It is vitally important that the seeker of Biblical Truth understand the first chapter of the Apostle Paul’s first epistle to the church at Corinth which addresses several important issues which we will explore in this teaching.

The first issue addressed by the apostle involves the fact that not everyone in the Institutional Church is a true child of God. Jesus tells us that only a FEW in His church (sheepfold) are His true saints; the MANY, He laments, are not. He warned us that this tragedy would become more pronounced in the latter days of this age (Matthew 7:13,14; 22:14 and 24:4,5). We are living in the end times that the Prophet Daniel wrote about. Later, through Paul, the Lord warned us who are watching Christ’s prophecies unfold before our eyes. The religious masses failed to heed His warning in the past. Their descendants are following in their religious footsteps, only moving into apostasy much faster. As Christ warns, the Tribulation Period awaits those who refuse to obey His Holy Scriptures. Read Who Are God’s People? and “My People Who Are Called by My Name. Key words–People and Called respectively. Also read The Great Tribulation. Key word–Tribulation.

In verse 2 of his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul distinguishes between the church as a single entity and those in the church who are “SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST JESUS (spiritually set aside/separated from all others). The Apostle Peter makes this distinction by describing God’s true saints as “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people” who have been “called out of darkness and into His marvellous light.” Note that God has only one light (lighthouse–church). His Scriptural light manifested in His true saints provides the spiritual glow that reflects God and Christ. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus tells us to let our light (righteousness–“good works”–obedience) shine like a city set on a hill so that those who live in the surrounding darkness will see our light which enlightens those in THE HOUSE”–God’s church (Mat. 7:24-27). Note that THE (singular, Scriptural) light illuminates THE HOUSE (CHURCH OF GOD” (vs 2)–not to be confused with the denomination which calls itself by that name.

Which brings us to the next subject Paul address in his letter–denominations–which are actually religious cults which follow their founders’ INTERPRETATIONS of the Words of God’s true messengers–His “holy men of old who spoke (and wrote) as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). I recently heard a famous pastor tell his local and t.v. audience that the only way to get to heaven Is to “… obey church doctrine.” And Satan smiled.

God’s Holy Scriptures provide the only doctrine (LIGHT) God’s people need. It was on the writings (light) of the prophets and apostles that the New Testament Church was built (Eph. 2:20). All other doctrines come from the heart of Satan-controlled man. A list of some of those “truths” are listed on the home page of this website. There is ONE CHURCH AND ONE DOCTRINE. Everything else is an abomination unto the Lord. Contrary to universal church opinion, GOD DOES NOT NEED MAN’S HELP IN FORMULATING SPIRITUAL TRUTH. Over the past 2000 years religious man has rejected that Biblical fact and has created hundreds of so-called “churches,” each with its own version of God’s Truths which Paul condemns in chapter 1 beginning with verse 10 of the focal chapter.

Here he address those in the church who are his spiritual brethren–those “sanctified” (vs 2) saints who “fellowship with Jesus Christ” (vs 9). In today’s church world, those people make up only a tiny part of “the church.” The Apostle Peter reminds both segments of professing Christendom that judgment is ongoing in the church, and that ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS (therein) WILL BE SAVED” (1 Pet. 4:17,18). The writings of the apostles reveal that control of the church’s beliefs and customs became an issue early on in her existence. One of the problems the apostles had to deal with was what would later be the creation of “DENOMINATIONS.” Such Satan-inspired divisions resulted when men created church truths designed to please people and not God. As Paul points out, THERE IS ONE AND ONLY ONE CHURCH OF WHICH JESUS IS THE ONE AND ONLY HEAD. Therefore, if there is more than one church, there has to be more than one church Head. And in that Jesus had only one Father/God, church denominations necessitate there being more than one Jesus and more than one God, each with his own agenda, truths, etc.

Over the centuries, the multi-bodied, multi-headed, multi-goded, multi-truthed monster known today as “the church” came to dominate the whole of professing Christianity, with one exception–the Lord’s tiny Law-keeping church whose Head is the real Jesus Christ and whose God is His Father. Paul, fearing what was coming, warns in verse 17 that the self-inflicted denominational curse under which the modern church exists would be guilty of replacing God’s Holy Truths with their own “wisdom of words,’ and in so doing, would “make the cross of Christ of no effect.” Church history has proven him right. Read The Message of the Cross. Key word–Cross.

The final, and most important, subject found in the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church involves the title of this series. The salvation seeker must determine if Jesus is his/her Lord or Savior and conduct his/her life accordingly. The subject involves the part Jesus plays in church life today. One must ask him/herself: Is Jesus my Lord or my Savior at this time? That is the ultimate question.

The honest seeker of Bible Truth will notice that, in this chapter alone, Jesus is referred to as the believer’s LORD seven times (vss 2,3,7,8,9,10,31). Not one time is He identified as the believer’s Savior. Nowhere in the Holy Bible can I find a passage in which He is identified as our “Savior and Lord.” “Lord” always comes before “Savior.” This tells us that the Bible writers were led by the Holy Spirit to always identify Him as, first and foremost, the true believers LORD–THE MASTER WHO MUST BE OBEYED. There is a reason for clarifying that issue: UNLESS JESUS IS OUR LORD/MASTER NOW, HE WILL NOT BECOME OUR SAVIOR UPON HIS RETURN.

Verse 18 is used by the “saved in this life” members of the Institutional Church to “prove’ that they are right. The statement “us who are saved” does indeed appear to prove their point. As is the case in all Biblical studies, we must follow God’s study guide provided in Isaiah 28:9-13 in order to learn all that God has to say about any subject. Read that passage with care. Also, we are told time and again that we are not saved in this life, but have the “hope of salvation” (1 Thes. 5:8/ Titus 1:2). In Romans 8:24,25 Paul states that we are “saved by hope,” then asks those who believe themselves to be already saved, why they hope for what they already have? Instead, the believer patiently WAITS FOR SALVATION which Jesus will bring with Him upon His return to earth (1 Pet. 1:5), knowing that “we are nearer to salvation now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11). Read Hope and Salvation. Key word–Hope.

It was common for certain things to be referred to in more than one context in Biblical times. For example, in Matthew 1:20-25 we find the angel telling Joseph to take unto him “Mary, your WIFE.” This was before they were legally married. At that time they were only espoused (Mat 1:18/ Lk. 1:27;2:5/ 2 Cor. 11:2)–we use the word “engaged.”

Another word that is used in more than one way is found in John 4:42 where the woman calls Jesus “the Savior (present tense) of the world.” The world was not saved at that time, nor has it been saved since. In Acts 13:23 Paul says that God “raised up (past tense) for Israel a Savior.” Israel has not yet been saved. In First Timothy 4:10 Paul says that God “is (present tense) the Savior of all men.” All men have not been saved. In fact, no man has been saved. We are espoused to Christ during this life during which we must prove ourselves worthy of salvation (spiritual marriage to Him). IF we walk in holiness and righteousness until the end, THEN we will be saved (Rom. 5:21; 6:22/ Mat. 10:22). If we do not walk in obedience to the LORD during this life, He will not be our Savior during the next life. Read the parable of the ten virgins (Christians) in Matthew 25. Note that they were all called “virgins.” However, only five of them were allowed into the marriage feast upon the arrival of the Bridegroom. L.J.