Grace and Peace in Corinth
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:3 (NIV)
Paul greets divided Corinth: grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings' purpose medicates before operating. Letters beginning with grace end with restored order. Corinth needed peace before correction. Apostolic greetings already preached: grace for guilty, peace for quarreling.
Grace and peace: the pair resolving divisions. Corinth split into parties; Paul offered uniting pairs. Grace pardons offenses, peace seals coexistence. Greetings' purpose recalls commons before addressing divergences. Divided churches must return to basics: same grace, same peace, same Father.
From God our Father: single Fount for multiple factions. All drink from one spring; nobody owns private wells. Common fatherhood's purpose kills partisanships. Of Paul, of Apollos, of Cephas — all of God. Single Fathers breed single families. Trinitarian greetings dismantle cliques.
And the Lord Jesus Christ: single Lordship over various opinions. Lordship's purpose unifies loyalties. One Lord, one head, one body. Corinth owned many voices; needed one Voice. Submit opinions to Lordship restoring peace. Divided lordships breed divided churches.
And greet in grace: apostolic greetings pacify churches. Greet in grace today. Apostolic greetings pacify. Unite factions. Heal splits. Bind wounds. Pray together. Worship one. Serve one. Love one.