Verse of the Day (November 21, 2019)

Verse of the Day (November 21, 2019) #BMSeminary – In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses a church that, like many in our day, is both deeply flawed and greatly loved. To prepare his readers to confront the many challenges to their spiritual maturity, he reminds them that God’s people possess the resources needed for spiritual growth and transformation. We are united to Christ (“in Christ Jesus”; vv. 2, 4). We share fellowship with him and with God as our Father (vv. 3, 9). As a result, we receive the blessings of grace, peace, and the gifts of the Spirit (vv. 3–7). Though we were once defiled by sin, God has now cleansed us and made us his holy people through Christ’s perfect sacrifice (“sanctified,” “saints,” v. 2; “guiltless,” v. 😎. Confidence that we can grow in holiness rests not on ourselves but on the faithfulness of God and of his Son Jesus, who will “sustain [us] to the end” (vv. 8–9). The logic of the epistle is therefore clear: the kind of repentance, holy living, and self-sacrificial love that should characterize believers in Christ can be realized only by the supply of, and dependence upon, gospel provisions. (Gospel Transformation Study Bible)