Paul, as is his wont, begins by congratulating the Corinthian Church on all that is good and praiseworthy in their character, and by expressing a confident hope for the future. This is just in itself, - tell a man his good points as well as his bad; and it is wise, for thus the good among them will be encouraged, and the evil will be the more disposed to listen to rebuke. Consider -

I. THEIR GIFTS (χαρίσματα).

1. They had the gift of "all utterance," as appeared in their highly gifted teachers and preachers; and they had "all knowledge," i.e. an intelligent apprehension of the truth. These two gifts are closely connected. There may be knowledge without utterance, in which case it is of profit only to the individual; and there is too often utterance without knowledge, to the hurt of speaker and hearer. This last is the plague of our time. Whoso feeds on empty words becomes lean. But how blessed is the union of thought and speech! Happy the Church that possesses spiritual insight into the mind of God, and the power of communicating this to the edification of others!

2. The other gift is that of "waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ." Faith rests on the first advent; hope looks onward to the second. The time of that great apocalypse has been left indefinite, even the Son being ignorant of it (Matthew 24:36). Sometimes it is represented as very near ("at hand," James 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7); while hints are dropped that this nearness is not to be taken according to our time measurement (2 Peter 3:8). The purpose of this uncertainty is that we may watch and wait, look for and earnestly desire the day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:12). The apostles maintained this attitude of expectancy, and exhorted others to maintain it. It is noted here as a mark of true spirituality, and elsewhere the crown of righteousness is promised to all them that "love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8). Apart from all points of dispute, the coming of the Lord a second time should exercise a powerful influence on the Christian's life. What a motive to holiness, a stimulus to work, a strength to endure affliction, is the thought, "The Lord is at hand"! "Amen: come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). These gifts are:

(1) Of grace. They are not natural endowments. They are given by the free, good pleasure of God.

(2) Given in Christ Jesus. All fulness dwells in him, the fulness of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9). The gifts of grace come to us only through him (comp. 1 Corinthians 5:3). To him, therefore, let us repair, that we may receive of his fulness. In him we are truly enriched ("made full," Colossians 2:10).

(3) A confirmation of the gospel. The gospel is a testimony concerning Christ, not a system of doctrines. This was specially true of apostolic preaching: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" (1 John 1:1-3); and it is true of all right preaching. There is a personal testimony to Christ and the power of his gospel unto salvation. This testimony is confirmed when it is believed and acted on. Faith and its fruits are the best evidences of Christianity. "He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this, that God is true" (John 3:33).

II. ASSURANCE OF HOPE. These gifts of grace are pledges of future blessings.

1. Confirmation unto the end. (Ver. 8.) He who begins the good work in us will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). God does nothing by halves. He not only brings up the sinner out of the horrible pit and sets his feet upon a rock, but he also establishes his goings (Psalm 40:2). The Holy Spirit is the "earnest of our inheritance" (Ephesians 1:14), the first instalment of the full heritage. "The God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ,... shall himself perfect, stablish, strengthen you" (1 Peter 5:10). Observe the links of the chain in Romans 8:29, 80. All through life, onwards to the end of the world, will God deliver our feet from falling (Psalm 56:13). "The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger" (Job 17:9). This confirmation is effected by the continued impartation of his grace to the believer.

2. The object in view - "that ye be unreprovable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Comp. Colossians 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.) God will not stop short in his work of grace till it be fully completed. Meanwhile believers are unreprovable in Christ; no charge can be brought against them which he does not meet. Who shall impeach the perfection of his work for us? But we are not morally blameless in ourselves. Personal holiness is far from being perfect. In the day of Christ, however, this work shall be complete. The challenge, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" (Romans 8:33), will then apply to character as well as standing. God's ideal will be realized in us when we are holy as he is holy. What a comfort, amid conscious imperfection and sinfulness, to know that we shall one day be "set before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy (Jude 1:24)!

3. The security for this. "God is faithful." Not our faithfulness to him, but his faithfulness to us, is the ground of our assurance. Having called us into the fellowship of his Son, all else will follow (Romans 8:30). (See next homily.) Learn the duty of giving thanks for the blessing bestowed upon others. Our own joy shall thus be multiplied. - B.

I. THE GRACE THEY HAD RECEIVED.

1. Freely given.

2. Richly supplied.

3. Amply confirmed.

II. THE HOPE THEY ANTICIPATED. They waited confidently for —

1. The coming of Christ.

2. Their final justification.

3. Everlasting fellowship with Him.

(J. Lyth, D. D.)

