(1) Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, (2) Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: (3) Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Several very weighty and important things meet us at the very entrance on this scripture. Paul, though called by Jesus himself from darkness to light, would not have thought this a sufficient ordination to the ministry, had he not been called also by the Lord to be an Apostle. He, therefore, in the opening of his Epistle to the Corinthians, makes mention of his call to the Apostleship. He joins with himself, in proof of the humbleness of his mind, and his love to the brethren, Sosthenes, whom he calls brother. We have an account of a Sosthenes, Acts 18:17, at that time the chief ruler of the synagogue, If this be one and the same person, (which indeed seems probable, from being of the same place, Corinth), it is likely, that since that period, he had been converted to the faith of the Gospel. But what I beg may be more particularly regarded by the Reader is, the special limitation which this Epistle hath to the Church at Corinth. Paul doth not write to the Corinthians, as Corinthians; neither to the men of Corinth as of a province or place; but to the Church of God then in Corinth. It is the Church, not the world. And this is most essentially necessary to be kept in view all along, and through every part of this, and all the Epistles. For to the inattention to this important point, is to be ascribed the gross perversion and misapplication of certain passages here and there scattered over the Apostolic writings, in considering them as of general meaning, when most evidently they belong, in special reference, only to the Church of God, as for example. In this very Epistle, 1 Corinthians 15:22, the Apostle saith, For us in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. And no truth can be more firm, and certain, and sure, when applied to the faithful in Christ Jesus. For, as the Church, as well is the world, is involved in the common death with all mankind, by reason of sin; so by virtue of the Church's union with Christ, the church becomes equally interested in the life, which is in, and by Christ Jesus. But what hath this to do with the unregenerate and such as have no union with Christ Jesus? There must be an union with Christ, before we can have communion with Christ. The Church, as well as the world, prove our union with Adam, by reason of sin, and as such partake alike in death, which is the sure consequence of sin. And, if we can equally prove our union with Christ by regeneration, as we do our oneness with Adam by generation; then, and not else, we take to ourselves the blessedness of this scripture: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But without this testimony, we have no part nor lot in the matter. I beg that this may be specially noticed by the Reader, according to its vast importance, not only in this place, but through the whole of the Apostolic writings. It is to the Church Paul writes. And it is of the Church, when speaking of privileges in Christ, Paul speaks.
But, we must not stop here. The Church is said to be sanctified in Christ Jesus. What sanctification means, is elsewhere shewn, particularly by Jude, when he saith, sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called, Jude 1:1. The Church of God in Christ hath been sanctified, set apart, chosen, and ordained by God the Father before the foundation of the world; and these acts of God the Father in his blessed covenant-offices, included all that related to the Church, during the whole time-state of the Church, until grace is swallowed up in glory. So that Christ is made, (as the close of this very chapter expresseth it), of God to the Church, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption: 1 Corinthians 1:30. See also 1 Corinthians 6:11. And what a blessed and comprehensive view doth this sanctification in Christ Jesus carry with it, through all the departments of the Church, from before the world, through the whole period of time, in, and through the whole eternal world, to which the Church is hastening?
One word more. The Apostle saith, Called to be saints. Yes! For before this call, the Church, though sanctified by God the Father, and betrothed to God the Son, yet being born in the Adam-nature of a sinful, fallen state, is in that state of sin, and must be called out of this state of nature to a state of grace, by the regenerating power of God the Holy Ghost. And until this is done, the Church is not brought into her high privileges, but in every individual instance of Christ's mystical body, is living without God, and without Christ in the world. But, when this sovereign act of God the Holy Ghost hath passed upon the soul of a poor sinner, and the Lord the Spirit hath quickened one of Christ's little ones, whom God the Father had chosen to holiness in Christ before the world began, and whose redemption Christ in the time-state of the Church had purchased with his blood; then is the child of God called with an holy calling, and from an unholy sinner is made an holy saint in Christ, and translated from the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son, Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9. And this blessed state to which the Church is called, (as the Reader it is to be hoped will perceive), becomes everlastingly safe and secure, being the joint work, and proceeding from the joint love, purpose, and will, of the whole Persons of the Godhead. And, therefore, the Apostle adds, that it is not to the Church of God which is in Corinth only, but to all Christ's church, and to every individual member of that Church in every place, who call upon Christ, the common glorious Head of his whole Church in heaven and in earth. A sweet intimation by the way, (and let not the Reader overlook it), of the eternal power and Godhead of Christ! For the calling upon the Lord Jehovah, was made by the Prophet the token of salvation, in the great and terrible day of the Lord). And the Apostle not only in this place, but elsewhere, applies this to Christ. Compare Joel 2:32 with Romans 10:12-13. And such is the Church of Christ. And to such, and such only, Paul sends this Epistle, both theirs, the Church at Corinth, and ours, all Christ's Church in every place, to whom the Apostle sends his usual benediction of grace and peace, which includes the whole blessings of the Covenant from all the Persons of the Godhead. So much for the introduction of this beautiful Epistle of Paul, wrote to the Church by his pen, under the immediate dictation of God the Holy Ghost. And I have been the more particular in the introduction of it, that the Reader might not only see, that it is addressed to the Church of Christ, with special reference to the Church, and not to the world; but also, how that Church is known by those blessed marks in those, who in every place as well as Corinth, call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.