Maturing in Purity and Unity: Lessons from Corinth

“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.” —1 Corinthians 1:2

The city of Corinth, with its rampant immorality, status-obsession, and idolatry, was an unlikely place for a flourishing church. Yet Paul begins his letter by addressing the believers there as "God’s holy people." What a remarkable truth: these believers, struggling in so many ways, were already sanctified in Christ and called to grow into what they were made to be.

The letter to the Corinthians reminds us that being positionally holy in Christ doesn’t mean we’re immune to sin. God’s holy people are a work in progress, called to maturity in both purity and unity. And just as Corinth’s society deeply influenced its church, we too must guard against the values of the world seeping into our lives and causing disunity among God’s people.

A Picture of Maturity: The Seed and the Plant

Paul uses the metaphor of a seed growing into a plant (1 Corinthians 3:6–8) to illustrate the process of spiritual maturity. When we are saved, we are like seeds planted in fertile soil. Positionally, we are fully God’s holy people. But practically, growth takes time, care, and nourishment. The seed doesn’t stay a seed—it grows into what it was designed to be.

Maturing in purity means shedding worldly influences and growing into Christlikeness. Maturing in unity means allowing love to be the defining mark of our relationships within the church. As Paul reminds the Corinthians, “pursue love” (1 Corinthians 14:1), because love reflects the essence of the gospel.

The Gospel as Our Guide

The gospel permeates every solution Paul provides for the Corinthian church. Whether addressing divisions, sexual immorality, or misuse of spiritual gifts, the answer always points back to the work of Christ—His death, resurrection, and lordship. The gospel is both our foundation and our guide for living as God’s people.

For example, when the Corinthians clung to their “rights” in ways that harmed others, Paul reminded them that Christ gave up His rights for their sake. When they misused their spiritual gifts, Paul pointed them to love as the proper context for exercising those gifts. When they doubted the resurrection, Paul affirmed that Christ’s bodily resurrection guarantees ours as well.

The same gospel that saves us is the gospel that transforms us. It enables us to grow in purity, unites us as one body, and reminds us of our ultimate hope in Christ.

A Prayer of Confidence

Father,
Thank You for calling us to be Your holy people, sanctified in Christ and secure in Your love. Thank You for planting the seed of new life in us and faithfully growing us into the likeness of Jesus. We rest in the truth that You have given us all we need for life and godliness. May Your gospel guide us in every area of life, leading us to greater purity and unity as Your people. We trust You to complete the good work You have begun in us, all for the glory of Christ. Amen.

Final Thought

The church in Corinth faced countless challenges, yet Paul reminded them—and reminds us—that God’s holy people are both a finished work in Christ and a work in progress. As we lean into the gospel, we can trust God to grow us in love, purity, and unity, transforming us into who we were always meant to be