Sustaining and Presenting

I Cor. 1:1-17

Paul's greeting to the church at Corinth includes even me. He said, to the church in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours. How wonderful! All believers are sanctified in Jesus. It is only through Him and His imputed righteousness that we have any standing at all. Because of this, no man may claim credit in his salvation. God's grace through Jesus Christ has saved and sanctified us. I especially like to the saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In every place, such unity Christ brings! We are one with all the saints because we call upon the same Lord and the same name, Jesus. 

Paul goes on to attest to the fact that the testimony of Christ was confirmed in them. There was evidence of their salvation in the way they lived, thought, and felt. They were not lacking in spiritual gifts with which they could edify the body of believers as they waited for the revealing of Jesus Christ. That is the same for us! We are waiting for Jesus to return and while we wait His Holy Spirit does His work in us gifting us with our spiritual identity so that we may serve the body as well. While we wait Jesus will sustain us and present us guiltless in the day of His return. Guiltless! All because we are covered in the blood of Jesus and the righteousness that only He can provide. It is through Him that we are called into the fellowship of the Son, a fellowship that includes all believers and is the fellowship that we are united with all the saints.

After all these positive comments, Paul hits the negative; disunity. How could the body not be united since we all call upon the same Lord, since we all are waiting for the return of Jesus, since we are all gifted with our spiritual identity, since we all are sustained by Jesus, and since we all will be presented guiltless in the day of His return. Yet, they were not. They were claiming some kind of status because of who led them to Christ or who baptized them. How foolish! The vessel used is not to be worshiped. Only Christ is! Actions and thoughts like these empty the cross of its power. The gospel should be the only thing of importance. It is what unites believers, and it is what empowers the cross of Christ.

Father,

Give me a spirit of unity with believers worldwide. Help me always and only to call upon Your name. Thank You for sustaining me now and presenting me guiltless in that day. I long for Your return and praise You for all that You have done.

In Jesus name,

Amen