The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 32

the~- <li<l n0t lwld themsekes aloof from the evil around them, and regard themselves ns lwl~- unt0 the Lord. Believers now, as then, must keep themselves" unspotted from the world," for the sake of their spiritual health and their mission as the "slllt of the earth." 4. I'rayeifnl. 'l'hey "call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." They worship him as Lord. This is the distinguishing mark of Christians everywhere. They "honour the Son even as they honour the Father" (John v. 23). The believer is a man of prayer. Jesus Christ is to him a living Presence, near to hear and help. He worships him in the manifested glory of his person and perfection of his work. A prnyerless Christian is a contradiction in terms. 5. One in a common Lord. The Church Catholic is one in Christ. True unity does not consist in anythina outward as in a visible head, an identical creed, a uniform government; but in spiritual unio~ with the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence geographical divisions, denominational differences, do not destroy the Church's unity. All believers are branches of the same vine (John x,. 5), members of the same body (eh. xii. 12). The diverging radii of the circle find their point of union in the centre. A rebuke to the spirit of faction so strona0 in the -Corinthian Church. .A. warning against the narrowing influence of country or sect. The Church is not a mere club. The communion of saints is fellowship "with all that call on the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 'J'hese marks suggest: (1) The distinc- tion between the Church visible and the Church invisible. The Church visible consists of all that profess the religion of Christ, among whom there may be many that are not true believers. 'l'he Church invisible consists of all that are in living union with Christ the Head-all that have the marks here given. Paul addresses the actual Christian community at Corinth as "the Church of God," although it was disfigured by many corruptions: A field of wheat may have many weeds growing in it, but you still call it a field of wheat. The field as it is is a picture of the Church visible; remo,c the weeds so as to leave nothing but the pure wheat, and you have the Church in,isible. There never has been a perfectly pure Church on earth. While striving to .debar from her communion all that is manifestly unholy, absolute purity can never be laid down e.s a test of whether a Church is true or false. (2) A test of Christian prefession. Have we the marks here specified? Have we been called? Are we .consecrated ? etc. Ill. THE APOSTOLttl BENEDICTION. "Grace to you and peace." This is the usual form of the apostolic blessing (Rom. i. 7 ; 2 Cor. i. 2, etc.). Sometimes there is adJed "mercy" (1 Tim. i. 2; 2 Tim. i. 2); and in Jude 2 we have "mercy, peace, and love." .Grace and peace iuclude all the blessings of salvation. 1. GrO£e. 'l'he grace of God is a manifestation of love. •It is the free kindness of God towards the guilty and ill Jeserving. Grace and Mercy are twin sisters sent forth by Love to bless sinful men. They come to us hand in hand, alike, yet different. Grace looks upon the guilty and i;peaks words of pardon ; Mercy looks upon the miserable and stretches out the hand of pity. The idea of grace runs through the whole work ofredemption from beginning to encl. In purpose, plan, progress, perfection,-all is of grace. The prayer that grace may be to .a Christian means that he may realize and' make his own the grace of God in all the Iulness of its manifestation. Grace as a principle in the heart, the inner working of the Holy Spirit, enables us to appropriate the grace of God in Christ. The apostolic wish covers the whole of the Christian life, more particularly: (1) The grace that jubti,fies. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ .Jesus" (Rom. iii. 24). "It is of faith, that it may be according to grace" (Rom. iv. 16). Faith brings us immediate pardon and acceptance with God for the sake of .Jesus Christ; yet this is not always realized as a fact. The consciousness and comfort of this will not be enjoyed till it is se:m how thoroughly it is of grace. (2) The grace that sanctifies. Sin as a polluting and perverting power roust be overcome, and the fair features of our Father. brought clearly out. This also is of grace. Christ was made unto us sanctification (eh. i. 30), and this becomes ours through the gracious operation of the Spirit (2 Thess. ii. 13 ; 1 Pet. i. 2). Grace reigns where formerly sin reigned (Rom. v. 21). (3) The grace that strengthens (2 Tim. ii. 1). (a) In service (Phil. iv. 13). (b) In temptation (Heb. ii. 18). (c) In trouble (2 Cor. viii. 9). (d) In death (Ps. xxiii. 4; .eh. xv. 57). (4) The grace that glorifies (Ps. lxxxiv. 11). 2. Peace. Peace is the fruit uf ~race. It may be regarded as covering all the blessings which grace bestows. 'l'he uugds sang of "Peace on earth" (Luke ii. 14), as _the sum of the good things to b<1 ~H. 1. 1-31.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'fHE CORINTHIANS. 31