Temple Baptist Church - 2-26-2025
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Introduction:
A. For the past two weeks, we have been looking at the history behind the carnality of the Corinthian Church: they were all babes in Christ who had no upbringing in the things of God but rather a polytheistic past. They knew nothing and did not even suspect anything!
B. They had several things going for them:
1. They had a common salvation (they had that right).
2. They now had the Holy Spirit dwelling within (they had that right).
3. They had dedicated men of God there “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,” (they had that right, as it is all important who you follow and listen to).
4. They had the Lord with them and for them (they had that right): “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world!”
C. This carnal church was now open to the Word of God which would prepare them for the changes that are recorded in the 2nd Corinthian epistle:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
D. God did not save these Corinthians and leave them in the same sinful condition that He found them in. God saved them “from” their sinfulness with the intended result being more Christ-like, which is a work in progress.
E. Before the first reproof or rebuke, we find the Apostle Paul giving assurance of salvation and the help of God for sanctification and service.
F. There are two things mentioned in verse three that would be essential to acceptance of such change: grace and peace. These two things would not come through the Apostle Paul as they are things that can only come from God.
“from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ … I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.”
G. I learned long ago that I cannot change people because changing people is not my work.
1. My work is to give them the tools necessary to change and encourage them to do so. My work is to preach the whole counsel of God by rightly dividing the Word of Truth and feeding sheep.
Acts 20:26-28 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. (27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. (28) Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
2. There is an old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink!” In the 16 chapters of 1 Corinthians, Paul gave them what God said and loved them before they got things right with God, not with Paul.
H. I want to tie these two things together: grace and peace, as you cannot have one without the other in spiritual growth. By the way, we must give people time to grow! Too many preachers and pastors take the ministry personally. That is why so many just give up and move on and moving on becomes the patter that defines their ministries.
1. Grace and peace in Salvation. Salvation is through a grace that brings about a wonderful peace. I look back on my life and see that the grace of God that saved me NEVER scared me. It brought about a peace that passeth all understanding. The songwriter said, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart.”
a. Graceful change brings about that wonderful peace. The grace of salvation is a gentle thing. I never feared what would be next for me but there was an anticipation there. I learned long ago that God will never place more on you than you can bear. Paul would later teach this principle to the Corinthians when they were able to understand it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
b. Graceful change did not save me one moment, and then say sell all that you have and leave everyone you have ever loved and known to go to a place you have never been to do a thing that you have never been equipped for!
c. Salvation’s grace and changes were gentle and subtle. When we read the 1 Corinthian epistle, we think that the changes were “BANG BANG BANG!” They were not. They were one thing at a time as God said, “Give me this.” We gave Him that and then He said, “Now give me this!”
d. “Babes” cry and often make a mess but, given time and training, they grow up. The Corinthian church chose to grow up!
2. Grace and peace in Sanctification.
a. Biblical sanctification always follows biblical salvation. We that are saved are now not what we were, but neither are we what we shall be. One day, we shall be like Him for we shall see him as He is!
b. Biblical sanctification is a spiritual growth process, and takes desire to accomplish it. As we hear-learn-and obey the Word of God, we exercise ourselves rather unto godliness,
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
c. Biblical sanctification is a measured growth. Step by step, a little at a time we begin to change from glory to glory as God allows us to taste the salt and see the light. We begin to love the savor of the salt and the illumination of the light, which measure the growth that we need for the service to come.
d. From face to face, from image to image, a never-ending task! God is still working on your pastor as He is working on you. Paul spoke of the war with his flesh when he said, “I die daily!” Then the great text in Romans, chapter 7:
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Romans 7:14-25 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (16) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. (17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (21) I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
3. Grace and peace in Service. Many areas of service need to be performed. My calling is not yours and your calling is not mine. God called me to serve as a pastor. God called you to serve as a Christian.
Luke 9:23-24 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (24) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
a. Not all are called to leave father and mother, brother and sisters, our family, houses and land for the Gospel’s sake but He called me and Barbara for that cause. God does not give to all such a command and, therefore, such a grace.
Luke 18:28-30 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. (29) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, (30) Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
b. God calls every one of us in service of some kind though. We have the world all around us and, as we go our ways, we are the only “bible” that many will read as they see our good works and glorify our Father.
c. God needs not only goers, but He also needs stayers! The work of the ministry of a local church is manifold. We need people to teach Sunday School classes, to work with the young people, to visit our sick and shut-ins. To visit the hospitals and write beautiful caring cards to those who are hurting. God needs faithful people who encourage one another in these discouraging times in which we live. GOD NEEDS YOU!
d. God needs people to be examples and mentors to the babes and weak among us. I have met so many people since I was saved but a few sticks out to me. People that showed me through their actions and lives what a Christian is. Faithfulness to God is a rare commodity in these last days.
Conclusion: Before any of these changes can be wrought, the grace and peace of God are the foundations upon which they will be built and built to last!
