the actual letters of the original word into English, we also have a wonderful meaning. Our word "church" is really a Creek word. The basic idea means to be Lord like, or to belong to the Lord. Put ting the two ideas together gives us the idea of "the called out assembly that belongs to the Lord." This is very important, especially since it refers in this study to the church at Corinth. Paul does not refer to the church as an institution nor as an organi zation. He reminds us that it is an organism. It is made up of a body of people who have all placed their faith and trust in Christ. The Apostle has a fellowship of believers in mind when he speaks of the church. They are individual believers who are sanctified in Christ. Keep in mind that he is not writing to a holy church in the sense that they were morally pure. In fact they had the reputation of possibly being the most disgraceful congregation to which the Apostle ever wrote. As an example, they were a fighting church (chapter one). They were a childish church and never seemed
One of the most penetrating, encouraging, and exhortive verses of Scripture is I Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." The first thing that occupies my thoughts is who are these people who are doing the work? The use of the affectionate term, "beloved brethren" obviously shows that he refers to all believers and particu larly the saints at Corinth. In start ing this epistle under inspiration Paul introduces himself to them (I Corinthians 1:1). He says that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of Cod. As such he possessed valid delegated authority. He is God's spokesman to the church, writing in the name of the Lord. Verse two of the first chapter shows the nature and constituency of the church. The word "church" is interesting in both translation as well as trans literation. In translation it has to do with "a called assembly." In trans literation, that is to say, bringing
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