I. THE APOSTOLIC CONGRATULATION. "I thank my God," &c.

1. In the heart of St. Paul, the unselfishness of Christianity had turned this world into a perpetual feast. If we want to know what his life was, turn to 2 Corinthians 11.; yet it was filled with the blessedness which arises from the abilities to enjoy the blessings of others as though they were our own. Personally we get very little in this world; and if we are to mourn that we never had a whole kid to ourselves "to make merry with," life will become desolate indeed. Only by saying, "It is meet we should rejoice and be glad" with our brethren, can life be a blessing. Thus the apostle, in all his weariness and persecutions, was nevertheless always rejoicing with his Churches.

2. Here he rejoices over three gifts to the Corinthians —(1) That of utterance. To Paul a blessing was nothing unless it could be imparted to others. Knowing a truth is one thing, being able to express it is another, and to dare to express it another. "Utterance" implies both power and courage. A truth hidden is unproductive. And therefore the power of utterance becomes, by the grace of God, a faculty divine.(2) But there may be utterance without knowledge. St. Paul desired utterance in order to speak out something in him. With many persons utterance is only verbiage. Let us seek, not merely to have utterance, but to have something worthy of uttering. Be sure you speak that you do know, and nothing else.(3) The attitude of expectation (ver. 7), as though that were the best gift of all.(a) We are to look for a Church of the future — not of the past, nor of the present. The coming of Christ includes the perfect state of human society, and here — Christ coming to us, not our going to Him. And we are to be looking forward to this; not busying ourselves in dreams about, and mournings after, the past, nor complacently praising the present, but thankful to God for what we have, feeling that the past was necessary, and, still dissatisfied with our. selves, hoping something better yet, both for God's Church and world.(b) It, implies a humble expecting state; not dogmatising, not dreading, but simply waiting. The kingdom of God is within us; but the kingdom of God developed will be as the lightning, sudden and universal.

3. Note the ground of hope for the continuance and successful issue of those blessings. Not on any stability of human goodness, but the character of God (ver. 9). Had not Saul once had the Spirit? Had not Judas once had gifts? Who, then, could say that the Corinthians might not make shipwreck of their faith? The apostle answers this, not by counting on their faithfulness to God, but on God's faithfulness to them. Of course, this doctrine may be misused. We may rest upon it too much, and so become unwatchful and supine; but, nevertheless, it is a most precious truth, and without it I cannot understand how any man dares go forth to his work in the morning, or at evening lay his head on his pillow to sleep.

II. THE APOSTLE'S WARNING AND REPROOF.

1. Parties had arisen in Corinth.(1) That which called itself by the name of Paul. Now the teaching of this apostle differed from that of the others in the prominence which it gave to certain truths — justification by faith, the salvability of the Gentiles, and Christian liberty. Some of the Corinthians exaggerated all this, and said, "This is the truth and nothing else": accordingly they made the doctrine of justification by faith an excuse for licentiousness, and the doctrine of Christian liberty a cloak of maliciousness.(2) That which named itself after Apollos, the difference between whom and Paul seems to be not so much a difference of views as in the mode of stating those views; the eloquence of St. Paul was rough and burning, that of Apollos was more refined and polished.(3) That called by the name of Cephas, between whom and Paul there was this difference — that whereas the Spirit of God had detached Paul from Judaism by a sudden shock, in the heart of Peter Christianity had been slowly developed; he had known Jesus first as the Son of Man, and afterwards as the Son of God. It was long before he realised God's purpose of love to the Gentiles. Therefore all the Jewish converts preferred to follow him.(4) That calling itself by the name of Christ, who doubtless prided themselves on their spirituality and inward light, and looked down with contempt on those who professed to follow the opinion of any human teacher. Perhaps they ignored apostolic teaching altogether, and proclaimed the doctrine of direct communion with God without the aid of ministry or ordinances.

2. The guilt of these partisans did not lie in holding views differing from each other; the guilt of schism is when each party, instead of expressing fully its own truth, denies that others are in the truth at all. Nothing eats out the heart and life of religion more than party spirit. Christianity is love; party spirit is the death of love. Christianity is union amidst variety of views; party spirit is disunion. In these days of party spirit, be it urged solemnly on our hearts that we "love one another." Accuracy of view is worth little in comparison with warmth of heart. It is easy to love such as agree with us. Let us learn to love those who differ from us.

(F. W. Robertson, M. A.)

two blessed states of mind: —

I. EXEMPLARY GRATITUDE. "I thank my God always on your behalf." The gratitude here was —

1. Unselfish. "On your behalf." It is right and well to praise God for what He has done for us, but it is a nobler thing to praise Him for what He has done for others. No man rightly appreciates a blessing who does not desire others to participate in it. The sublimity of a landscape is more than doubly enjoyed when one or more stand by your side to share your admiration.

