1st Corinthians 1:4-7 (Paul's prayer)
Thank you Father God for this time that we have to spend together to read and study your word rightly divided, in particular today this book of 1st Corinthians and learning more about how we as believers in the dispensation of grace ought to pray. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus's name we pray amen.
Verses 4-8 is Paul's prayer for the Corinthian believers. We should always pay attention to Paul's prayers as they teach us how we, as believers today in the dispensation of grace, ought to pray. If you notice, Paul prays about spiritual matters. Though we don't have sign gifts today, we can still pray in the same fashion but more based on what God is doing since the sign gifts ceased- such as praying for a believers edification, or that they be comforted by the scriptures etc.
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ
Let's go over the verses...
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
Paul is so thankful for these believers and also for God's amazing grace towards them because of Jesus's finished work (his death, burial and resurrection as atonement for our sins). He's also saying that he prays for them often. He keeps these believers in mind.
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
He's thankful that they are enriched (or abundant) first of all in speaking in tongues which was a gift given until the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) were done being written. The "tongues" that charismatic groups claim to speak today is NOT the same utterance or tongues that the early church spoke. The reason why it is different is because these particular spiritual gifts are no longer in operation today. They stopped at Acts 28:28. We will learn more about this in future chapters.
He's also thankful that they were abundant in knowledge. This was a supernatural knowledge regarding what the Lord had revealed to Paul before the revelation given to him was complete. This was another spiritual gift given at that time by the Holy Ghost.
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
These spiritual gifts were evidence of their salvation as well as Christ working in and through them. For us today, we don't have these spiritual gifts to prove to others that we are saved, but as we live out and speak the sound grace doctrine that we learn, then people can "see" that Christ lives in and through us (Angels are also watching and learning by observing Christ living in and through us as believers).
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
God wants the believers at this particular time to be blessed with the spiritual gifts and to eagerly await Christ's glorious appearing at the rapture. Awaiting the rapture helps to produce hope within us. It also produces patience (eagerly awaiting, but understanding that God is still extending his free gift of salvation by grace through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to all people today) and even charity (wanting to share the gospel with others so they can be saved too; wanting other believers to be properly established and edified in sound grace doctrine so that they have rewards in heaven). I believe that this is one reason why the rapture is imminent.
Homework: In this chapter do you notice any "helping words" such as "for", "But" etc? These words connect ideas or give further explanation.
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