The word “faith” occurs 7 times in the first epistle to Corinthians and 7 in the second. Seven in Scripture is the number for Spiritual perfection and the believers in Corinth were spiritually perfect. Paul addressed them: “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be (“to be” not in the original) saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” 1 Corinthians 1:2. Thus we know the Corinthians (and all believers since) are:
- “Sanctified,” from the Greek hagiad’zo, G37 defined as: “set aside, made pure, holy, free from the guilt of sin” in Christ Jesus. Hagiad’zo is first found in the New Testament (NT) translated “Hallowed,” where Jesus Christ taught His 12 disciples: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, “Hallowed” be thy name.” Matthew 6:9.
- “Saints,” Greek hag’ios, G40 defined as “blameless, holy ones, consecrated.” Hag’ios is first found in the NT translated “Holy,” in God’s name “Holy” Spirit: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the “Holy” Ghost (Spirit).” Matthew 1:18.
- “Called, Greek kletos’ G2822 defined as “divinely selected, invited, appointed.” The word Kletos’ is used later in 1st Corinthians: “But unto them which are “called,” both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:24. Therefore, it’s important to understand that believers are divinely selected, invited or appointed Saints, which is different than just being labeled/called/named a Saint.
Despite the fact the Corinthians were sanctified in Christ Jesus and divinely selected saints, Paul had to reprove them for their sinful lifestyles and failure to walk/live in the Spirit (which also describes many “Christians” today):
- There were divisions and contentions among them when they were supposed to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgement, 1 Corinthians 1:10 – 17; 1 Corinthians 11:18.
- Paul had to speak to them as carnal, that is having the nature of the flesh, i.e., governed by mere human nature, not by the Spirit of God, 1 Corinthians 3:1 – 3.
- Some were fornicators, 1 Corinthians 5:1 – 10; 1 Corinthians 6:12 – 18; 1 Corinthians 10:8.
- Some were covetous, idolators, abusive revilers, drunkards and extortioners, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 10:7 – 14.
- Some defrauded fellow believers, resulting in lawsuits brought in the civil courts, 1 Corinthians 6:1 – 8.
Thus, the Corinthian epistles logically follow Romans. This because Romans teaches: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” Romans 3:22 – 24” and justified by His resurrection, Romans 4:24 – 25. And that the Law is Holy, just, good and Spiritual, but it works death in mankind because of sin so that what the believer would do he knows not, but that which he hates, that he does, so it is no longer the believer that does it but sin that dwells within, Romans 7:12 – 17. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Romans 7:18 – 23. First Corinthians demonstrates these truths in the lives of true believers.
The terms “old nature” and “new nature” are used by some to describe the “flesh” and the “inward Man” just quoted in Romans 7:18 – 23, however the terms “old nature” and “new nature” are not found in the NT. In 1st Corinthians Paul describes the “flesh” and the “inward Man” with different terms: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost (Spirit) teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:12 – 14. In these 3 verses we learn that the “natural man” has the “spirit of the world,” which man’s wisdom teaches whereas the believer has the spirit which is of God to understand the things of the Spirit of God. The Greek word translated “natural” in verse 14 is psuchikos’ (G5491), which is found 4 times in 1 Corinthians where it is always translated “natural.” Otherwise, it only occurs in the NT once each in James 3:15 and Jude 1:19 where it is translated “sensual.” It is defined “of or belonging to breath, having the nature and characteristics of breath, the principal of animal life, which men have in common with the brutes, the sensuous nature with its subjection to appetite and passion.” According to an online dictionary our English word “psychology” is formed by combining the Greek word “psyche,” meaning “breath, principle of life, life, soul,” with logos, meaning “speech, word, reason,” thus the study of the mind.
Different terms are used in other passages to describe the natural man who has the spirit of the world, and he who has the spirit which is of God. Jesus told the Pharisee Nicodemus: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6. Peter wrote that those called by the Lord Jesus are partakers of the “divine nature,” having escaped the corruption of the world through lust, 2 Peter 1:2 – 4. John wrote: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:18 – 19. However, the spirit which is of God cannot refer to the believer as a whole because: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:10. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1 – 2.
However, the Apostle Paul differs from John and Peter when he wrote to members of the Body of Christ during this age of Grace. He describes the believer as the “new man” as opposed to the “old man:” “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:22 – 24; Colossians 3:9 – 10. The new man is called “a new creation” in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15 and is said to be “according to the image of Him that created him,” Colossians 3:10. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature (creation). And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” Galatians 6:15 – 16.
Paul’s prayer for believers is: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” Ephesians 1:17 – 23. “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:16 – 19. See also 2 Corinthians 4:16.
Hence the conflict between the inner man and the law of sin in the believer’s members continues until death ends the struggle so that all true believers cry out with the Apostle Paul: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:24 – 25. “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore, we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” 2 Corinthians 5:2 – 7.
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