How does God give? 1 Corinthians 1:4-7

 1 Corinthians 1:4-7

4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

     One of the amazing things about the way that Paul starts this letter to Corinthian church is that no matter how many problems they have that he expresses thanks for them.  They have numerous problems including divisions, lawsuits, pride and sexual sin among them.  While Paul will address each of these problems it does not diminish the fact that they are still believers in Christ and he says that they have been enriched in knowledge and speech and are not lacking in any spiritual gift.  They were given the grace of God verse 4 by Christ and also enriched by Him in all things verse 5.  To confirm in verse 6 is a legal term (bebaloo) that means (according to Wycliffe commentary of 1 Corinthians) as a "properly guaranteed security".   God has confirmed you as a believer before the courts in heaven though you may not feel complete now.

 

      Years ago I attended a service at a charismatic church.  The pastor asked the congregation about how does God give.  He has some water and a empty pitcher at the front of the sanctuary.  He began to pour water into it and asked how full does God give to us?  Then he proceeded to pour until the water flowed over and onto the floor and it went everywhere!  This is the picture of how God gives to believers.  The word "enriched" in verse 5 is ploutizo in the greek and it means to richly furnish, to make rich.  He does not give in a way that is lacking vs.7.  Lacking is the word 'inferior to power, fail, to be in want, lack".   The problems in Corinth and with us is not because of God's unwilling to give spiritual gifts or that he is somehow lacking.  God is able to give exceedingly, abundantly beyond all that we can ask or imagine. Ephesians 3:20.

8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

    You notice in these verses who it is who is doing the work.  It is not up to our goodness or ability.  There is a passage in the bible about the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests in Exodus 29.  In this passage, what you notice is that Aaron just stands there.  He isn't chosen because he is greater than others or because of something he did.  He doesn't really do anything but is consecrated and washed by Moses.  In verse 8 of 1 Corinthians and verse 9 the emphasis is on what God does.  It is God who "keeps you firm to the end".   It is based on God's faithfulness verse 9 not our own.   Aren't you glad that it is not dependent on our faithfulness but on His!  The emphasis is on Christ who is mentioned 9 times in the first 9 verses of 1 Corinthians.