Divided: Used by God

The recent snow and ice storm across Memphis has done more than cancel plans and close roads—it has forced us to slow down. When the normal rhythms of life are interrupted, we are reminded how much we depend on things we usually take for granted. In moments like this, the church is also reminded of something deeply important: while we may be scattered physically, we are never separated spiritually. The church has never depended on a building to be the church. Wherever God’s people gather around His Word, God is present and at work.

That truth makes the opening verses of 1 Corinthians especially timely. Paul wrote to a church that was struggling—divided, immature, and shaped more by its culture than by Christ. Yet Paul does not begin with correction. He begins by reminding them who they are and whose they are. His confidence is not rooted in the Corinthians’ faithfulness, but in God’s. Before addressing what is broken, Paul anchors the church in what is unshakable.

Paul opens by reminding the Corinthians that God is the one who builds His church. He introduces himself as “called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will” (1 Corinthians 1:1, CSB). Paul did not appoint himself, and the church did not create him. God called him. In the same way, the Corinthian believers were not self-made followers of Jesus. They were “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints” (v. 2). Their identity was settled before their behavior ever was. They belonged to Christ, even while they still had much growing to do.

This is an important reminder during seasons of disruption. When life feels uncertain or disordered, it is easy to let circumstances define us. Paul reminds us that God defines His people by grace, not by performance. We are saints not because we are perfect, but because we are in Christ. The church remains God’s possession even when it feels fragile, scattered, or imperfect.

Paul then shifts his focus to gratitude. “I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus” (v. 4). That statement is remarkable given what Paul knows about this church. His gratitude is not based on their maturity but on God’s generosity. Grace is the foundation of the Christian life from beginning to end. It is not only how we are saved; it is how we are sustained.

Paul goes on to say that the Corinthians were “enriched in him in every way” and that they “do not lack any spiritual gift” (vv. 5, 7). God had not held anything back from them. They had everything they needed to live faithfully, even if they were not always using those gifts wisely. God’s provision was complete, even when their obedience was inconsistent. That truth reassures us that God does not abandon His people when circumstances become difficult or when growth feels slow.

Paul connects this present grace to future hope by pointing the church toward the return of Christ. Believers live between what Christ has already done and what He will one day complete. As the church “eagerly wait[s] for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 7), God promises to strengthen His people to the end. Christian hope is not wishful thinking; it is confident expectation grounded in God’s promises.

The foundation of that hope is found in one simple declaration: “God is faithful” (v. 9). The Corinthians were not always faithful, but God was. He called them into fellowship with His Son, and He would not let them go. The same is true for us. Our security does not rest in stable circumstances, perfect attendance, or uninterrupted routines. It rests in the character of God.

This storm will pass. The ice will melt, roads will reopen, and we will gather again. Until then, the opening words of 1 Corinthians remind us that we are still the church—called by grace, gifted by God, and kept by His faithfulness. Even when we are scattered, God is steady. Even when life slows down, His promises do not. And even now, He continues to build His church.