How does 1 Corinthians 1:2 connect with other scriptures about holiness? 1 Corinthians 1:2—A Launchpad for Understanding Holiness “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.” (1 Corinthians 1:2) Paul packs three phrases with rich truth: • “sanctified in Christ Jesus” • “called to be saints” • “together with all those everywhere” Each idea echoes—and is echoed by—other Scriptures on holiness. Let’s follow those threads. Sanctified in Christ—Our Position • 1 Corinthians 6:11 – “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” – Past-tense, accomplished fact: believers are already set apart. • Hebrews 10:10 – “By that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” – Holiness begins at the cross, not our effort. • Ephesians 1:4 – “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence.” – God’s eternal plan was always a holy people, secured in Christ. Called to Be Saints—Our Practice • 1 Peter 1:15-16 – “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” – Ongoing obedience flows from God’s character. • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 – “For this is the will of God, your sanctification… For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.” – Holiness is God’s stated will and our daily calling. • Hebrews 12:14 – “Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” – Pursuit language: believers actively chase the holiness already granted. • Romans 12:1 – “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” – Worship and holiness are inseparable. • 2 Corinthians 7:1 – “Let us cleanse ourselves… perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” – Practical cleansing follows positional cleansing. Together with All Those Everywhere—Holiness in Community • Ephesians 4:4-6 – “There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” – Holiness isn’t an individual project; it’s shared in the worldwide church. • John 17:17-23 – Jesus prays, “Sanctify them in the truth… that they may all be one.” – Unity and holiness grow side by side. • Acts 9:32 – “Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.” – Early believers everywhere were identified as “saints,” reflecting 1 Corinthians 1:2’s global vision. Rooted in God’s Character, Fueled by His Spirit • Leviticus 11:44 – “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, because I am holy.” – Holiness standards originate in God Himself. • 2 Timothy 1:9 – “He has saved us and called us to a holy calling—not because of our works but by His own purpose and grace.” – Grace both saves and summons. • Galatians 5:16-25 – Walk by the Spirit; the fruit looks like practical holiness. – The Spirit makes our calling possible day by day. Why It Matters—Blameless Until He Comes • 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely… He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” – God finishes what He starts. • 1 Corinthians 1:7-8 – Just a few verses after 1:2, Paul assures us Christ “will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Holiness now prepares us for glory later. 1 Corinthians 1:2, then, is both announcement and invitation: in Christ we are already sanctified, yet every day we’re called to live out that holiness—together with believers everywhere—until the Lord presents us blameless before His throne. |
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