2. For spiritual good. "For the grace of God."(1) That grace which "enriched in all utterance and in all knowledge" — two splendid gifts where they are inspired by the "grace of God" and properly related. "Utterance" apart from "knowledge" is worthless and pernicious, volubilities of vice, garrulousness of social evils. "Knowledge" is of no value to others, unless it has effective "utterance." Knowledge with a powerful oratory will move the world; it has shivered dynasties, converted millions, and created churches.(2) That grace which confirmed in their experience the testimony of Christ. What higher gift than this — a personal realisation of Christianity?(3) That grace which inspired them with a practical hope of the appearance of Christ.

3. An habitual state of mind. "I thank God always." It was not an occasional sentiment. It was a settled attitude of heart.

II. PRECIOUS CONFIDENCE.

1. In Christ perfecting character. "Who shall also confirm you unto the end." So perfecting it that it shall be "blameless." All moral imperfections removed.

2. In His appearing again. The day when He will appear is the day of days for humanity.

3. In His granting them companionship. "Unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ the Lord." "Where I am there ye shall be also."

(D. Thomas D. D.)

Paul uses here two expressions, elsewhere placed in the same close connection (see Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10), "grace" (χάρις) and "gift" — not δῶρον or its cognate words (which might include every natural blessing common to heathen and Christian), but χάρισμα, the spiritual blessing connected with and flowing from God's "grace." Note that —

I. BOTH ARE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE GOSPEL DISPENSATION.

1. True, "grace" is mentioned in the Old Testament, and God is proclaimed to be "gracious," but this rarely. It is in the New Testament that we have complete revelation of this, and first have the frequent phrase "the grace of God."

2. And this because "grace... came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17; Titus 2:11). So in the text. God's fullest, freest favour to a sinful world, made possible by the sacrifice of Christ, made manifest by His life and ministry, and made over to His disciples as an abiding possession in the outpouring of the Spirit.

3. The "gifts" of God are thus —(1) The heritage of the Christian Church, which is the special sphere of the Holy Spirit's operations (2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:22).(2) Distributed to believers by Him as being God (chap. 1 Corinthians 12:4, 11).(3) The outcome of the Divine grace of our Christian calling (Romans 12:6), and argue the possession of that grace (1 Peter 4:10).

II. BOTH ARE TO BE USED BY US.

1. "Grace" looks chiefly to the side of personal sanctification. St. Paul beseeches his converts not to "receive the grace of God in vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1), shows how he himself had been changed from a chief of sinners "by the grace of God" (1 Corinthians 15:10), and thanks God that they had been partakers of the same blessing (text and 1 Corinthians 6:11).

2. "Gifts" look chiefly to the side of Church edification. They are to be used for others (1 Peter 4:10). Some have more, and some less; some have one, and some others. In our text St. Paul mentions two, "utterance" (or perhaps the expounding of "doctrine" — λόγος) and "knowledge" of spiritual things. In chap. 12. he shows how this Church was "enriched" by an abundance (see vers. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28).

3. As every truehearted Christian has received both grace and some spiritual gift or gifts, we should be careful to use both aright.

(1)To profit by all "means of grace."

(2)To essay some work in the Church.

4. The grace and gifts of God may be neglected or misused. Illustrate by the parable of the ten pounds for "grace," and of the ten talents for "gifts."

III. BOTH POINT FORWARD TO THE END SET BEFORE US.

1. Sanctification is in order to that "holiness without which no m an shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14); to that being "like Him," that we may "see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2).

2. Christian work is not an end, but the means to an end, even preparedness for the second coming of Christ.

3. This second advent — and not death — is the one great end set forth in the New Testament as the goal of the Christian's hopes and efforts. So our text.Conclusion: Let this subject lead to —

1. Thankfulness for the grace of God manifest in the progress of His work amongst us.

2. Humility in the recognition of our spiritual gifts as of His grace alone.

3. Earnestness in the fulfilling our obligation of "ministering the same one to another."

4. Singleness of purpose in looking towards the end of God's work in us and by us — the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(T. H. Barnett.)

I. IMPLANTS —

1. An enlightened mind.

2. A waiting spirit.

II. SECURES —

1. The continued preservation of believers.

2. Their ultimate acceptance.Application:

1. Be thankful if you are partakers of this grace.

2. Be careful to walk worthy of it.

3. Remember in whom is all your strength.

(C. Simeon, M. A.)

Paul here brings this before us as —

I.A FACT OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

II.A PRODUCT OF DIVINE INFLUENCE.

III.A SUBJECT OF THANKFULNESS TO GOD.

