< 1 Corinthians 1 >

The apostle as usual addresses the disciples as “saints” because all God’s people are such.

Like all true disciples they were “waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” and the apostle hoped they would live lives which would make them “blameless” in that day.

They had been “called unto the fellowship of God’s Son” which consists of a unity of people.

It is God’s will that this unity be preserved

These disciples were splitting into factions, identifying themselves with different leaders, i.e. Paul, Cephas (Peter) and Christ. This was wrong as only Christ was crucified for us and it is into his name we are baptized.

Paul was glad that he had baptized few of them, in case it was claimed he baptized in his own name.

The believer must be baptized but it matters not who actually immerses him or her in the water.

This verse is incorrectly quoted to support the contention that there is no requirement to be baptized! Christ commanded to believe the gospel and be baptized (Mark 16:16,Mark 16:16XWaiting for response John 3:5).John 3:5XWaiting for response Paul was sent to preach the gospel, but not especially to immerse people himself for this could be done by others. When Jesus himself baptized people, it was not he but his disciples that actually immersed them (John 4:2).John 4:2XWaiting for response

The Greeks prided themselves in their wisdom, and the writings of their philosophers such as Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle are admired by men today, but the Greeks' wisdom prevented them from accepting the wisdom of God because they thought it foolish. However, “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe”. A crucified saviour was “foolishness” to the Greeks because they exulted in the heroes of their mythology, and so they rejected the gospel.

The gospel was also a stumblingblock to the Jews because they could not accept that their Messiah would suffer and be crucified. But true disciples believe that both the suffering and the glory of Christ are essential to the purpose of God Luke 24:26Luke 24:26XWaiting for response

The statement: “we preach Christ crucified” is also often misunderstood as “Jesus crucified”. Many people claim the crucified Jesus is their saviour but, sadly, do not know either the meaning of his title “Christ” or the promises of God concerning his rulership in Israel. They therefore do not believe he will return to sit on the throne of the LORD over Israel or “the gospel of the kingdom of God” which is essential for salvation.

Because men trusted in their own wisdom and could not accept the simple truths concerning Jesus, not many wise or prominent men believed.

However, the purpose of God is not designed for man‘s glory, but for his own: “according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord”.