Remember who you are. 1st Corinthians 1:1-9 It is a big mistake to compare human wisdom, which comes from education and word of mouth from others, with the wisdom and knowledge that come from God. Emphasizing human wisdom is misplaced, and because of that, some believers actually challenged the authority of the apostle Paul. When the Holy Spirit calls and empowers someone to preach the word of God, they are placed under the authority of divine Persons, and their word should be taken seriously.
Christians don't fit in well with the world socially, politically, or religiously. When God works in someone's life, the changes are unmistakable. Paul was dramatically transformed from someone who opposed the Gospel of Christ to an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will. He was appointed as an apostle after the Lord ascended into heaven. He was the only one appointed as an apostle in this way.
Christianity is not about outward conformity but about unity of purpose and the bond of mutual love and respect [Eph. 4:14-16]. Not every believer comes to Christ in the same way. Someone born into a Christian home, taught the way of salvation and God's truth from infancy, might find it natural to come to know the Lord early in life. In contrast, someone like Paul, who persecuted believers in Christ even to death, would experience a profound life change when God saves them.
The calling to apostleship was not because Paul decided to switch careers from an enforcer of Jewish tradition to a preacher of the Gospel, but because of God's purpose for him. God told Ananias that He had prepared Paul to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Paul himself understood that it was God's plan for him to go to the Gentiles so they would be "turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God." It would be a great privilege to work alongside such a "chosen vessel" in the Lord's work. Sosthenes was such a person.
I have had the privilege of sharing in Gospel work with some of the finest Gospel preachers of a past generation whom God has used significantly in the salvation of many souls. It is natural that when called by God to advance His work, we may be singled out and avoided because such work conflicts with the ambitions of those pursuing the world's goals. Our responsibility in God's work is to be available and willing to do whatever is His will. Paul was known as an apostle. Sosthenes was known as a brother. Whatever role God assigns us, we can be content with it and not seek to take a different one.
Human efforts to gain favor with God fall far short of true holiness. It is only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that we can be saved from our sins and accepted by God. God’s plan of salvation has no relation to the priorities of the worldly system. Salvation is far more valuable than anything else. Sanctification in daily life means small changes are needed in many areas of life. Our holiness in God's eyes comes because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf. Holy living requires spiritual awareness of everything I do, as it reflects on my Lord Jesus. Dedication to serving God calls for moral holiness.
Those believers who are part of a church have been not only called out of the world but also called to a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. These "called out" people have been called to be a community of believers who form a local church that belongs to God. There is "a life" in such a body that is not found in an organization but exists within an organism. Such individuals have been set apart by God and for God. God calls believers to "be ye holy for I am holy." It is not just something one joins, but a living body of believers to which we have been joined by the Spirit of God and a commitment to God's truth. To be part of a church of God is not merely membership but an essential part of something, like a finger or an eye is part of a body. To be privileged to be such a member is an act of God's grace.
This uniqueness exists not only in one place but everywhere God calls His people to be united in a local body under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ's name. Each body has distinct characteristics, yet they also share similarities. The body of a bird, fish, or animal is easily distinguishable from that of a human. While each human body has similar parts, it also has unique features that set it apart from others. The same applies to an assembly. Corinth was different from Ephesus. Thessalonica was not identical to Berea. But everywhere and with everyone, God's grace has been experienced. Peace should be a characteristic of each group; grace and peace come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
That grace was not given to us because God owed it to us. It was given to us because we are accepted in the Beloved—in Christ Jesus. For His sake and because of Him, we have received what is needed to be effective in our calling "in Christ Jesus." Gifts—the supernatural abilities that have been dispensed to us by God—are not for us to be proud of but are to be used effectively for the reason God gave them. They are to be a blessing to others and a benefit to the proper functioning of the body of believers who gather together under the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a cause to thank God when we see the operation of the gifts producing the desired effect among God's people. God has given us what we need to do all He desires of us.
To be a witness for God in an ungodly place where we do not fit in, we need the divine enablement of the spiritual gift He provides. The strength and will to do what He has in mind are always available to us. His strength is essential to keep going when times get tough. The description of 'blameless" may not always be visible in God's people. It might not be evident in the work we have been called to do, but it is expected that those who belong to the Lord will avoid compromising the commission given to us. On a future day at the Judgment Seat of Christ, only those things that reveal God's glory will be displayed. The lives and service of the saints will be evaluated appropriately by the One who has called us into fellowship with Him.
Fellowship with the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is such a privilege that the challenge is to remain loyal to Him, who loves us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. He is God's Son, Jesus our Savior, the Christ—the Messiah from heaven. He is our Lord and Master, holding supreme authority over us and everything we do. No wonder we are thankful people despite the ungodly world in which we live.
Being part of the brotherhood of saints in this unrighteous world is unique. We have already experienced the grace and peace that those in the world desire. We know the purpose of our life. We don't need to wait or wonder if God, in His wisdom, has gifted us for His own, to fit together in the ecclesia. To the world around us, we're like a square peg in a round hole, made to fit everyone. They want us to be as much like them as possible so they won't question what is acceptable. Someone called to be holy and who invokes the name of Jesus the Lord doesn't belong in a system where committed Christianity is despised.
God has provided us with what is necessary to fulfill His divine purpose for us. Anything else we focus on holds little more value than empty words. The truly meaningful things we speak of and understand come by grace alone, and when used as God intends, He is glorified through the work done. Being part of a local church provides a platform for God-given gifts to benefit others and advance His kingdom. The needed abilities and strength come from Him, who originally chose His servants to represent Him and the Gospel in this world. When we diligently work by faith, we trust what He has entrusted to us, and fellowship with others enables us to bless those around us.
Our fellowship with the Lord's people is precious; we need to nurture it daily by using the spiritual gifts God gives us so we can strengthen each other along the way. We have also been called into a fellowship that is greater than we can imagine. Our fellowship with God's Son, Jesus Christ, began when we believed in the Lord. Now, day by day, in our walk as those who are sanctified and called to be holy, we find ourselves separated from the world when we gather in His name alone. All around the world, there are those who gather in the same manner as we do here. What a day of rejoicing and blessing it will be when we see our Savior together!