The Benefits of Being a Saint
1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted
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Good Evening,
Turn with me in your Bibles this evening to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Let’s read the text. (1:4-9) As we learned last time, the word saint is used here for a church that is battling moral corruption. The Corinthians are involving themselves in the culture around them that is filled with sexual immorality, and yet even in the midst of their deep sin. Paul addresses them through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Himself, and calls them SAINTS.
When we think about saints in our day some may think of Catholic leaders who are etched in stained glass. This is not a biblical definition for the word Saint. Saints are not a special few that based off their good merit have earned some supernatural honor of being called a saint. Saints are everyone who has Christ dwelling within them and living through them. God calls people saints not based off of good merit, but off of the perfection imparted to his children through their belief in Jesus Christ Himself.
The term saint had to be a favorite of Paul’s as he used it some 61 times in this book. We as children of God through repentance and faith upon the Lord JEsus Christ are saints. Not by our own merit but based upon the imputed and imparted righteousness of Christ on our behalf.
The purpose for Paul writing this letter to this church, is to say, you were saved to be holy, you have been sanctified and Jesus is making you Holy, therefore you need to act holy.
The reality of the Christian life ought to be that it is lived without blatant sin. We should live pure and clean lives, not so that we feel good and selfrighteous, but in order that Jesus Himself would be magnified through our holiness and our obedience.
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices
Colossians 3
So for the first three verses Paul is trying get across to the corinthian church that they are considered saints and then here tonight in verses 4-9 he elaborates on what it actually means to be a saint.
I always thank my God for you because of God’s grace given to you in Christ Jesus,
1 Corinthians 1:4
The first benefit of being a saint is:
Grace
Grace
But he makes this statement in the aorist tense. He says:
“this grace was “given you”
This means that at some point in the past God stepped out of Heaven and into your heart. You have every bit of grace you will ever receive you recieved the moment of salvation. it happened at one moment!
When did it happen?
In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you,
This is also something that also happened at one moment in time.
It was at the moment the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so he says at the moment when you were saved you were given a totally clean slate! Wow what a blessing!
I was 16 when i had my first car aqccident, it was the very first day I drove to school!
I was extremely mortified, because i didn’t have a clue how I was going to pay for the damage on my vehicle. Then it dawned on me, I pay a monthly premium, this is not my fault and then I learned they were going to pay for the repairs!
This is the first benefit you recieve as a saint the grace of JEsus Christ!
Paul says I thank God for the fact that I know you are saved!
Paul says at the tail end of that verse that this grace is found IN CHRIST!
This doesnt mean you believe in the teachings of Christ, many do that, it isnt singing about Christ or even agreeing with Christ. We find the grace of GOD W=ONCE WE ARE FOUND IN CHRIST!!
WHAT IS GRACE?
WHAT IS GRACE?
karis- favor (undeserved kindness) it means mercy, this is undeserved kindness that cannot be paid back.
In order for us to understand grace and saving grace we must understand some things:
erasing guilt of sin
3 things that cannot COEXIST with grace:
Once you are forgiven and saved from your sin you do not have to battle with sin! Thats sin will not be held against him because dealt with that sin when He died on the cross!
How many sins are forgiven when you are washed in the blood of the Lamb?
ALL
when God saved you he removed you guilt.
2. human obligation
You cannot pay God back!
Cannot do that it was a gift!
(work check)
3. With any recognition of human merit
You cannot say well only these types of people receive the gospel! God didn't save the good ones!
BECAUSE THEIR ARE NO GOOD ONES!
THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS NO NOT ONE!!!
God paid for it,. we cannot pay him back, and we cannot claim we earned it!
arent you glad of that?
If you could earn salvation you could lose salvation, if you had to pay for salvation that wouldnt be very hard you would just have to be perfect your whole life thats all, and if you had to be in a repayment plan that would last for all eternity!
Now sure you want to show Him love and gratitiude but shoing him love because of what he has done i totally different from doing deeds for God out of obligation.
We should all be able to say thank God for this grace!
(my daughter)
There are 3 reason why God did things this way:
God did things this way because He knew it would produce good works, saving grace is to produce good works.
Titus tells us this in:
He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.
Alright now God wanted us t be zealous of good works!
Why?
and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone.
You know God saved us in order that we would do good works because they benefit the people of the world! God wants us to His hands and feet and do good deeds to men!
:
so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
God saved us not just to do good deeds for the worlds sake but also for our sake!
Saving grace glorifies God!
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light —
Ephesians 5:8
Paul reiterates here that this salvation came to be when?
When the testimony of Christ was confirmed within you!
That word comfirm here means to be made steady within a person! Made solid
How is the testimony made solid?
The greek word for testimony is marturion (martyr/witness)
It refers to the gospel!
I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.
This was the message
But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.
Acts 22:18
and saw Him telling me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me!’
it refers to the preachign of the gospel.
This is the first benefit of being a saint is:
You received grace, 2nd benefit is gifts:
that by Him you were enriched in everything—in all speech and all knowledge.
You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you!
You are already rich you have everything you need!
God has already given you EVERYTHING YOU NEED!!!
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
You can speak!
You are rich and blessed beyond measure and God wants you to witness!
I never get tired of hearing people who undersell their ability to speak and they never say anything, but when they do and someone gets saved, do you know what they say?
Your not gonna believe this but I led someone to the Lord today!!
WHY THE HECK WOULD I NOT BELIEVE THIS!
1 Corinthians 1:
that by Him you were enriched in everything—in all speech and all knowledge.
God has give you as one of his saints every uetterance through the Holy Spirit to say whatever he desires you to say.
(explain)
KNowledge: this means you have what you need to understand the word of GOd, and how to approach someone with the gospel...
But as it is written:
What eye did not see and ear did not hear,
and what never entered the human mind—
God prepared this for those who love Him.
We are gifted! ‘
Just think o fit you have anything!!
says all of his grace has been poured out on you
Now Paul goes from the general area to the specific
1 Corinthians 1:
so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
They are not lacking anything in terms of spiritual gifts!
They were adequate to equip the church, they were adequate to build the Kingdom!
and you are waiting for Jesus to be reveald!
(working faithfully for His kingdom)
Ev en if you find yourself being unfaithful, or knee deep in sick sadistic sin....
He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(elaborate)
Even if you are found unfaithful....
He is faithful and will keep His promise concerning you!
God is faithful; you were called by Him into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
You have no lack you are complete in him! you have everything needed for life and Godliness, there is ZERO reason for us to be afraid to live for Christ of share our faith in Him!
we have been given grace speech, knowledge
and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
God hasnt just given us grace for the moments, gifts for the presnt but he also gives us guarantees for the future