Is there a difference between those in the church who are sanctified and those who are not?  Who decides which is which?  What is the significance of sanctification?  Can the sanctified be identified?  These questions will be answered in this posting for which we will use the first eight verses of the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth as our focal passage. Because they build upon each other we will approach them in order.  In keeping with God’s rules for Bible study our examination will be undertaken “precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”  One will not that He repeats the formula word (Isa. 28:9-13).  Now let us begin our study of this very important segment of God’s Truth.

In verse one the Apostle Paul notes that he was identified by those who knew him as an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ because he preached and lived the same GOSPEL that Jesus Himself revealed to him (Eph. 1:11,12).  He also noted that it was GOD’S WILL that he (Paul) preach to and live before the people His GOSPEL in order for them to emulate him in word, thought and actions.  The same is true of all of God’s true apostles.  True apostles study God’s Word as written by His prophets and apostles of old (2 Tim. 2:15) and follow their spirit-inspired Words in both letter and spirit. Those who claim to be doing so but do not are false prophets who have not been called by the Lord.  Or if they have been called, have chosen the wrong door and path (Mat. 7:13,14).  They have chosen to enter the wide (come as you are,) door to Satan’s church system and to walk his broad (stay as you are) path (Mat. 7:13,14).  I remind the readers of this reference often because false messengers outnumber true messengers tens of thousands to one.

In verse two Paul makes a statement that is universally misunderstood because of a lack of “fine print” information.  He addresses his letter to the church at Corinth, which makes it appear that he is addressing the entire body.  But then he narrows down the scope of the missive to THEM within the congregation who are “SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST JESUS.”  These are the true SAINTS (holy ones) within the Corinthian Church.  After identifying THEM as being SANCTIFIED (set aside for holy use), Paul notes that SAINTS are IN CHRIST JESUS.  These are those who keep themselves pure through “the washing of the water by the word” (Eph. 5:26).  Recall that Christ’s pre-human name was “THE WORD” (Jn. 1:1-4,14).  If ingested on a regular basis and obeyed, God’s water (Word) removes all darkness from the mind of the saint as a continuous flow of water keeps a glass clean.  Continuous study of God’s Holy Scriptures is necessary for us as it was for Jesus.  Because He continually returned to God’s Word it is written: “in Him (Christ) there is no darkness at all” (1 Jn. 1:5).

The word THEM in verse two identifies the SANCTIFIED SAINTS as those who have made Jesus Christ their LORD (absolute ruler).  His Lordship over one’s life is necessary in order to remain IN HIM and SANCTIFIED.  The Apostle Peter speaks to this Truth (1 Pet. 4:17,18) where he highlights the difference between the church in general and THEM–His true saints who WILL BE SAVED upon Christ’s return.  These are they who, because they continually judged themselves by comparing their walk (life) to God’s Word, will not need to be judged later on (1 Cor. 11:31).  This group is comprised of those God calls His “peculiar people,” His “nation of priests,” His “holy nation,” His “royal priesthood,” His “chosen generation who have been “called out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9,10)

In verses three and four Paul proclaims GRACE and PEACE on “YOU” (“THEM”-vs 2) from God and Jesus Christ OUR LORD.  Paul notes that Jesus is his Lord also, meaning that he (Paul) is SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST from Whom he received his Truth through revelation (Eph. 3:3).  For this reason the Lord used Paul to write most of the New Testament.  Because he received his Gospel directly from Christ Himself, those whom God can “teach wisdom” (Isa. 28:9-13) do whatever Paul commands us to do in his epistles.  Paul, the dispenser of wisdom, has much to say in his “fine print.”  Let us always be attentive to his words.

In verses five and six Paul makes it clear that, because they have listened to his sermons and are reading his epistle, they (“them”-vs s) are in fact hearing and reading “THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST (Christ’s testimony concerning the will of the Father) which was CONFIRMED (ESTABLISHED–MANIFESTED) IN YOU” through his (Paul’s) ministry.  In Matthew 24:14 Jesus tells His apostles: “THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a WITNESS to all nations, and then the end will come.”  THIS GOSPEL is the TESTIMONY– the WITNESS–preached by Jesus Christ which the apostles were to take to all nations.  Much of that Gospel was written by Paul.  THAT GOSPEL is being preached today via the world-wide information media.  Next: the end of the age.

In verses seven and eight Paul tells us why we must study, learn, believe and obey what he and the other apostles have written and God has preserved for us “upon whom the ends of the world have come” (1 Cor. 10:11)–the end-time church on earth today.  Peter told the people on the Day of Pentecost that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the 120 saints in the upper room was God announcing that “the last days” of this world had begun (Acts 2:16-31).  Many of the signs he mentioned will take place during the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord which are ahead of us.

Paul preached and wrote to the saints “so that you come behind in no gift (of the Holy Spirit) while awaiting the return of the Lord Jesus Christ Who will confirm (firmly establish) YOU (SANCTIFIED SAINTS) BLAMELESS (GUILTLESS) ON “THE DAY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.”  Concerning the GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (vs 7), read First Corinthians 12:1-14.  In that we are told that we are known by the FRUIT we produce, let us review the “fruit of the Spirit” we are to produce as recorded in Galatians 5:22,23.  They are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.  May such fruit be seen in all of us so that, when people see us, they see God’s Word made flesh.  L.J.