The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 34

When the mists have rolled away from this world's ongoings, and everything is seen in its nalrnd reality, the faithfulness of Gori will stand out in clear relief. III. THE FAl'fJIFULNESS OF Gon IS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE SPHERE OF GRACE. Here it shines with conspicuous lustre. All round the circle you may trace it; but a few illustrations will suffice. God is faithful: 1. In regard to his promises. They are "precious and exceeding great" (2 Pet. i. 4), because "he is faithful that promised" (lleb. x. 23). Not one of them shall fail of fulfilment. The great promise containe,l in the protevangel (Gen. iii. 15) took long centuries to reach its development, but tho fulness of tho time came at last, and the seed of the woman blossomed into the Christ. Similarly, every promise of Goel shall be fulfilled in its season. What Joshnn said to Israel may be said to us when we h:we entered on the promised inheritance: "Yo know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed ot all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you" (Josh. xxiii. 14). 2. Jn regard to the pardon of sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our eins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John i. 9). A frank and full confession will always bring forgiveness, because God has plerlgecl himself to this. What an encouragement to keep nothing back from him ! His faith- fulness and righteousness demand the pardon of the penitent child. 3. In regard to temptation. "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," etc. (eh. x. 13; comp. 2 Thess. iii. 3). There is no promise to exempt believers from trial. 'l'emptation will surely come to us, as it came to our Saviour: and in that hour our security does not lie in our own watchfulness or strength, but in the faithfulness of God. '!'rue to his woru, true to the obligation implied in our effectual calling, he will always "deliver us from the evil." 4. In regard to perfect holiness. It is introduced in this connection here (vers. 8, 9) and iu 1 Thess. v. 23, 24, "And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly .... Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it." Having called us, he will complete the work thus begun. 'fht1 faithfulness of God is the pledge that we shall at last be "holy as he is holy." APPLY, 1. To Christians, as a ground of comfort. His faithfulness will carry yon through every valley of death-shade, and bring you home at last. 2. To the ungodly, as a ground of warning. God is faithful to his threatenings as well as his promises.-B. Vers. 10-17.-The factions at Corinth. The word translated "divisions" is the original of our word "schism," which means a "rent" as in a garment, and then a divi- sion in a society or a separation from it. These internal divisions had begun to show themselves at Corinth, if not in the form of regularly define<! parties, at least as forces that were moving in that direction, and which, if not checked, might soon lead to open rupture. On what principles these divisions rested, we are left to gather from the watchwords of each. 1. The Paul r_arty would consist for the most part of those who were the firstfruits of the apostles labours at Corinth, and who asserted his full apostolic authority. Not content with this, they had ranged themselves under his name in opposition to others. They seem to have boasted of their liberty in respect of some things which gave offence to more scrupulous consciences, such as eating things sacrificed to idols, and to have treated uncharitably the more contracted views of the Jewish Christians. 2. The .Apollos party is named after Apolios, who came to Corinth shortly after Paul's departure. He was" a Jew, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, ' and mighty in the Scriptures" (Acts xviii. 24); and from his education in his native city he was probably well acquainted with Greek philosophy and literature. Hence bis style of teaching was more learned and rhetorical than Paul's, and it attracted the more cultured among the Corinthians, who began to contrast it with the simple, unadorned style of the apostle. Agreeing in doctrine and spirit, the two teachers differed only in gifts and manner of teaching; but this did not prevent the would-be philosophers and rhetoricians of Corinth from using the eloquent Alexandrian's name as a party watchword. 3. The Cephas party was mainly composed of Jewish converts, unlike the two previous parties, which were made up of Gentiles. In it we recognizo the representatives of that Judaizing tendency which Paul had so frequently to combat. Bringing with them their notions of Jewish prerogative, they sought to impose the Law of Moses even on Gentile converts, and to bind a.bout the neck of Christianity the I. CORINTHIANS. D  34 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [cn.1; 1-31.