1 CORINTHIANS 1:4-9
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit.2:11-14).

c. God’s grace is the only way man can be saved.

“If through the offence of one [Adam] many be dead, much more the grace of God, and
the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” (Ro.5:15).
“I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Je-
sus Christ” (1 Cor.1:4).
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your
sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor.8:9).
“[Salvation] which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that be-
ing justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”
(Tit.3:6-7).

2. Grace means all the favors and gifts of God. It means all the good and perfect gifts of God, all the good and benefi-
cial things He gives us and does for us, whether physical, material, or spiritual (Jas.1:17).

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace” (Eph.1:7).
“That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward
us through Christ Jesus” (Eph.2:7).
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”
(Ph.4:19).
“And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ
Jesus” (1 Tim.1:14).


2
(1:5-7) Gifts, Spiritual—Grace: the believer’s second resource is the gift of God’s grace and Spirit. God’s grace
enriched the Corinthian believers “in every thing”: they experienced the favor of God in every area of life and were ac-
tually blessed with all the gifts and blessings of God’s Spirit.
1. They were especially blessed with the gifts of utterance and of knowledge.
⇒ Utterance: all the spiritual gifts involving speech, which would include gifts such as prophecy, teaching, and
tongues—all forms of speech needed to praise God and to witness for Christ.
⇒ Knowledge: the spiritual gift of understanding spiritual truth and doctrine, of having unusual insight into the
nature of God and His call and mission in the world.

The church and its believers were enabled by God’s grace to know and understand the truth of God’s Word and to speak
the truth to a lost and dying world. The Spirit of God had enriched their lives by giving them all the gifts of spiritual know-
ledge and spiritual speech.
2. The results of God’s grace and gifts were most wonderful. They show what can happen to our faith when we truly
experience the grace and gifts of God’s Spirit. There are three significant results mentioned by the Scripture.
a. The gifts and grace of God confirmed “the testimony of Christ” in the hearts of the believers. The believers
had perfect assurance of their salvation. They knew beyond question that they were saved.
⇒ Jesus Christ had testified (proclaimed) to the truth: He was the Son of God, the Savior of the
world.
⇒ The disciples had testified to Christ: that He was definitely the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

The Corinthian believers had accepted the testimony of Christ. They had been truly saved, and their
salvation was confirmed by the gifts and blessings of God’s grace. God had poured His grace and His Spirit
out upon the Corinthian church and its believers. The gifts of the Spirit were their confirmation. Their faith
in Christ was confirmed by the gifts of God’s glorious grace and His Spirit. There was no question about
their salvation. The presence of God’s Spirit and God’s grace bore clear evidence that their salvation and
experience with Christ were genuine.

Thought 1. God will confirm the faith of a true believer. He will seal a person’s decision for Christ with the Holy
Spirit. God will pour His Spirit and His grace out upon a person who truly trusts His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The
one thing God wants above all else is for the believer to be firmly established in the faith of His dear Son.

“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who
hath also sealed us, and given the earnest [guarantee] of the Spirit in our hearts”
(2 Cor.1:21-22).
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salva-
tion: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”
(Eph.1:13).
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