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The Church of God at Corinth and All in Every Place
1 Corinthians 1:2
Our verse naturally falls into two parts, as the title indicates—first the church of God at Corinth, and, second, all in every place. We begin with “the church of God which is at Corinth.”
The first thing which comes before us is the name by which the true church is called and addressed: It is “The Church of God.” We often hear the expression, “the Church of Jesus Christ” in Christendom. I can’t think of any Scripture where believers are called “the Church of Jesus Christ.” In Romans 16:16, where local churches are spoken of, we get the expression “Churches of Christ.” However, the correct and Scriptural name for New Testament believers is “The Church of God” (2 Corinthians 1:1). It is needless to say that a building or any meeting place of Christians is never called “church,” “house of God,” or by any sacred name in Scripture. To attach any meaning to a building or room because the saints meet in it is Jewish, and idolatry in principle. It is important not only to say the right thing but to say it in Scriptural language.
“The Church of God”—what a name! What rich thoughts it brings before us! The statement, “The Church of God which is at Corinth” first tells us that there was a church in that city in contrast with the religious confusion of idolatry; and there is a Church of God today in every town, city, and location where there are Christians. But, let it be understood, that by “The Church of God” we do not mean the organization and denomination called “Church of God” which today we find in many places. That is not a Church of God, much less the Church of God.
Secondly, this was the Church of God, not a church, which means that there was only one Church of God in Corinth. And there is only one true church today in any given locality. There may be, and usually are, many different groups of religious people and denominations with various names in every place, but there is never more than one Church of God in one locality. In Revelation 2 and 3, seven cities are mentioned in which there were Christians, but there was only one church in each city. It is “the church”—the singular number in every case.
Thirdly, that Church in Corinth was “of God,” which means that it had its origin in God. It belonged to Him, and it had His nature and character; it was “of God” in the full sense of the word. What a Church! Who today in Christendom grasps the meaning of “The Church of God,” or her name? The significance of it seems to be entirely lost from the minds of the people in the haze of divisions and confusion. Do we in any measure at all understand the import of the name, “The Church of God?” Or is it to us only another name for a social and religious gathering?
Again, the statement, “The Church of God which is at Corinth, also clearly indicates that that church was the only institution in Corinth which God owned as His, and the Church of God is the only body on earth today which He owns. Nor does the Word of God recognize any other religious institution or organization, regardless of the name it bears, or for what purpose it was established, and how much good it may accomplish—the system itself and the arrangement is of man, and not “of God.” The church only is said to be “of God” This may sound very severe and narrow to some, but we cannot say anything less and be true to the Word of God. Let me therefore candidly ask, should a saint be in something, and part of it, that is not “of God?” He allows those organizations to go on and blesses His Word wherever it is preached. The Lord promised blessings to Jeroboam if he would obey Him, even though he was not in Jerusalem but in division (1 Kings 11:38).
“God hath set some in the church” (but not in any of those human organizations) “first, apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers ….” (1 Corin-thians 12:28). Man sets officers and teachers in his institutions (2 Timothy 4:3). The Church, as a divine thing, is enough to meet all of the needs of all the saints; and all the activities must be by individuals in connection and in fellowship with the Church of God (See Acts 13:1-8 and Acts 15). But Suppose the church fails in her responsibility, as is sadly the case? Shall we then set God’s arrangement and methods aside and introduce our own? That’s what the Children of Israel did when they asked for a king like all the nations had (1 Samuel 8).
So then, the Church of God is the only institution for saints and we must not make or organize more, nor belong to any other than to the Church of God. Our only membership is in the body of Christ. A saint has nothing to join in the religious world. As soon as we begin to organize, we have to legislate and make creeds. The Word of God regulates the Church only.
The next question is, who belonged to that Church at Corinth? What kind of people composed the Church of God at Corinth? A two-fold statement answers that question and gives us a definition of a true Church.
First, they were “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” “Sanctified” means “set aside”—separated for a special purpose. But separation always has two aspects: It is from something and to something. Let the inspired writer give us the correct meaning of sanctification: “Simon had declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.” (Acts 15:14). “Out of them” gives us the first aspect and “for His name” expresses the second aspect. And what made this sanctification so wonderful and thorough and complete? It was not done by any human effort, by an act of surrender, but “in Christ Jesus.” That is, they were sanctified as much as Christ! Their sanctification was no second work of grace, so-called, but the first and the last work of grace. “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:14). Secondly, they were “called to be saints,” or saints by calling. Here again, they had not become saints by anything they had done, but by what God had done—it was His call. The same thing that made Paul an apostle had made these Corinthians saints. Paul was an apostle by calling. “Saint” is God’s name for every believer. So then all the sanctified people in Corinth were saints; and they (and they only) in Burbank, and in every other locality, represent and are the Church of God in that place.
