◄ 1 Corinthians 1:2 ►
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Study Bible
To the church of God in Corinth,

Corinth was a prosperous Roman city situated on a strategic trade route between northern and southern Greece. Its wealth, pagan temples, public immorality, and religious diversity made it a difficult setting for Christian faithfulness. Paul established the congregation during his second missionary journey and remained there for eighteen months, teaching the word of God (Acts 18:1–11). The believers belonged to God, not to Paul, Apollos, Peter, or any other human leader—a truth that directly confronts the divisions later troubling the church.

2Co 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,…
Act 18:1-11 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.…

to those sanctified in Christ Jesus

Through union with Christ, believers have been set apart from the dominion of sin and claimed for God’s service. Their standing before God rested on Christ’s redeeming work rather than their moral achievement. The Corinthians’ failures did not erase God’s claim upon them, but God’s grace also called them to become in practice what they were in Christ. Like Israel, whom God set apart as a holy nation (Exodus 19:6), the church was to bear His name in the midst of an unbelieving world.

1Co 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed,…
Heb 10:10 And by that will, we have been sanctified…
Heb 10:14 because by a single offering He has made perfect…

and called to be holy,

God’s call requires a life distinct from the corruption surrounding them. Holiness involves turning from sin, sexual immorality, idolatry, greed, and self-rule in order to live under God’s authority. The holy God who commanded Israel, “Be holy, for I am holy,” continues to form His people according to His character (Leviticus 11:44–45; 1 Peter 1:15–16).

Rom 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints…
1Th 4:7 For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
2Ti 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy calling…

together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The Corinthian congregation was not an isolated community but part of the one worldwide people of God. Calling on the Lord Jesus identifies those who trust Him for salvation and submit to Him in worship, fulfilling the promise that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21). Their shared faith joined believers across ethnic, social, and geographical boundaries.

Act 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord……
Rom 10:12-13 For there is no difference between Jew and Greek…
Act 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up…

their Lord and ours:

Jesus Christ rules every true church without rivalry or division. His lordship unites believers who differ in background, gifts, and location, and it exposes the sinfulness of party spirit. The church’s peace and faithfulness depend on recognizing that there is one Lord, one faith, and one body (Ephesians 4:4–6).

1Co 8:6 Yet for us there is but one God, the Father…
Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
Act 10:36 He has sent this message to the people of Israel,…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the letter, addressing the church in Corinth. Paul was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and epistles.

2. Church of God in Corinth
The recipients of the letter. Corinth was a major city in ancient Greece, known for its commerce and diverse population, but also for its moral challenges.

3. Christ Jesus
Central to the message, Jesus is the one in whom believers are sanctified and called to holiness.

4. Believers Everywhere
The letter is not only for the Corinthians but also for all believers who call on the name of Jesus, emphasizing the universal nature of the Christian faith.

5. Sanctification
The process of being made holy, set apart for God's purposes, which is a key theme in this verse.
Teaching Points
The Universal Church
The church is not confined to a single location or group but includes all who call on Jesus' name. This unity transcends geographical and cultural boundaries.

Sanctification in Christ
Believers are sanctified in Christ Jesus, meaning their holiness is not self-derived but comes through their relationship with Him. This calls for a life that reflects this sanctification.

The Call to Holiness
Christians are called to be holy, which involves a daily commitment to live according to God's standards, set apart from worldly influences.

Unity in Diversity
The verse emphasizes the shared Lordship of Jesus over all believers, fostering unity despite diverse backgrounds and locations.

Living Out Our Calling
The call to holiness is not passive; it requires active participation in God's work and a lifestyle that honors Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the cultural and moral context of Corinth help us relate to the challenges faced by the early church?

2. In what ways can we, as modern believers, live out our sanctification in Christ Jesus in our daily lives?

3. How does the concept of being "called to be holy" influence our interactions with both believers and non-believers?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to foster unity within the diverse body of Christ today?

5. How can we ensure that our identity as part of the universal church impacts our local church involvement and personal spiritual growth?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Romans 1:7
Paul similarly addresses the Roman believers as "called to be saints," highlighting the universal call to holiness for all Christians.