(J. Willcox.)

I. THE CHANNEL OF DIVINE GRACE. If we are "called to be saints," "partakers of the heavenly calling," it is all in and through "the grace given by Jesus Christ" (ver. 4).

II. THE SOURCE OF ALL SPIRITUAL GIFTS. "Enriched by Him in all utterance and in all knowledge" (ver. 5); "So that ye come behind in no gift" (ver. 7); "Who shall also confirm you unto the end" (ver. 8); "That ye be unreprovable" (R. V.).Thus: Gifts of —

1. Preaching.

2. Hearing.

3. Miracles (1 Corinthians 12:4).

4. Per. severance.

5. Holiness — Are all traced to Him as the Author.

III. THE SUBJECT OF APOSTOLIC PREACHING. "The testimony of Christ" means the witness given concerning Christ. Christ is the Alpha and Omega of all true preaching. Christ in all His work and offices, especially "Christ as crucified."

IV. THE OBJECT OF CHRISTIAN EXPECTATION (vers. 7, 8). We look for Him in faith, and hope, and love. His coming will be a revealing of His glory, and of our judgment. May we be "unreprovable" in His sight.

(Clerical World.)

I. MAN POOR BY NATURE (Revelation 3:17). Lost his birthright — his inheritance.

1. Poor in time. If not enriched, poor in eternity.

2. "Poor" in utterance, because poor in knowledge. His language impious, foolish, idle, &c.

3. "Poor," though possessing earthly wealth. "Carry nothing out."

4. "Poor," because without Him, "without whom nothing is strong."

II. MAN ENRICHED BY GRACE (Revelation 3:18). Birthright restored. Inheritance secured. "If children, then heirs."

1. "Rich" in utterance — "all utterance" — because rich in "all knowledge." Holy, loving, grateful words. Prayer and praise.

2. "Rich," though possessing little of this world's wealth. "Having nothing, yet," &c.

3. "Rich," because "in Christ," "in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." "Unsearchable riches." Enriched by Him. All of Christ, "who for our sakes became poor that we... might be made rich."

(J. Cornford.)

"In everything" — in your

(1)physical,

(2)intellectual,

(3)emotional,

(4)spiritual natures.All nature shows this affluence of God. We are enriched in all our relations — at home, in society, &c. "In Him." This can be said of no one else than God. Presidents and kings may help us to justice. Millionaires, railroad magnates, and bankers have the power to enrich us temporally. Only of God can it be said that in everything ye are enriched by Him. In what ways are we enriched?

1. The best way to secure true honours is to make our lives conform to Christian principles.

2. The ideas of inspiration will more largely and more permanently enrich the intellect than draughts drawn from other reservoirs of wisdom. All others are receiving reservoirs: the Bible is a fountain source.

3. The man whose business is conducted on a Christian basis will most certainly be rich in the best sense of the word. No one is rich who is not rich in contentment and in good works.

4. We are enabled in God to believe in and assert our immortality.

5. In Him we have a wealth of spirituality which is ever-increasing. It is unaffected by the grave. Lack we any good thing, we ask and receive. All things are ours. If such to us is the enriching power of God on earth, how much more enriching will that power be in the world to come!

(N. Schenk, D. D.)

1. Christ has enriched the world's intellectual life. Range of human thought immense, but finite. Grandeur of world's art and literature evidences the high, capacious powers of man. Christ has touched and refined the world's art and literature. Ancient literature, except Jewish sacred writings, Pagan, a mass of mingled glory and shame. Christ's purifying influence. To-day the world's art and literature are Christian.

2. Christ has enriched the world's moral life. Fatal weakness of human moralists. Lacked authority. Christ spake with authority. His teachings not opinions, but living rule of life and conduct. Christ's teachings have changed the world's moral life. Most important.(1) The Fatherhood of God. New meaning given to Old Testament simile, "Like as a father," &c.(2) The brotherhood of man. Strong and wise to help the weak and ignorant. "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."(3) Necessity of moral change to fit men for the kingdom of heaven.(4) Life and immortality brought to light. Christ alone speaks here with authority. "In My Father's house are many mansions."

3. Christ has enriched the world's social life. Truths which enrich the world's thought and moral life bound to tell upon its social life. Living power in true and noble thoughts to leaven character. Truth subjective in its influence upon the mind; objective in character and influence upon others. Christian thought can mould a nation's life.

(1)Human life made sacred.

(2)By the elevation of woman.

(Methodist Times.)

