How does 1 Corinthians 1:2 define the concept of being "called to be saints"? Text of 1 Corinthians 1:2 “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.” Immediate Context: Greeting That Frames Identity Paul’s salutation is not polite filler; it establishes every major theme that follows. By naming his readers “sanctified in Christ Jesus” and “called to be saints,” he anchors the messy Corinthian congregation in a divine reality that supersedes their failures (chs. 3–6) and fuels every exhortation that follows (chs. 11–15). Old Testament Backdrop: A Holy People for Yahweh Ex 19:6 “you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” foreshadows the New-Covenant community. The Hebrew קָדוֹשׁ (qādôš) is carried into the Septuagint as ἅγιος, the term Paul employs. Temple vessels (Exodus 30:29), the Sabbath (Genesis 2:3), and Israel herself (Leviticus 11:44) were “holy” because God set them apart; likewise believers are “holy” because of God’s call in Christ. Divine Calling: From Universal Invitation to Effectual Summons Scripture distinguishes: • Universal proclamation—“Many are called” (Matthew 22:14). • Effectual summons—“those whom He predestined He also called” (Romans 8:30). 1 Cor 1:2 falls into the latter category. The perfect participle plus passive voice indicates a completed action by God with lasting results, echoed in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son … is faithful.” Positional and Progressive Sanctification Paul can call immature believers “saints” (positional sanctification) while commanding them to pursue holiness (progressive sanctification, 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 7:1). Their status before God is settled; their growth in godliness must now catch up to that reality. Corporate and Universal Scope The addressees are “the church of God in Corinth” yet simultaneously linked “with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Sainthood transcends geography, ethnicity, and era, forming one worldwide, resurrection-anchored community (Ephesians 2:19–22). Christ-Centered Basis of the Call They are “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” The passive voice points to His atoning death and historical resurrection as the decisive grounds of holiness (Hebrews 10:10,14). The empty tomb, attested by hostile witnesses and early creedal tradition (1 Corinthians 15:3–8), guarantees that the God who calls believers also raises them (1 Thessalonians 4:14). The Holy Spirit’s Role Sanctification is Trinitarian. God the Father calls (1 Thessalonians 2:12), the Son provides the merit (Hebrews 2:11), and the Spirit applies holiness (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). This harmonizes with Jesus’ promise of the Spirit as helper (John 14:17) and evidences present-day transformation consistent with documented regeneration testimonies across cultures. Ethical Implications: Living Worthy of the Call Being “called to be saints” mandates: • Moral purity—flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). • Unity—no divisions (1 Corinthians 1:10). • Service—exercise gifts for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). Holiness is neither private mysticism nor monastic withdrawal; it is Spirit-empowered obedience within community. Assurance and Perseverance Because the call originates with the “faithful” God (1 Corinthians 1:9), it undergirds security (John 10:28). Yet the same call exhorts perseverance (Hebrews 3:1,14). Saints persevere not to earn sainthood but because they possess it. Eschatological Horizon The title “saints” anticipates final glorification: “that He may establish your hearts as blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 3:13). Present holiness previews future consummation (Revelation 19:8). Practical Takeaways • Identity precedes behavior: remember you are already God’s holy one. • Holiness is communal: engage the local assembly. • Holiness is missional: the world sees the resurrected Christ through sanctified lives (John 17:23). Conclusion 1 Corinthians 1:2 defines “called to be saints” as God’s irrevocable, effectual summons that confers a holy status in Christ, binds believers into a global body, and obligates them to live out that holiness until the day of Jesus’ return. |
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