of responsibility by reminding them that they were linked in spiritual life to all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. This is added to heighten their sense of identity and responsibility with all “who have received a faith of the same kind as ours” (2 Pet. 1:1).

Before Paul took the Corinthians to task for their failures as Christians, he carefully and lovingly reminded them that they were Christians. They belonged to God and to each other in a far-reaching fellowship. That in itself should have been a rebuke to them and no doubt pierced the consciences of those who were at all spiritually sensitive. In 1:2–9 he summarizes their position and their blessings as believers in Jesus Christ, as children of God, as saints. “Look at what you are! Look at what you have!” Only then does he say, “Now I exhort you, brethren” (1:10).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1:3)

Paul used a common form of Christian greeting (cf. Rom. 1:7; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:2; 2 John 3; Rev. 1:4; etc.). Grace is favor, and peace is one of its fruits. Peace (Greek eirēnē) was used as the equivalent of the Hebrew shālôm, still the most common Jewish greeting today. The peace of which Paul speaks here is “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension” (Phil. 4:7). It is the peace that only Christians can have, for only Christ can give it (John 14:27). The world does not have and cannot give that kind of peace. The greeting “grace and peace” is appropriate only for believer to believer, because it speaks of blessings that only they possess.

1 WE ARE SAINTS

2 WE ARE PICKED TO FOLLOW JESUS BY HIM

Relationships are Important

1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

² To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

—1 Corinthians 1:1–3

Paul begins this letter, which will eventually have in it some very stern criticism, with a reminder of the relationships which he and its recipients share. This is how he begins nine of the letters usually attributed to him in the New Testament. Actually, he was following the custom of first-century letter writing, which was to give the name of the writer, the name of those receiving the letter, and a greeting.

Here, though, Paul gives a distinctly Christian character to his introduction. The ordinary salutation of the day was “grace and peace.” But Paul gave a whole different dimension to it by adding “from God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” His expansion of a phrase that ordinarily meant little more than “hello” became a reminder to them of God’s unmerited favor (grace) and of the wholeness and unity (peace) God brings into our lives through His Son.

Paul felt that it was important for his readers to remember the common relationship that they shared in God’s call. He used the word “called” in relationship to himself and to them. He was called “to be an apostle of Jesus Christ” and they were called “to be saints.” The mention of his apostleship was an affirmation of the authority which God had given him, and it was particularly significant in view of the fact that there were those in Corinth who questioned his authority. It is equally interesting to note that when he wrote to churches where his authority was not questioned, he identified himself merely as “Paul” (Phil. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; Philem. 1:1). On the other hand, whenever his authority had been questioned he referred to himself as an apostle (Rom. 1:1; Gal. 1:1; Col. 1:1). Paul was a wise communicator, and he always kept in mind those to whom he was writing when he introduced himself.

It is important, though, to understand that Paul did not use the term “apostle” lightly, for it defined his whole ministry. Paul understood clearly the call that was his because he knew that an apostle was a person sent by God for a specific purpose. The whole idea of apostleship is found in the statement of Jesus, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). And the “specific purpose” for which God called Paul was first revealed through Ananias. Paul’s mission was to take the gospel of salvation to “Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15–16). His task was not to set up programs or build structures but to carry a message of love and healing. Those of us in the church today who are called to be apostles to a hurting world would do well to model ourselves after Paul, for he knew that the need of the world was not as much for programs as for persons.

In verse 2 Paul tells his readers that the same God who called him to be an apostle had called them to be a different kind of people. This is really what the phrase “sanctified in Christ Jesus” means. The Greek verb form for “sanctified” means to set apart for God; as a noun, the word describes a thing or a person that has been devoted to the possession or service of God.

The root idea is that of separation. The Christian is to be different—separated—because he or she belongs to God. Paul goes on to stress the fact that his readers, the Corinthian church members, were “called to be saints” (v. 2), even as he was “called to be an apostle” (v. 1). He means that we are invited into the Christian life by God’s invitation and not by some human initiative.

For Paul, “called” was a dynamic word. He recalls when God called him to preach the gospel (Acts 1:1–19). And he remembers when God called many of the people to whom he was writing to salvation, not just as individual Christians but as the “church of God.” For even as Israel was the congregation of God in the Old Testament days, so the church was God’s congregation in the New Testament time. Paul wanted the members of this small congregation in Corinth to be reminded that they were a part of that larger purpose of God for mankind. Thus in an ordinary greeting Paul has reminded them of the relationship they have to each other and to God in such a way that it will be easier for them to hear his message to them.

It is important for us to remember that in all matters of communications relationships are very important. When I was a professor in a theological seminary, one of my graduating students had just been called to his first church, and he invited me to have lunch with him to celebrate the occasion.

While we ate, I kept him talking by asking him to tell me everything he knew about the church, the community, the leadership, the opportunities, and about the specifics of his move from the campus to his new church location. We also talked in general terms about preaching and pastoral care because his experience in both of these areas was limited. Then when we got onto the subject of the leadership role he would play with the congregation, he surprised me with a suggestion that had been given to him by one of his classmates.

“I’ve been told,” he said, “that if I want to make changes at the church, I’d better do it when I first get there because after I’ve been there awhile people will be less likely to follow my leadership.”