Ephesians 4:1
Paul urges believers to live a life worthy of their calling, which aligns with the call to holiness in 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Acts 18:1-11
Provides background on Paul's initial ministry in Corinth, where he established the church to which he is writing.

1 Peter 1:15-16
Peter echoes the call to holiness, reminding believers to be holy in all they do, as God is holy.
Sermons
Called to be SailorsJ.R. Thomson 1 Corinthians 1:2
Calling on the NameAlexander Maclaren1 Corinthians 1:2
What the Church Is, and What the Church Ought to beR. Tuck 1 Corinthians 1:2
Christian SalutationE. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
The SalutationH. Bremne 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
Divine BlessingsJ. Lyth, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Grace and PeaceC. Hodge, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
No Peace Without ChristJ. Pulsford.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Paul's Claim to ApostleshipR. Tuck 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Sosthenes a BrotherA. Scott.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
St. Paul and the ApostleshipC. Lipscomb 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Apostolic SalutationsDean Stanley.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Approach to RebukeE. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Authority of the Christian MinisterJ. Lyth, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Call of God IsJ. Lyth, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Church in CorinthM. Dods, D. D.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The Peace of the Christian1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The SalutationThe Study1 Corinthians 1:1-9
The SalutationF. W. Robertson, M. A.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Three Notes of the ChurchPrincipal Edwards.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Threefold SanctificationProf. Godet., C. H. Spurgeon.1 Corinthians 1:1-9
People
Apollos, Cephas, Chloe, Corinthians, Crispus, Gaius, Paul, Peter, Sosthenes, Stephanas
Places
Corinth
Topics
Assembly, Calling, Christ, Church, Consecrated, Corinth, Everywhere, Holy, Honour, Ours, Our's, Saints, Sanctified, Selection, Theirs, Their's, Women
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Corinthians 1:2

     1065   God, holiness of
     2369   Christ, responses to
     6214   participation, in Christ
     6745   sanctification, nature and basis
     7024   church, nature of
     7026   church, leadership
     7028   church, life of
     7155   saints
     8270   holiness, set apart
     8272   holiness, growth in

1 Corinthians 1:1-2

     1175   God, will of

1 Corinthians 1:1-3

     5328   greeting

1 Corinthians 1:2-3

     6704   peace, divine NT

Library
Father and Child
Eversley. 1861. 1 Cor. i. 4, 5, 7. "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. That in every thing ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge . . . So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." This text is a very important one. It ought to teach me how I should treat you. It …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity Treasure Christians have in the Gospel.
Text: 1 Corinthians 1, 4-9. 4 I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreprovable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom ye were called …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Second Day. God's Provision for Holiness.
To those that are made holy in Christ Jesus, called to be holy.'--1 Cor. i. 2. 'To all the holy ones in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. Salute every holy one in Christ Jesus.'[1]--Phil. i. 1, iv. 21. HOLY! IN CHRIST! In these two expressions we have perhaps the most wonderful words of all the Bible. HOLY! the word of unfathomable meaning, which the Seraphs utter with veiled faces. HOLY! the word in which all God's perfections centre, and of which His glory is but the streaming forth. …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Twenty-Second Day. In Christ Our Sanctification.
'Of God are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption; that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.'--1 Cor. i. 30, 31. These words lead us on now to the very centre of God's revelation of the way of holiness. We know the steps of the road leading hither. He is holy, and holiness is His. He makes holy by coming near. His presence is holiness. In Christ's life, the holiness that had only been revealed …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Perishing or Being Saved
For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.'--1 COR. i. 18. The starting-point of my remarks is the observation that a slight variation of rendering, which will be found in the Revised Version, brings out the true meaning of these words. Instead of reading 'them that perish' and 'us which are saved,' we ought to read 'them that are perishing,' and 'us which are being saved.' That is to say, the Apostle represents the …
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Corinthians. Calling on the Name
'All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.'--1 COR. i. 2. There are some difficulties, with which I need not trouble you, about both the translation and the connection of these words. One thing is quite clear, that in them the Apostle associates the church at Corinth with the whole mass of Christian believers in the world. The question may arise whether he does so in the sense that he addresses his letter both to the church at Corinth and to the whole …
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Wisdom of God in the Means Used to Propagate the Gospel.
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are." * * The two discourses on this text were originally one, and preached before Windham Association, at Thompson, October Session, 1798. Probably some of the ideas which they contain, may have been …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

