Church of God. — St. Chrysostom remarks how these opening words are a protest against the party-spirit prevailing at Corinth: “The Church of God — not of this or that man.”
Them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus. — This is not another class of persons, but a description of those who compose “the Church” — who are further described as “called to be saints” — i.e., “holy.” The term “saints” is never used by St. Paul with its restricted modern meaning, but is applied to the whole baptised Church. The English word which most nearly expresses the apostolic idea is “Christians” — used in its most comprehensive sense.
With all that in every place. — Better translated, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours. The teaching of the Epistle is thus addressed to the Church at large, which is composed of all who call upon the Lord Jesus, whether it be in Corinth (“our” country — the Apostle identifying himself with his converts) or elsewhere. This idea of the Church, put forward in the very opening of the Epistle, at once directs the reader’s mind from the narrow spirit of faction which was exhibiting itself at Corinth. The words of this verse contain a strong testimony to the worship of Christ, not only as being practised in the Apostolic Church, but as being one of the very marks of true union with the Church.