1 CORINTHIANS 1 AND 2

1 CORINTHIANS 1 AND 2

1 Corinthians 1:30-31; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

CAC God has set up His saints in Christ Jesus, not in themselves but in another Man, and all that God has given us is in Christ. The Corinthians were very small in it for they were babes in Christ and understood very little of what was theirs in Christ. All ministry is to make us acquainted with the great realities that are true in Christ. It regards the saints as the subject of God’s work and according to that their blessing is secured in Christ Jesus, the glorified Man at God’s right hand. The first thing on our side is that we “reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus”, Romans 6: 11. Most christians understand that they are blessed through Him, but it is so important to know that God has brought in a new ^[p. 12] Head and that all believers are transferred in the grace of God from Adam to Christ; we have to learn it. These four things (wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption) are all in Christ.

Ques How would these things apply to a man like the thief on the cross?

CAC The value of them was all applied through pure grace though he did not understand it. Very few believers do but it does not affect the fact that it is all complete on the divine side; it is the divinely given status of the saints of God. The thief could go to paradise, the very highest place, and be perfectly fit to be there. He had cast himself off: “we indeed justly”, and then, “this man has done nothing amiss”, Luke 23: 41. He could not understand it then, but when he comes out in his glorified body it will be manifest to the whole universe that he is in Christ. The only thing that I can boast in is what God has done. He caused the great work of atonement to be accomplished by His Son, He has blessed us in Him and put to our account all that He has secured in Christ. The great thought of wisdom is resource.

The work of Christ upon the cross has met the whole situation perfectly under the eye of God and it cannot be improved upon.

Ques Why did he not wish to know anything among them but “Jesus Christ, and him crucified”?

CAC He saw the danger of their thinking that christianity had come in to be attached to man after the flesh. He had shut out of his consciousness everything but Christ and Him crucified in his service at Corinth. He would not introduce any mere human element in his preaching. The apostles were intelligent speakers who adapted their words to those whom they were addressing. Peter said, “Give heed to my words”, Acts 2: 14. Stephen’s masterly outline was understood by himself ^[p. 13] intelligently, and he was a suitable vessel used of God. Every preacher ought to have exercise as to the people he is addressing; he must speak to his audience and meet the thoughts that are in their hearts in a spiritual way. So the preaching of the gospel should be right in its beginning. Paul had an object in view — that their “faith might not stand in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power”, and every exercised soul wants what is of God. Every true soul says: ‘Whether it makes a fool of me or everyone else, I want to move on that line’.