John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 1:9

"God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." — 1 Corinthians 1:9 (ASV)

God is faithful. When the Scripture speaks of God as faithful, the meaning in many cases is that in God there is steadfastness and consistency, so that what he begins he carries through to the end, as Paul himself says elsewhere, that the calling of God is without repentance (Romans 11:29). Therefore, in my opinion, the meaning of this passage is that God is steadfast in what he purposes.

This being the case, he consequently does not trifle with his calling, but will unceasingly take care of his work. From God’s past benefits we should always have good hope for the future. Paul, however, has something higher in view, for he argues that the Corinthians cannot be cast off, having been once called by the Lord into Christ’s fellowship.

To understand fully, however, the force of this argument, let us observe first of all, that everyone ought to regard his calling as a token of his election. Furthermore, although one cannot judge with the same certainty about another’s election, yet we must always, in charitable judgment, conclude that all who are called are called to salvation—I mean efficaciously and fruitfully. Paul, however, addressed his words to those in whom the word of the Lord had taken root, and in whom some fruits of it had been produced.

If anyone objects that many who have once received the word afterwards fall away, I answer that the Spirit alone is to each person a faithful and sure witness of his election, upon which perseverance depends. This, however, did not prevent Paul from being persuaded, in charitable judgment, that the calling of the Corinthians would prove firm and immovable, as they were persons in whom he saw the tokens of God’s fatherly benevolence.

These things, however, do not by any means tend to produce carnal security. To divest us of such security, the Scriptures frequently remind us of our weakness. Rather, these points simply confirm our confidence in the Lord. Now this was necessary, so that their minds might not be disheartened on discovering so many faults, as he later presents to their view.

The sum of all this may be stated as follows: it is characteristic of Christian candor to hope for the best for all who have entered on the right way of salvation and are still persevering in that course, even though they are at the same time still beset with real failings.

Each one of us, too, from the time of his being illuminated (Hebrews 10:32) by the Spirit of God in the knowledge of Christ, ought to conclude with certainty from this that he has been adopted by the Lord to an inheritance of eternal life. For effectual calling ought to be to believers evidence of divine adoption; yet in the meantime we must all walk with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). I will touch on this point again to some extent when we come to the tenth chapter.

Into the fellowship. Instead of this translation, Erasmus translates it into partnership. The old interpreter renders it society. I have preferred, however, to render it fellowship, as bringing out better the force of the Greek word κοινωνιας. For this is the purpose of the gospel: that Christ may become ours, and that we may be engrafted into his body. Now when the Father gives him to us in possession, he also communicates himself to us in him; and from this arises a participation in every benefit.

Paul’s argument, then, is this: “Since you have, by means of the gospel which you have received by faith, been called into the fellowship of Christ, you have no reason to dread the danger of death, having been made partakers of him (Hebrews 3:14) who rose a conqueror over death.”

In short, when the Christian looks to himself, he finds only reason for trembling, or rather for despair. But having been called into the fellowship of Christ, he ought, as far as assurance of salvation is concerned, to think of himself no differently than as a member of Christ, so as to reckon all Christ’s benefits his own. Thus he will obtain an unwavering hope of final perseverance (as it is called), if he reckons himself a member of him who is beyond all risk of falling away.