For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise, according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. (27) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; (28) and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, (29) that nonflesh should glory in His presence.  (30) But of Him you are in Jesus Christ, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – (31) that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 

The letter to the CORINTHIANS was written by the Apostle Paul. The Christians at Corinth were status seekers and into cults of personalities;  judging by the power and status of men and of the worldly.  Paul is telling his audience to not judge by earthly standards but to be aware that God’s choice is upside down wisdom to the foolishness of man. The  powerful and proud are no better than the poor and weak – and prideful man has a more difficult time in accepting Gods wisdom.  God puts aside conventional wisdom so that glory may come to Him and not man.

We live in a secular world and pride is the root problem; we think not too little of ourselves but too much. Salvation is Christ centered, not man centered. The gospel is the standard for right living and the basis for all human relationships – it removes conflict between man and God and between man and man.  Paul is telling the Christians at Corinth to consider their calling and to go back to their spiritual roots. He reminds them that they were not called because of their worldly status.  Wealth and position can be a hindrance when too much wanted in this world.

So there are two radically different views of the gospel in ancient Corinth; to the unbelievers the gospel is foolish and weak but to the Christian it is the power and wisdom of God to salvation.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and thatnthere be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  (11) For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.  (12) Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” (13) Is Christ divided?  was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?   (17) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 

The letter to the CORINTHIANS was written by the Apostle Paul.  Today we study Paul’s call to them for Christian unity.  Paul points out the ways unity has broken down and how divisions contradict the gospel.  Verse 10 sets the standard for unity and the following verses are specific as to deviations from the gospel.   Paul is not asking Christians to agree on ALL things but to be unified in fundamental areas of Christian doctrine.  In Corinth there were divided opinions of certain leaders leading to jealousy and quarrels While In unity Christians will mend relationships and build up spiritual growth – if we still act as children we can easily be deceived.

The focis on personalities in Corinth led to the exclusion of others.  And the focus on personalities was a follower problem, not a leadership problem – it sounds like an unholy devotion to those who are only men.  Loyalties and allegiance to men leads to arrogance and separation – to the sin of PRIDE.  Excluiveness and boasting comes when each group thinks of themselves as being of Christ – and the others following a different leader as NOT being of Christ.

Is salvation divided?  Is salvation the work of man or is it the work of Christ.  These groups were man centered – salvation is Christ centered  and Christ alone. Paul corrects the acrimonious discussion of non essentials and instead requires absolutely unity in essential doctrine   The divisions we study today were distractions from the gospel and were serious considerations.  Today we have strife in the church, home and work place that can only be set aside by the gospel which strikes at the heart of interpersonal conflicts.  I hear over and over: “why can’t we all get along”.  The answer to this question is illustrated in Paul’s message to the Christians at Corinth.

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. 

The first letter to the CORINTHIANS was written by the apostle Paul. This was an occasional letter – written in response to disturbing news of the state of the church Paul had founded in Corinth. Paul begins this letter by establishing his credentials as an apostle by THE WILL OF GOD.  He is establishing his authority and by extension the authority and truth of the gospel he preached.  In verse one  Paul also established his brotherhood in Christ with Sosthenes who was the former ruler of the Jewish synagogue in Corinth – a man much respected in that community  -to further underline his credentials

In Corinth some had doubts of the fundamental truth of the resurrection of Christ Jesus and there was apparently scandal in the lives of the Corinth Christians as well as in their worship.  Paul writes to those called to be saints through the blessings of God.  What he is telling them is that sanctification means separation from this world.  The Christians are reborn through faith in the resurrected Christ – and that belief guides behavior.  By Christ the Spirit is given to the called; not by man’s works but by the grace of God.  Holiness is the unmistakable characteristic of Christians and the church in Corinth was forgetting this.

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles – (2) if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the  grace of God which was given to me for you, (3) how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, (4) by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), (5) which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his apostles and prophets; (6) that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ, through the gospel 

The letter to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul – and written by him while in a Roman prison because of his preaching the gospel to Gentiles.  Paul had founded the church in Ephesus and when he moved on others (Judaizers) arrived in that city; these false teachers also claimed revelation from God and were using Paul’s imprisonment to undermine his authority and his gospel – now Paul was answering them in this letter.  Paul brings up his imprisonment in chapter 2 to dispel slander. He didn’t want the Ephesians to turn from the gospel he preached  or to be discouraged.

The mystery Paul writes of here is utterly new and unexpected; that the Jews and the Gentiles are to be co-heirs to the promises of God. This unity was prophesied in the Old Testament and also addressed by Jesus but has now been revealed with additional clarity – the Gentiles are now equal to the Jews in the sight of God and are to form one body – the condition was that this MUST be accomplished by the gospel. The Jews misinterpreted Old Testament promises of salvation. They thought salvation was the automatic possessions of all Jews. They also believed that only Gentiles who became Jews would be saved – the equal status announced by Paul of Jew and Gentiles was not received well by most Jews

Salvation is by faith through Christ  – Jews were not able to be justified by the Law but only by grace and as this was so, certainly Gentile believers were not under the Law either.

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons.  (6) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” (7) Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.  

The letter to the Galatians was written by the Apostle Paul. He founded the church in Galatia and when he moved on the Judaizers (false teachers) moved in to alter the gospel Paul preached. They preached that faith in Christ was necessary for salvation BUT faith alone was inadequate and the Law was also necessary. Paul then wrote this letter to defend his gospel of salvation by faith alone in Christ Jesus.  Christ alone was without sin. The purpose of the Law was to make sin painfully obvious – the Law defined sin. It was never meant by God to be permanent and was set aside by Christ’s completed work – thus distinctions ceased between Jews and Gentiles.

Paul in chapter 3 of GALATIANS established the superiority of grace over the Law and then used the analogy of becoming sons of God through Christ compared to Roman law and their system of becoming heirs; an heir in Roman law cannot achieve his inheritance unless he was of age – he may be an heir but without inheritance he is like a slave. Under the Law of Moses a man trusting in their good works for salvation but salvation is of the Lord. Christ came and saved men from sin.

Fiddler on the Roof just closed on Broadway – the opening number in this great show was the song “Tradition” – the exploration of the Law and tradition was the theme of the Musical. Through faith we are born again and free from tradition.  We are to learn from the past and unlike the urging of the Judaizers we are told not to relive it. Legalism simplified life and can appear very attractive but it is through faith that we are becoming children of God. The gospel paul preached is simple and profound but not easy. Salvation through faith in Jesus is all there and it’s all true.