SUSTAINED BY GOD TO THE END: 1 Corinthians 1:8-9

OUTLINE

I. If you belong to Jesus, God Himself will sustain you to the end (v.8a)
II. If you belong to Jesus, when Christ returns God Himself will exonerate you, presenting you guiltless at the judgement (v. 8b)
III. God’s faithfulness is the reason Jesus’ people are presently sustained, and will be eventually presented guiltless (v. 9a)

I) Because God is faithful, your present sustaining and your future blamelessness is secure.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

II) Because God is faithful, you can say no when tempted.

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

III) Because God is faithful, you will be guarded against Satan.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 “the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”

V) Because God is faithful, you will not be thrown out of His family in moments of your unfaithfulness.

2 Timothy 2:13 “if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.”

VI) Because God is faithful, you can keep holding on to Christ and His gospel, knowing the promises will be fulfilled.

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

VII) Because God is faithful, you can entrust your soul to Him in the midst of even great suffering.

1 Peter 4:19 “Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

VIII) Because God is faithful, He forgives sin and cleanses of all unrighteousness those who confess and come to Him through Jesus.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

IX) Because God is faithful, you can believe every Word of the Bible.

Revelation 3:14 Jesus calls Himself, “the Amen, the faithful and true witness,”

X) Because God is faithful, you can trust Him to make righteous judgements and war on His enemies.

Revelation 19:11 “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.”

IV. The same faithful God that called you into fellowship with His Son, is the One that will both establish and exonerate you (9b)

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION

  1. Read verse 8. What is “the day of the Lord Jesus Christ”? What do you need to be in that day, according to verse 8? How can you be found “guiltless” given that you have sinned against God (Rom. 3:23)? How does Romans 8:1 help clarify? How will you be sustained “to the end” in order to be presented guiltless, according to the beginning of verse 8?
  2. Read verse 9. What does Paul teach us about God here? What does Paul mean by, “God is faithful”? What is the action that Paul ascribes to God in verse 9? What does it mean to be “called” by God, and how is that different than being called by a man? Into what does God call believers? What does it mean to be in “fellowship” with “Jesus Christ our Lord”?

Ekklesia Muskogee is a reformed baptist church that gathers for worship in Muskogee, Oklahoma. We confess the 1689 second London baptist confession of faith. We affirm the five solas of the Reformation as well as the doctrines of grace (otherwise known as the five points of Calvinism), and each of our pastors would not be ashamed to be called a Calvinist. We are a church led by elders, of which there is a plurality (also called pastors and overseers in the Scriptures). Our mission is to make disciples, love cities, and plant churches.