Enriched In Everything
Enriched. Just what does that actually mean? In Greek, it means to be made wealthy in a figurative sense. To make rich.
Our English dictionary defines it as: improve or enhance the quality or value of.
Why focus on this idea of being enriched in everything?
Because Paul, as an apostle to the Corinthians, declared this blessing, despite the fact that they were a messed-up people needing correction and guidance.
1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amazingly, Paul will go on in this letter to offer instruction and correction, but their need for such things does not alter his perspective of who they are, what God wants for them.
1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
Paul does not address them as sinners. He addresses them as saints. He then gives God thanks for the grace that has been given to them in Christ Jesus.
I love what follows that thanksgiving to God. Paul says they were enriched in everything!
Are you keenly aware that you are enriched in everything? How does this enrichment take place in our lives? By Jesus in all utterance and all knowledge.
This is being addressed to this church as it is experiencing several issues, some of which are serious in nature. They are being divided by preferences for teachers; they are tolerating a gross situation and calling it love, not realizing that they are not only ignoring the danger it can present to the church, but they are also ignoring the need of the person involved to be appropriately rescued. They are taking advantage of each other in some instances. When you read what's happening, you might be inclined to think this might be the most messed-up church ever. But here Paul is encouraging them and making them aware of who they truly are and what they have truly received in Christ. He says they have been enriched in everything! Why were they so enriched?
So that they might come up short in any gift while eagerly awaiting the revelation of Jesus Christ, who is going to confirm them to the end, so that they might be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ!
That should give you great hope today, even if you've been in a struggle. In Christ, you're still a saint, you've been enriched in everything! It is by seeing yourself in Him that the victory reveals itself. I pray you will come to the realization today just how enriched you truly are in everything in Him.
