Wednesday, 12 March 2014
…who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:8
This finishes up the long thought which began in verse 4. Since then, Paul:
1) Thanked God for His grace given to them by Christ Jesus
2) This grace would enrich them in everything; by all utterance and knowledge
3) Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in them
4) So that they would lack no gift as they awaited the revelation of Christ
And it is He, Jesus Christ, “who will also confirm you to the end.” This is another of the multitude of verses concerning “eternal salvation.” Despite our own weaknesses, we shall be confirmed to the end. We have been given God’s grace to help us along the way, but even if we should fall and fail to act upon the gifts we have been given, we will still be “confirmed.” We are established in Christ and it is He, not us, who bears the ability to continue us in Him “to the end.”
As we live, or in our death, we belong to Jesus Christ as Lord. No power in heaven or on earth can remove us from our position, granted by grace through the exercising of our faith. It is this act which then shows us to “be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Greek word anegkletous is used for “blameless.” This word indicates a judicial standing. Though we may fall into sin, the sin will not be counted against us. Because we have moved from Adam to Christ, we are in Him and free from blame and condemnation. In essence, there is no charge of crime because of our position in Him.
This doesn’t mean, and the Bible never promotes, that we should willingly sin. We are to conduct ourselves in holiness and righteousness. The church has the right to take action against those who flagrantly and openly flaunt sin as will be seen in Chapter 5. But in that chapter, using an actual case of open disobedience, Paul never questions the salvation of the sinner. Rather, he assumes that his salvation is secure. However, he will suffer judgment and trouble in this world at the hand of Satan so that his “spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 1:5.
This “day of our Lord Jesus Christ,” which is also referred to in that passage in 1 Corinthians 5, is the day when we will stand before Him and receive our judgment for deeds in the flesh, but it is just that – a judgment of rewards and losses; not one for condemnation or salvation.
Life application: Salvation is eternal. We are saved despite ourselves. However, we will face many trials and troubles in this life if we fail to live up to the standards which Christ has set in His word for us. We will also suffer loss when we face Him at the bema-seat of judgment. How much better to live rightly, uphold His standards, and persevere in Him now. By doing so, our life will be rich and full and our judgment will be one of great reward.
Lord God, thank You that because of the work of Messiah I have no fear of condemnation. Your word assures me that in Him I have been confirmed to the end and that I will stand blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. I truly am in awe of Your great and gracious Gift. I stand in awe of Jesus! Amen.