Christ Crucified
Wisdom had had its time, and time enough; it had done its all, and that was little enough; it had made the world worse than it was before it stepped upon it, and "now," says God, "Foolishness shall overcome wisdom; now ignorance, as ye call it, shall sweep away science; now, humble, child-like faith shall crumble to the dust all the colossal systems your hands have piled." He calls his armies. Christ puts his trumpet to his mouth, and up come the warriors, clad in fishermen's garb, with the brogue …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

The Fourfold Treasure
To-night we have before us a text which is extraordinarily comprehensive, and contains infinitely more of meaning than mind shall grasp, or tongue shall utter at this hour. Considering it carefully, let us observe, first, that the apostle here attributes the fact that we are in Christ Jesus to the Lord alone. He shows that there is a connection between our very being as Christians, and the love and grace of God in Christ. "Of him" (that is of God) "are ye in Christ Jesus." So we will first speak …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Christ --The Power and Wisdom of God
Now, this morning, we shall try to bring out these two thoughts of the gospel; and it may be that God shall bless what we shall say to the removing of the objection of either Jew or Greek; that the one requiring a sign may see it in the power of God in Christ, and that he who requireth wisdom may behold it in the wisdom of God in Christ. We shall understand our text in a threefold manner: Christ, that is, Christ personally, is "the power of God and the wisdom of God;" Christ, that is, Christ's gospel, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Firm to the End.
(Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.) 1 COR. i. 8. "Who also shall confirm you unto the end." Steadfastness is one of the most important characteristics of a Christian. Perhaps you will tell me that love, and self-denial, and patience, and faith are the chief marks of Christ's followers. And I answer that these things are useless without steadfastness. It will not avail us to be very loving, and self-sacrificing, and patient, and trustful for a little while, and then to fall away, and be selfish, …
H. J. Wilmot-Buxton—The Life of Duty, a Year's Plain Sermons, v. 2

The National Preacher.
Go ... Teach all Nations.... Matt. xxviii. 19. VOL. II. NEW-YORK, DECEMBER, 1827. NO. 7. SERMON XXVI. By AARON W. LELAND, D.D. CHARLESTON, S. CAROLINA. THE PURE GOSPEL REJECTED BY THE PERISHING. 1 COR. I. 18.--For the preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness. In the Christian revelation, there is an evident purpose of infinite wisdom, that in all the provisions for man's salvation, his moral agency should be left free and uncontrolled. Instead of accommodation to human …
Aaron W. Leland—The National Preacher, Vol. 2 No. 7 Dec. 1827

Good Friday, 1860
(Good Friday, 1860.) 1 Corinthians i. 23-25. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. The foolishness of God? The weakness of God? These are strange words. But they are St. Paul's words, not mine. If he had not said them first, I should not …
Charles Kingsley—Town and Country Sermons

The Introduction, with Some General Observations from the Cohesion.
Doubtless it is always useful, yea, necessary, for the children of God to know the right way of making use of Christ, who is made all things to them which they need, even "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. But it is never more necessary for believers to be clear and distinct in this matter, than when Satan, by all means, is seeking to pervert the right ways of the Lord, and, one way or other, to lead souls away, and draw them off Christ; knowing that, if he prevail …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, as the Way, for Sanctification in General.
Having shown how a poor soul, lying under the burden of sin and wrath, is to make use of Jesus Christ for righteousness and justification, and so to make use of him, go out to him, and apply him, as "he is made of God to us righteousness," 1 Cor. i. 30, and that but briefly. This whole great business being more fully and satisfactorily handled, in that forementioned great, though small treatise, viz. "The Christian's Great Interest," we shall now come and show, how a believer or a justified soul …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

