Red Ink
1 Corinthians 1:4-9
“I give thanks
to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given in Christ
Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and
knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you
are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of
his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:4-8)
Imagine yourself with a copy of the New Testament in one hand and a red pen in
the other. Your task is to read through the epistles, using your red pen to mark
every passage of correction, rebuke, or excoriation. Which would be the
“reddest” epistle? Romans and Galatians would have a few red marks where people
sought to impose the Law of Moses on Gentile Christians. Second Thessalonians
would have a big red mark in chapter 3 next to the idle brethren. Those
mentioned in Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus who sought to quarrel about
nonsense unrelated to the Gospel would be downright scarlet. But the reddest of
all epistles must be First Corinthians.
As I read the opening chapters, the pages are already starting to bleed red ink
as I underline verses about division in the church and allegiance to men over
Christ. It is so bad that Paul must ask, “Is Christ divided?” (1:13). I’m
putting giant red asterisks in the margins of chapter 5 as I read about the
church tolerating a man who had taken his father’s wife. Not even pagans
tolerated this level of sexual immorality (5:1). I’m horrified as I learn of
brethren suing each other and visiting prostitutes in chapter 6. I’m heartbroken
as I learn of brethren being deserted by unbelieving spouses in chapter 7.
Paul’s rebukes about proper observance of the Lord’s Supper (ch 11), misuses of
spiritual gifts in the assembly (chs 12-14), and those who said “that there
is no resurrection of the dead” (15:12) all go down in red. I’m going to
need a new pen.
Corinth was a problem-laden church, and Paul raked these error-ridden brethren
over the coals in this red epistle. Yet for all of the problems I am astounded
to come across a passage like this in the very same letter: “I give thanks to
my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ
Jesus…who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ” (1:4, 8). Paul was still thankful for these brethren and hopeful
about their redemption. Even more astoundingly, the sequel (a far less red
letter) tells of godly sorrow and repentance on the part of these brethren,
causing Paul to, “rejoice still more” (2 Cor 7:7).
What does our red ink experiment teach us? First, it teaches us that churches
have always had problems. The epistles, the historical account of Acts, and
Jesus’ evaluation of 7 churches in Asia reveals that almost all of them had
something wrong. Yet no inspired writer ever recommended shuttering the doors
the moment there was trouble. Some trouble in a church does not mean that its
lampstand will immediately be snatched away.
Second, it teaches us to temper our pessimism. Even when Paul came with the red
ink, he also came with commendations of what faith did exist and optimism about
future growth. When Jesus upbraided the church in Sardis, he still took note of
the few “who have not soiled their garments” (Rev 3:4). Does your local
church have some red? Sure it does. But I am certain there is also faith,
godliness, and spiritual growth there! Does the faith get as much of your focus
as the red? Do the good works being done get as much press as the neglect? With
God’s guidance and grace, we can even erase the red like Corinth did.
By
Drew Nelson
From Expository Files 22.5; May 2015