CHURCH OF CORINTH
1Corinthians 1.22. "to the church of GOD which is at Corinth."
Corinth was important cosmopolitan Greek city about fifty miles west of Athens. Only Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch had more people that Corinth. The city was on a major trade route and had a thriving economy there East and West converged with Greeks, Romans, Jews and a mixed multitude of sailors and merchants. Corinthian style architecture was famous. The Isthmian athletic games were held biennially (twice-yearly). By the end of the second century Corinth had become one of the riches cities in the world.
Paul believed that Corinth was a strategic center of influence, and there was already a large Jewish presence. But city was also full of sin, and considered to be one of the most wicked cities of ancient times. Moral degradation and perverted customs abounded. There many religions represented, and pleasure was worshiped more than principles.
Corinthian congregation from members of the household of Chloe (1Corinfians 1.11) and from other friends (1Corinfians 16.17). They reported that there were divisions and much sin in the congregation. There was gross immorality (an incestuous relationship), lawsuits between Christians in front of unbelievers, marital problems, arguments concerning meat offered to idols, matters of conscience, abuses during the Lord’s supper (Passover), disorderly conducts, confusion about the role of women in the church, and other issues what divided the church. These all produces tremendous response from Paul who went through all the issues of the disabled church.
Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible (KSB).
In verse 2 Paul also made one interesting point saying, "those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling." Words, "sanctified in Christ," mean became holy, which the following words confirm it, "saints by calling." This is very important statement because it is revealed that those whom Christ chose, selected, and prefer, He sanctified them, and they became holy men.
About holiness written a lot in the Bible and someone among Christians always argues about subject of holiness. But this Bible to not talks about Holiness of GOD as the same as the holiness of humans, these are two different Holinesses. Humans can be holy only on human level, but the Holiness of GOD is unreachable and belongs only to GOD father and His Son Jesus Christ.
So, "saints by calling" means exactly that, some of the church, who follow Jesus from the heart and obey His Commandments became saint whom GOD call to a certain mission (also called as fellowship. verse 9) with His Son Jesus Christ, giving them certain spiritual gifts (verse 7) and powers to be successful in allotted to them work.
Paul certainly already knew each and every one of them in the church of Corinth which is Paul, and his helpers established in Greece, and he also knew very well the rest of the church about whom he received very negative report. Paul treated newly converted Gentile to Christ as his own children and was often very disturb when he heard about their perverted behavior and their godlessness in the church, like a father who grief over his disobedient children.
For this reason, Paul again turned to subject of unity in the church, to have one spirit, one mind, one soul, and one heart in Christ, as Christ and His Father Are One in their Mind and Spirit. Unity is extremely important for the Christian world in order to do their mission on Earth, but unfortunately evil and corruption in the churches prevail due to the lack of Unity in Christ, and result of this failure of the church is very evident even today. Lack of understanding of the Bible forces many to follow their own favorites as indicated in verses 12-13, which is diminishes the importance of Christ in their lives.
Paul was so irritated by them that he had declared that he did not baptize any of them except few (14-16). By this Paul saying that he is not guilty of the wasted holy ritual of Baptism on those who are not of Christ and even worse. This proof one more time that Baptism is not something that automatically saves person and make him or her follow the Christ. Many murderers and scams were conducted by "Baptized" people but none of them will ever enter the Kingdom of GOD. For Baptism to work, it fully depends on a person who was Baptized.
But Hope for the church of Christ is not lost, GOD certainly will restore His church which He has built on Peter, at right and the appropriate time of His choice and convenience.