GRACE GIVEN TO AN UNDESERVING CHURCH

1Cor 1:4

Morning Meditation 6/25/17

It is hard to say anything good to a church that is as far gone as the Church at Corinth. But Paul did say it here: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;”

This church is divided over church leaders (chapter 1). It is operating after the flesh and must be instructed (chapter 2). Paul has to remind them of the judgment seat of Christ and the danger of suffering loss there because of building out of perishable materials (chapter 3). He has to deal with them over their wrong attitude toward him and the ministry (chapter 4). He has to deal with tolerated sin in the church (chapter 5). They are going to law with one another and this has to be rebuked (chapter 6). To say the least, this church was in a mess. Surely Paul will tell them that they need to be more deserving of God’s blessings.

Paul says “I thank my God” (eucharisteo) meaning “to be grateful to feel thankful.” This is a present active indicative verb. I continue to give thanks, to feel thankful to my God always on your behalf...” He is also telling them in this statement that he prays for them and his prayer is a prayer of thanksgiving not accusation. Now I’m not sure I would have dealt with it that way. Have you ever found yourself in prayer to God for a brother who is wrong and discovered that your prayer was one of accusation? I find myself telling God on him! Just in case He didn’t know! “O God, this man has such potential. You need to straighten him out so you can use him.” Now I am telling God what He needs to do! I am amazed at times how much I know about what God needs to do.

Paul says he thanks his God “always” (pantote) meaning “at all times, always, ever.” I discovered that he word “always” is not in italics. It is in the Testus Receptus. Now Paul, you are setting a hard example for me to follow. I can follow you better if you’ll leave this good stuff out and tell them off. I’m good at that! So, please Paul, take that word “always” out. I can say a little prayer every once in a while for a person who is so wrong. But to do it always, that is going a little too far. I’ve just got to admit that I have not been doing that.

Paul says, “I thank my God always on your behalf.” Paul says “My God.” The word “my” (mou) means “mine, my own.” Paul says the God of which I speak is my own God. I own Him as mine. There is only one way Paul could say such a thing. He had to have a relationship with that God. He is not just God. He is my God. The words “on your behalf” mean “concerning you.” Well, when I consider that Jesus came “not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” it sheds a little different light on what Paul is saying here. They sure qualify as sinners! It is not the righteous who qualify for grace. It is sinners. So, Corinth really qualified. Oops, and me too.

The next words of Paul are “for the grace of God.” Grace is God’s unmerited favor. If you put a particle of merit in it, you destroy its definition. Paul deals with this in Galatians chapter 1 and verses 6 and 7: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” The Churches of Galatia were being invaded with a doctrine that had been a true doctrine for the Jew under the law, i.e.., the doctrine of circumcision. They were being told that it is not just faith alone in the gospel (the death, burial and resurrection) but circumcision that saved. In other words to be saved you had to be circumcised along with faith in Christ. Paul says, “...but here be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” This word “pervert” is a strong word. It means “to turn around.” In other words to add circumcision to the definition of the gospel is to turn it around. It is not facing the same direction! The seriousness of this is seen in the words “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” That instruction tells me we are dealing with a fatal error. People who add baptism to the definition of the gospel do the same thing in our day as those who taught circumcision in the Churches of Galatia.

Grace is God’s unmerited favor as a means of salvation. It is also that by which God deals with us after we are saved. Paul believed that and as a result he could pray for saved sinners sincerely without having bad feelings toward those for whom he was praying. He was free to instruct those who were wrong and still be one with them in the grace of God.

The words “which is given you” means that it is not something Paul wants for them, it is something that they have. The verb form “is given” (didomi) means “to give something to someone.” It is an aorist passive participle. The aorist tense is a point of time divorsed from time and perpetuated forever. It is a passive voice which means that the Corinthian Christians had received this grace totally apart from merit from a source completely outside themselves. Now lets look at what he is saying. The grace which is given you was given at a point of time in the past, that point of time along with what you received at that point of time, is divorsed from time and is perpetuated forever. It sounds like grace is a permanent gift doesn’t it. If it is a permanent gift then the things the Christians were doing in Corinth did not threaten the grace they received through no merit of their own at that point of time in the past when they were saved.

This is the reason Paul could say, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.”

The words “by Jesus Christ” tell us through Whom this grace comes. It does not come by law. It does not come by works. It comes through the person of Christ. Christ is the one Source of grace. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Now when I think of this grace in relation to me, I bow before God and offer my thanksgiving. I know I do not deserve this grace. I know there is enough wrong with me right now for Him to withdraw His grace, i.e., His salvation. However, I know from His word He won’t do it.. So I live with my imperfections (that I hate) and continue to go before His thrown of grace to find help in time of need (Heb 4:16).

When I see others who are so wrong, I can now pray for them as friends, even brothers and sisters in Christ, realizing if it were not for the grace of God, He would wipe us all out with one stroke of His holy hand.

Paul says, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;”

One more thing. Paul is not using psychology here preparing them for the punch. He is looking at them the way God looks at them. It is a grace mode of operation.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Earl White