1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NASBStr)
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “ Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
In this letter to the Church of Corinth, Paul is addressing a very immature group of believers based upon their limited teaching, but also their desire for pride and self-actualization. Paul wants them to know from the outside that their standing in Christ is firm and is a high calling (see verses 1-3 at the beginning of the book), but that it is also based entirely on what Christ did for them and not on their own merits. As he develops this theme, Paul indicates to them that their congregation is not made up of many high standing people, as measured by the standards of the flesh (see 1 Corinthians 1:26). He also wants them to know that both Jews and Gentiles reject Christ and the power of the Gospel message. But, this is not true for them. Because God so desired, they have been made in Christ the "wisdom" of God, the "righteousness" of God, the "sanctification" of God, and the "redemption" of God. Notice that the entire salvation experience is "in Christ" and "by His doing." When we are in Christ we have, through the Spirit, the very wisdom of God. There is not reason for us to flounder in the world of despair and the folly of this world. We HAVE the wisdom of God dwelling in us. We are also "righteous" in Christ. Christ has satisfied the demands of the Law and declared us righteous in Him (Romans 5). We are also "sanctified" in Christ. That means that Christ not only satisfied the penalty for sin in our lives He is freeing us from the power of sin in our lives to perfect us to holy living. The sanctification process is not in our work, but in His. He also have "redemption" in Him. That means Christ sets us free from the slavery of sin and the ties of sin. The salvation of Christ and in Christ is completely on His work and nothing on our work. We are to "boast' in The Lord. These verses teach that we should rejoice in the fullness of our salvation and don't attempt to take any credit for any part of it.
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