What a marvelous institution the Church of God at Corinth must have been, and every true believer belonged to it and was part of it without joining. No man can join the Church of God, and no one can leave it. A saint may leave the meetings, that is the assembly which is only a local expression of the Church of God, if it is a Scriptural assembly. And if a believer discontinues the meeting, as we say, that is either a sign that he does not see the meaning of an assembly and of the Church of God, or else he is acting in self-will and rebellion, thus sinning against the Lord and against God, and not merely against some of the saints who he thinks to be wrong, or who really may be wrong. Such an act would, in principle, be the same as when Israel said, “what portion have we in the house of David?” (1 Kings 12:16). The Lord called that “rebellion.” All this, solemn as it is, makes the church of God and the assemblies more wonderful institutions. Oh, that we would begin to learn the meaning, the significance and the beauty of the church of God and the assembly. It certainly would change our conduct. We would no longer think we can come and go as we please, according to our likes and dislikes. May this truth penetrate and bear fruit for His glory!
The second part of our verse brings before us something equally wonderful and strange, something almost unheard of in our day. It is expressed in the following words, “with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” The Apostle, after presenting the Church of God at Corinth to us in her exalted standing in Christ, takes her and puts her together in identification with “all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” First, is “with all.” The word “with” does not only compare her with others but identifies her with them in fellowship without any distinction and difference. The word “all” includes every single believer in that place. And not only is it every person in that place, but he goes on to say “in every place” no matter how many miles apart they may be, with oceans between. Distance does not affect fellowship, neither as to privilege, nor as to responsibility. And here the apostle does not even call them “saints” as in connection with the Church of God at Corinth, but simply says “that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” If they confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, they were responsible with the Church of God at Corinth and the Church of God at Corinth with them (See 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 12:3 and 2 Timothy 2:19).
And when those saints at Corinth divided themselves into four schools or parties, as we see in verse 12, Paul did not recognize them as four new assemblies. He, by divine inspiration, had another name for them, even though they were using his own name, that of Apollos, that of Peter, and even the name of Christ, to label their parties. He called them “divisions” and heresy (1 Corinthians 11:19). What strong language to be applied to a group of saints, and that not for any false doctrine, but only for the sin of divisions among themselves.
And if any one group of the others “that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord” should take an independent ground, no matter how many miles away as to location, and regardless of the name it might take, it would no longer be an assembly according to Paul’s doctrine. Such an independent meeting would not be an expression of the church of God, of the “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15), nor answer to the one loaf (1 Corinthians 10:17); but, severe as it may sound, it could only be called a sect in Scripture language. The very one perfect loaf on the table at the Lord’s supper would condemn the position of such a meeting, though as individual believers they were still remembering the Lord.
This only shows how very far Christendom with all its almost innumerable denominations and organizations—called churches—has departed from the precious truth of the body of Christ and the unity of all the believers. The doctrine may be still on their lips, but the truth surely is not in their hearts. Even the one loaf may still be on the table every First Day of the week, but the meaning of it be unknown. In such a case we have reason to ask, “Is it still the Lord’s supper or has it become man’s supper? (1 Corinthians 11:21).
And after the Apostle has identified the Church of God at Corinth, “with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,” to put the finishing touch on this so glorious but much forgotten truth, he places them all under one Head—under one Lord and Authority—by saying “our Lord both theirs and ours.” “The Church of God at Corinth . . . with all that in every place” owned one Lord and were together responsible to Him.
Now tell me, where, or how, does a statement like this leave any room for even a thought of independent assemblies? It is utterly impossible.
But, if such is the truth (and it is), judging from our own past and sad experiences, we must admit that we have not shown enough humility, love, and grace to fellow believers around us to press these principles upon them. Yet, this fact would be no excuse for giving up the truth, nor even for modifying it; but it should bring us very low with our faces in the dust in confession before the Lord. What have we done, what are we doing with such a treasure—that glorious truth? Have we sought to tell it to others—yea, to live it before them so that we indeed could say “Come and see?” We ought to be able to cause them to see and feel the truth by the way we enjoy it in our own souls.
With these solemn, yet happy thoughts before us, let us humbly accept the beseeching of the “prisoner of the Lord” to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3).
H. F. Klassen
(From an address at Burbank, California)