The word Greek word for grace is used one hundred forty-seven times in the New testament.1 Do you know where “grace” occurs the most often? It’s used twenty-six times in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians – the church that apparently was the most immoral! To the Philippians he only used the word “grace” three times. In Colossians he used it five times. In the letter to the Galatians, he used the word seven times. Yet to the church that WE would think needed less grace and more tongue-lashing about obedience, Paul spoke to them more about grace!
Whenever Paul found sin in the church, he always reminded them of who they were in Christ. Paul was very passionate about the believers living holy lives that honored Jesus, but he always taught them through their identity in Christ. For example, some of the Corinthian church members were going to temple prostitutes. This is how he responded to them:
“DO YOU NOT KNOW that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who IS in you?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)2
He reminded them of who was living in them: the Holy Spirit. He said, “the Holy Spirit who IS in you.” Present tense. The Holy Spirit was still in them even when they sinned! It would seem reasonable that the Holy Spirit would leave when they did such a horrendous thing as sleeping with a prostitute, but God’s eyes are on the perfection of Jesus’ work, not our sin. Can you comprehend a love that massive? The Corinthians’ biggest problem was ignorance of God’s love and what He had done for them. That’s why Paul kept saying, “Do you not KNOW…?”
Other church members in Corinth were suing each other. Again, look at Paul’s response:
“DO YOU NOW KNOW that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? DO YOU NOT KNOW that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
His rebuke was to remind them that one day they will judge the world and angels! In another place, Paul tells the Corinthians to stop arguing over what leader they follow:
“For all things are yours.” (1 Corinthians 3:21)
Again, he used present tense: “All things ARE yours!” God did not take away His love or His fellowship or His blessing because they sinned. Yes, Paul gave lots of exhortation in his letters to the Corinthians with this appeal:
“WE’RE ROOTING FOR TRUTH TO WIN OUT IN YOU.” (2 Corinthians 13:8, The Message)3
(from pages 246-247 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1G5485 (charis), Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, website: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G5485&t=KJV, accessed 6-5-14
2All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
3Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.”
