Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (4) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, (5) that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. The apostle founded the church in Corinth which was a metropolis of the ancient world; Corinth was not only the political capital of Greece but the seat of its commercial and intellectual life. Paul wrote to correct various disorders which had arisen there after his departure and to counter the false teachers who inevitably followed him. Paul begins his letter with the assurance of his divine commission, then the usual salutation followed by the general introduction of this epistle both commendatory and conciliatory in tone and intention. Paul gives precious assurance to those who are called according to God’s purpose. God is faithful and His eternal purpose will not be thwarted; His people shall be blameless in that coming day of Christ Jesus. That day is when Christ returns to call His own – the day we stand before the judgment seat. The faithful are kept by the power of God and stand in the atoning work of Christ Jesus.

All believers are set apart to God in Christ – justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and saved by unmerited grace. Paul is not talking saving Grace here as the sin question is already settled, but Grace to sustain us in the trials of the way; things that keep us anxious. Paul assures the Corinthians they have been given gifts of the Spirit equal with any other church. He cautions them to not become occupied with the gift and not the Giver; to never mix up natural talent with spiritual gifts. The fellowship of the Spirit is not a natural thing but is produced by the Spirit who does not dwell in unsaved people. The gifts of the Sporit are a foretaste and pledge of the fullness the faithful will receive at the Day of the Lord.

The faithful are called into holiness. They have been chosen by God which means dependence on God’s grace, not on man’s excellence. God alone sanctifies those who by nature were corrupt. Paul told the Corinthians what he thought of them and now is telling them what future hope he has of them. God has started a good work in them that will be completed. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ where the faithful in Christ will be found blameless. This is the end and purpose of our calling. This is the design of the gospel. The doctrine of election demands we trust God with our deepest fears and leave our sins – especially our darling sins – behind.