“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”
with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
“With all in every place” indicate all believers for all generations. The Corinthian church was not the only church. Their church was not better than any other church.
The phrase “call on the name” intensifies the Corinthian church’s sense of identity. Corinthian believers were part of an extensive fellowship of believers. That was their characterization. Their actions reflect on the church as a whole. Those that “call on” the Lord are believers (Ac 4:12). Calling on the name of the Lord is a confessional act. The word “name” conveys the idea of essence. The Corinthian church called on the essence or the whole of the person and work of the Lord.
both theirs and ours:
All believers everywhere have the same Lord. All of them pray to the same Lord. No church can exclusively claim the Lord as their own. This is a rebuke to exclusiveness in church parlance. The Lord does not belong to one clique or church. He is their Lord and our Lord.
PRINCIPLE:
The object of prayer draws on the essence of the Lord.
APPLICATION:
The object of our calling is divine essence. The unique essence is uniquely the essence of Jesus Christ. His essence is sufficient for answered prayer. That is why we evoke God’s aid in duress. We look to Him for help that only He can give.