With How Great Reverence Christ must be Received
The Voice of the Disciple These are Thy words, O Christ, Eternal Truth; though not uttered at one time nor written together in one place of Scripture. Because therefore they are Thy words and true, I must gratefully and faithfully receive them all. They are Thine, and Thou hast uttered them; and they are mine also, because Thou didst speak them for my salvation. Gladly I receive them from Thy mouth, that they may be more deeply implanted in my heart. Words of such great grace arouse me, for they …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Of the Effects of those Prerogatives.
From these prerogatives there will arise to the elect in heaven, five notable effects:-- 1. They shall know God with a perfect knowledge (1 Cor. i. 10), so far as creatures can possibly comprehend the Creator. For there we shall see the Word, the Creator; and in the Word, all creatures that by the Word were created; so that we shall not need to learn (of the things which were made) the knowledge of him by whom all things were made. The most excellent creatures in this life, are but as a dark veil …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Sanctification.
"Of Him ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."--1 Cor. i. 30. Sanctification is one of the most glorious gifts which, by the Covenant of Grace, the Mediator bestows upon the saint. It covers his entire mental, spiritual, and physical nature. We should, therefore, thoroughly understand it, and learn how to obtain it, and every believer, whatever the measure of his faith, should be fully aware of his attitude toward it; for …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Christ Our Sanctification.
"Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us...sanctification."--1 Cor. i. 30. The redeemed soul possesses all things in Christ. He is a complete Savior. He lacks nothing. Having Him we are saved to the uttermost; without Him we are utterly lost and undone. We must earnestly maintain this point, especially with reference to sanctification; and repeat with increasing clearness that Christ is given us of God not only for wisdom and righteousness, but also for sanctification. It reads distinctly that Christ …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Joyful Sound
C. P. C. I Cor. i. 23, 24 O that Thy Name may be sounded Afar over earth and sea, Till the dead awaken and praise Thee, And the dumb lips sing to Thee! Sound forth as a song of triumph Wherever man's foot has trod, The despised, the derided message, The foolishness of God. Jesus, dishonoured and dying, A felon on either side-- Jesus, the song of the drunkards, Jesus the Crucified! Name of God's tender comfort, Name of His glorious power, Name that is song and sweetness, The strong everlasting tower. …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Christian Churches.
The large number of churches in Rome.--The six classes of the earliest of these.--I. Private oratories.--The houses of Pudens and Prisca.--The evolution of the church from the private house.--II. Scholae.--The memorial services and banquets of the pagans.--Two extant specimens of early Christian scholae.--That in the Cemetery of Callixtus.--III. Oratories and churches built over the tombs of martyrs and confessors.--How they came to be built.--These the originals of the greatest sanctuaries of modern …
Rodolfo Lanciani—Pagan and Christian Rome

St. Augustine (Ad 354-430)
PART I The church in the north of Africa has hardly been mentioned since the time of St. Cyprian (Chapter VIII). But we must now look towards it again, since in the days of St. Chrysostom it produced a man who was perhaps the greatest of all the old Christian fathers--St. Augustine. Augustine was born at Thagaste, a city of Numidia, in the year 354. His mother, Monica, was a pious Christian, but his father, Patricius, was a heathen, and a man of no very good character. Monica was resolved to bring …
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

Additional Introduction.
Towards the close of 1875, at Constantinople, Philotheus Bryennius, Metropolitan of Serræ, published the first complete edition of the epistles ascribed to Clement. This he was enabled to do by the discovery of a ms. in the library of the Holy Sepulchre at Fanari in Constantinople. This ms., of vellum, consists of one hundred and twenty leaves in small octavo, nearly seven and a half inches in length and six in breadth. The ms. bears the date 1056, and was written by one Leo. Its contents …
Rev. John Keith, D.D.—The Epistles of Clement

Links
1 Corinthians 1:2 NIV
1 Corinthians 1:2 NLT
1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV
1 Corinthians 1:2 NASB
1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV

1 Corinthians 1:2 Commentaries

Bible Hub
1 Corinthians 1:1
Top of Page
Top of Page