At first I was shocked by the idea, but then I realized that in a nation where the average pastor serves his church less than three years, this would be an expected philosophy. However, I don’t agree with this idea at all. It seems to imply that the more a pastor and the congregation get to know each other the less they can accomplish. Actually, the opposite is true, for it is the sharing of the common experiences of life and in working together through both good and bad times that relationships are built and a larger potential for leadership is created. After more than a decade of working with my congregation in Houston, I had a much better feel for where they were in their understanding and interest, what their real needs were, and how best to communicate with them effectively. The new broom may sweep cleaner but the old broom has the potential for sweeping more wisely¹

Notice it is “unto the church of God which is at Corinth.” It is called the church of God because He is the One who is the Architect of the church. The letter is directed to the “sanctified in Christ Jesus.”

The church is at Corinth, but it is in Christ Jesus. The address of the church is not important, but the person of Christ is all–important. What does it mean to be a Christian? It means to be in Christ! Whether you are at Corinth or at Los Angeles, at Ephesus or at New York City is incidental. The important question is: Are you in Christ Jesus?

Paul calls them “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” The term sanctification is used in several different ways, as we have already seen in Romans. Here it is positional sanctification, which is the position we have in Christ. When sanctification is joined to God the Father or God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is generally positional. When sanctification is connected with the Holy Spirit, then that is practical sanctification. We will learn in verse 30 that Christ has been made unto us sanctification—along with wisdom and righteousness and redemption. He is our sanctification.

You see, friend, you are not going to heaven until you are perfect—I am not either. And I am not perfect, not even near it. The fact of the matter is that if you knew me like I know myself, you wouldn’t listen to me. But wait a minute! Don’t tune me out because, if I knew you like you know yourself, I wouldn’t speak to you. So let’s just stay connected here, if you don’t mind.

Sanctification is a position we have in Christ. If you have trusted Him, He has been made over to you your sanctification. You are as saved right now as you will be a million years from now because you are saved in Christ. You cannot add anything to that.

There is also a practical sanctification, which is something that varies. These Corinthians don’t sound like sanctified saints. The work of the Holy Spirit was not very much in evidence in their lives. But they were positionally sanctified in Christ Jesus.

They were “called to be saints”—again, note that “to be” is in italics, which means it is not in the original. Just as Paul was a called apostle, they were called saints. We are also called saints. We do not become saints by what we do; we become saints because of our position in Christ. The word saint actually means “set aside to God.” Every Christian should be set aside to God. For example, the pans and vessels that were used in the tabernacle and later in the temple were called holy vessels. Holy? Yes, because they were for the use of God. On what basis is a child of God a saint or holy? On the basis that he is for the use of God. This is the position that we have. I repeat again, one is not a saint on the basis of what one does. All of mankind is divided between the “saints” and the “ain’ts.” If you “ain’t” in Christ, then you are an “ain’t.” If you are in Christ, then you are a “saint.”

The Corinthians are called saints together “with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” Possibly it would be more correct to say, “with all that in every place, both theirs and ours, who call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” This also indicates that the teaching of this epistle is addressed to the church at large, which is composed of all who call upon the Lord Jesus, whether it be in Corinth or elsewhere.

Now Paul uses his usual introduction: “grace and peace.”²

Set apart by God (vv. 1–3). The word church in the Greek language means “a called-out people.” Each church has two addresses: a geographic address (“at Corinth”) and a spiritual address (“in Christ Jesus”). The church is made up of saints, that is, people who have been “sanctified” or “set apart” by God. A saint is not a dead person who has been honored by men because of his or her holy life. No, Paul wrote to living saints, people who, through faith in Jesus Christ, had been set apart for God’s special enjoyment and use.

In other words, every true believer is a saint because every true believer has been set apart by God and for God.

A Christian photographer friend told me about a lovely wedding that he “covered.” The bride and groom came out of the church, heading for the limousine, when the bride suddenly left her husband and ran to a car parked across the street! The motor was running and a man was at the wheel, and off they drove, leaving the bridegroom speechless. The driver of the “get-away car” turned out to be an old boyfriend of the bride, a man who had boasted that “he could get her anytime he wanted her.” Needless to say, the husband had the marriage annulled.

When a man and woman pledge their love to each other, they are set apart for each other; and any other relationship outside of marriage is sinful. Just so, the Christian belongs completely to Jesus Christ; he is set apart for Him and Him alone. But he is also a part of a worldwide fellowship, the church, “all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:2). A defiled and unfaithful believer not only sins against the Lord, but he also sins against his fellow Christians.³

1:2 sanctified … called to be saints. The word “saints” (lit. “holy ones”) calls attention to the distinctive status of God’s people as those set apart by God for Himself. Paul often uses it to identify the Christians to whom he writes (e.g., Rom. 1:7). The description “sanctified” underlines this reality of the Christian life. The Corinthians were plagued by ethical problems and this letter touches repeatedly on the subject of holiness. Significantly, however, Paul encourages them here in a pastoral way by reminding them that by God’s grace they have already made a definitive break with sin and now serve the Lord Jesus Christ (6:11). The goal of progressive holiness is realistic because God has already changed their hearts (Rom. 6:1–14; Gal. 5:24, 25).⁴

1 Chafin, K. L., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1985). 1, 2 Corinthians (Vol. 30, pp. 22–25). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

2 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 Corinthians) (electronic ed., Vol. 44, pp. 14–15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 568). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

4 Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2016). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.