Paul begins his letter to the Corinthians in a way that almost seems surprising once we know what’s coming...

This church has problems. There are divisions among them. They’re arguing over leaders. They’re competing for status. They’re impressed by eloquence, wisdom, and influence. Later in the letter, Paul will confront sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, confusion about marriage, worship, spiritual gifts, the Lord’s Supper, and even the resurrection. There is plenty to correct.

But Paul begins with Jesus...

Again and again in the opening verses, he names Jesus Christ. The Corinthians have been made holy in Christ. They belong to a larger people who call on the name of Jesus. Grace has been given to them through Christ. They are waiting for Christ’s return. God will strengthen them to the end. They have been called into fellowship with Christ.

Before Paul tells them what’s wrong, he reminds them whose they are. That becomes especially important when Paul reaches the divisions within the church. Some are identifying themselves with Paul. Others prefer Apollos. Others claim Cephas. Still others announce that they belong to Christ, apparently turning even the name of Jesus into another faction.

Paul cuts through all of it with a question: “Has Christ been divided?” (v. 13). Of course not.

Their problem isn’t just that they have different preferences. It's that their preferences have begun to compete with their primary allegiance to Jesus. They’re measuring themselves and one another using the same categories their surrounding culture valued: influence, reputation, impressive teachers, persuasive speech, wisdom, strength, and status.

Paul refuses to play that game. Instead, he points them toward the cross. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are being destroyed. But it is the power of God for those of us who are being saved” (v. 18). The cross overturns nearly every measure of greatness Corinth would have recognized.

Rome used crucifixion to display weakness, humiliation, and defeat. Yet Paul announces that precisely there, in the crucified Christ, the wisdom and power of God have been revealed.

We don’t become God’s people because we found the right teacher, joined the right group, developed enough wisdom, gained influence, or became impressive enough to deserve a place. Paul tells the Corinthians to remember who they were when God called them. By the standards of their society, most of them were not especially powerful, wealthy, well-connected, or important. “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (vv. 27). Their life together was a work of grace from beginning to end. So is ours.

That doesn’t mean wisdom, leadership, education, or giftedness are bad. Paul himself was educated, gifted, and capable of powerful argument. Apollos was apparently an excellent teacher. The problem comes when gifts that should serve Christ become ways of measuring ourselves against one another. The Church becomes unhealthy when we begin asking who is most impressive instead of asking whether we are becoming like Jesus.

Who has the strongest following? Who gets the credit? Whose idea won? Whose ministry matters most? Whose voice carries the most weight? Paul takes all of those questions and places them beneath the cross.

Our identity is not ultimately found in the people we admire, the groups we belong to, the accomplishments we can point toward, or the reputation we have built. Paul says that Christ himself has become for us “wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (v. 30). Even our holiness begins with Jesus.

God has graciously set us apart as God’s people, and that grace now calls for our response. The Holy Spirit continues shaping a people whose lives increasingly resemble the crucified Christ—humble, loving, faithful, holy, and willing to serve rather than compete for recognition. That kind of community will look foolish to a world obsessed with being somebody. But it looks like Jesus. And Paul says that if we’re going to boast about anything, let us “boast in the Lord.”

The Corinthians had many issues Paul needed to address. But before dealing with any of them, he brought them back to the center. We probably need the same reminder. Jesus is not one loyalty among many. Jesus is the center from which every other part of our lives must find its proper place.

Pay attention today to one place where you’re tempted to compare yourself with someone else—your influence, ability, recognition, success, or even your spiritual life. Instead of feeding the comparison, thank God for the grace you’ve received and ask how that gift can be used to serve Christ and others.