If you will to be His disciple, He will enrich your life, He will purge it of its pollution, He will conquer your lusts, He will enlighten your mind, He will deepen in you all that is generous and rich and brotherly and true and just. He will make your life worth having — yea, increasingly worth having — as you gain in experience of His power and His love, even to the end. He will touch your sufferings and your labours with the glory of His sympathy; He will deepen your hopes for yourselves and others with the security of an eternal prospect. At the last He will purify and perfect and welcome you. Only do not make the fatal mistake of imagining that your life is Christian anyhow, or that it can be Christian by any other process than by your deliberate and courageous acceptance of the law of Christ, because you desire to be His disciple.

(Chas. Gore, M. A.)

There is another power which each man should cultivate according to his ability, but which is very much neglected in the mass of the people, and that is the power of utterance. A man was not made to shut up his mind in itself, but to give it voice and to exchange it for other minds. Speech is one of our grand distinctions from the brute. Our power over others lies not so much in the amount of thought within us as in the power of bringing it out. A man of more than ordinary intellectual vigour may, for want of expression, be a cipher, without significance, in society; and not only does a man influence others, but he greatly aids his own intellect by giving distinct and forcible utterance to his thoughts. We understand ourselves better, our conceptions grow clearer, by the very effort to make them clear to another. Our social rank, too, depends a good deal on our power of utterance. To have intercourse with respectable people we must speak their language.

(H. E. Channing, D. D.)

The two special gifts of the Corinthians consisted partly in the elevation and consecration of their national characteristics. Speech occupies no less prominent a place in the New Testament than it did among the Greeks. It has for its object to bear witness for Christ, and is a "gift" of God for which the apostle gives thanks. Christianity broke on the world as a new revelation, which, by being told and echoed on all sides, is powerful to regenerate men. This is the origin and life of preaching; for, as Pascal says, "The saints have never been silent."

(Principal Edwards.)

Note —

I. THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS. When He was brought before Pilate the interrogatory was, What was His mission? The response was that He had a kingdom, not of this world, and consequently He must be a King. His was the kingdom of truth; and the weapons of His warfare were not carnal, but spiritual. He came into the world that He might bear witness to the truth. The Pharisees charged Him with witnessing for Himself. The response was not a denial of the facts, but a reaffirmation that He should be the light of the world and bear witness to the truth. When John, in his exile, began to see the revelations of God, he declared that Jesus was the faithful Witness: that He was the Prince of the kings of the earth. Whether, therefore, we view Him in prophecy or in history, or in the revelation which He made of Himself to His servants, we see that His mission was to be that of Witness.

II. JESUS HAVING GIVEN HIS EVIDENCE FOR TRUTH, IT NOW REMAINS FOR EVERY RELIEVER TO CONFIRM THAT WITNESS TO THE WORLD IN HIS LIFE BY WORDS AND DEEDS. The world does not believe in the Son of God. The Pharisees told Him that His witness was not true. He, on the other hand, when He had laid claim to being the witness for the truth, speaking as never man spake, working with the mighty power of God, turns round upon His followers, and says unto them, "Ye shall be My witnesses." The idea here evidently is that Jesus, having once deposed, they must stand forth to confirm Him before the world. He is, so to speak, the main witness in court. The effort is to break Him down when He claims to be the King of the truth. His word has been spoken, and now His people are rendering their evidence; it is passing silently to the jury, and the verdict is rapidly being made up, either for or against the Son of God. Men must receive Him. This they will do when they see His disciples corroborating in their lives the witness He made for the truth. This corroborating witness of the Church is borne in these ways: we do for God, or we bear for Him, or we suffer for Him. The world pays a special tribute to Christian ethics when it says, Your creed is a good one, but your life is not up to it. We may print religious literature and scatter it over the land, but the world will not read books — it is too busy, too restless, too eager; but it will read you, and it will receive or reject the claims of the religion of Christ in proportion as it finds in everyday life the record which believers are there making, the witness they are giving.

(R. K. Smoot, D. D.)

Apollos, Cephas, Chloe, Corinthians, Crispus, Gaius, Paul, Peter, Sosthenes, StephanasCorinthAlways, Behalf, Bestowed, Christ, Continually, Grace, Praise, Respect, Thank, Thanks1. After his salutation and thanksgiving for the Corinthians,
10. Paul exhorts them to unity,
12. and reproves their dissensions.
18. God destroys the wisdom of the wise,
21. by the foolishness of preaching;
26. and calls not the wise, mighty, and noble,
28. but the foolish, weak, and men of no account.

1 Corinthians 1:3-4

     6666   grace

1 Corinthians 1:4-6

     6668   grace, and Christ
     7915   confirmation

1 Corinthians 1:4-7

     5325   gifts
     7726   evangelists, ministry

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

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