by Brandy Vizmanos-Garcia
2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
5For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge; ~ I Corinthians 1:2-5
Amid the challenges we may face daily, Christians have much to be thankful for. We know a loving God who earnestly seeks a personal relationship with us. His unconditional love is endless and without limits. He created us in His image and has designed us for a specific purpose. He never gives up on us, even when we may stray from what He has prepared for us to do. His love does not falter, and He does not leave us. I Corinthians beautifully illustrates God’s grace for His children when they no longer live out His will and why Christians should not cease being thankful.
I Corinthians is a letter from the apostle Paul to the “Church of God in Corinth.” The letter can be universally applied to all Christians everywhere. It was written after Paul spent approximately one and a half years establishing a church in Corinth. He writes the letter because he has heard that the young church is plagued by problems hindering it from living out what it believes. In Paul’s opening words to the people in Corinth, I am reminded of the Lord’s agape love for us and His amazing capacity to continually extend grace to believers even when they are not walking in the truth. I Corinthians 1:2-5 sets the tone of Paul’s letter as he admonishes the church out of love. Despite their struggle with sin, he reaffirms their identity in Christ, their belonging to a community of believers saved by the grace of God, who have been provided with spiritual gifts to live out a Christ-purposed life with a promise of peace, knowing that God will never leave nor forsake them.
Paul’s letter begins with a blessing to Corinth and all believers from “God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ,” reminding us that we are unified through the grace of Christ. As His saints, we belong to Jesus and have been sanctified and set apart from everyone else for a particular purpose. Knowing that the church in Corinth is struggling to live out its commitment to Christ amidst unbelievers, Paul reminds them that they are holy people who are undeserving. Yet, because of His love for them, the Lord has blessed them with everything they have, including a peace that the world can never obtain without the complete acceptance of Jesus. Believers owe everything they have and are to Jesus, and He deserves nothing less than our praise and adoration.
Paul expresses gratitude for the church in Corinth and emphasizes that they are united in the Christian faith through “the grace of God that was given.” Paul is grateful for God’s grace for the Corinthians and knows it will be through God’s provision that the Corinthians can live the Christian life according to their status in Christ. While his letter condemns the church’s behavior, Paul also makes it understood that neither Paul nor God will give up on them. He recognizes their permanent relationship with Christ and calls them to seek God’s wisdom instead of what the world offers. Paul instructs them to pattern their lives after him and sends Timothy to disciple them. Like the Corinthians, we can be grateful that God has provided us with the Body of Christ, where we may fellowship with those whose lives are centered around Jesus and provide us with the support and encouragement we need to fulfill the purpose He has for our lives.
Paul encourages the Corinthians by revealing how, through Christ, they “have been enriched in every way.” Their connection with Christ has blessed them in all aspects of life, particularly their ability to communicate effectively and understand profound truths. Like all of God’s gifts, the Corinthians were to use them to proclaim the gospel’s truth and glorify the Lord. Christians today can rejoice in knowing that God is actively at work in our lives, providing us with unique abilities and insights. This allows us to serve together, building the church to advance the Kingdom of God. The fruits of our ministries reflect the abundance of Christ’s love and let His light shine through us. Knowing God uses us to bring others to Him is a humbling blessing.
Giving thanks should not be reserved for a day on a calendar. Our devotion to the Father calls us to live our lives with the spirit of thanksgiving. This brings us closer to Him as we reflect on His goodness. Salvation through his Son Jesus is the most extraordinary gift for which we should be thankful. Jesus lived a sinless life, died a horrific death, and rose from the grave to allow anyone who believes in Him and accepts Him as their Lord and Savior to spend eternity in heaven with Him. I am grateful for His redemptive love, and I will thank Him for my salvation and all the blessings that come with knowing Him all the days of my life. I implore you to practice thankfulness daily. Doing so will allow you to appreciate God’s faithfulness and enjoy a more meaningful relationship with your Heavenly Father and others.
*Foundational insight provided by Jim Jacobson’s May 10, 2015, sermon on I Corinthians 1:1-17 (00:10:00 – 00:23:00).
