In 1 Corinthians 1:2 Paul equates, by the use of an appositive, “those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus” with “called saints.” In this verse the Greek words hagiazo (translated “sanctified”) and hagios (translated “saints”) are of the same root, which fundamentally means “separated, set apart.” To be holy is to be separated, set apart to God. The saints are the separated ones, the ones set apart to God, and sanctification to God is the practical effect, the character in activity, and the consummate state produced by being sanctified. We, the believers, have been sanctified; hence, we are called saints. The saints are simply sanctified ones, holy ones, those who have been set apart to God. Moreover, we need to note that the believers in Christ are called saints, not called to be saints. This is a positional matter, a sanctification in position with a view to sanctification in disposition. Verse 2 reveals the matter of our being in Christ positionally. We should never despise our position in Christ.
We should have the boldness to say that we are holy, and we should praise the Lord for the fact that we are saints. Concerning this we should not look at ourselves. Paul does not say that the Corinthians were sanctified in themselves; he declares that they had been sanctified in Christ Jesus. We need to forget ourselves and see that it is in Christ that we are sanctified.
God does not look at us as we are in ourselves; rather, He looks at us in Christ. Paul knew about the evil things in the church in Corinth. Nevertheless, in his opening word of 1 Corinthians he addressed them as those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and he called them saints. In themselves they were Corinthians, but in Christ they were saints. If we turn away from ourselves and look at Christ, we will be able to declare that we are saints. We will realize that a saint is simply a called one.
To be called by God is to be separated unto Him. Just as those who have been called into military service have been separated from civilian life and drafted into the service, when we were called by God, we were “drafted,” separated, by Him. As a result, we have been sanctified; that is, we have been separated unto His purpose. Therefore, we are the called saints.
In verse 2 immediately after revealing Christ as the Sanctifier, Paul unveils that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sanctifier, is our portion: “Those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints, with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, who is theirs and ours.” The phrase theirs and ours indicates that He is the portion of both the saints in Corinth and the saints who “call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place.” No matter where we may be when we call on the name of the Lord Jesus, Christ is both our portion and also the portion of all the saints. In every place, Christ is theirs and ours. If we say that a certain thing is ours, we indicate that it is our possession. In the same way, the phrase theirs and ours means that Christ is the portion possessed by all the saints. In other words, all the saints have Him as their unique portion. Therefore, verse 2 reveals that Christ as the all-inclusive One belongs to all believers and that all the believers jointly participate in Him.
Christ is our allotted portion given to us by God. Colossians 1:12 says, “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the allotted portion of the saints in the light.” This verse shows that Christ, the Son of God, is our portion. All Christians know that God has redeemed us, but not many realize that He has also qualified us to partake of Christ as the portion of the saints. The word portion in Colossians 1:12 indicates enjoyment. Christ is the unique enjoyment for all the saints. Nothing should be allowed to replace Him as our portion. Only the living person of Christ, not any doctrine or practice, is our portion.
The apostle added the special phrase theirs and ours at the end of 1 Corinthians 1:2 to stress the crucial fact that Christ is the unique center of all believers in any place or situation. In this Epistle the apostle’s intention was to solve the problems among the saints in Corinth. For all the problems, especially the matter of division, the only solution is the all-inclusive Christ. We have all been called into the fellowship of this Christ (1 Cor. 1:9). All believers should be focused on Him, not being distracted by any gifted person, any overstressed doctrine, or any particular practice.
Based on His economy, God has given Christ to us to be our portion. We may enjoy Christ our unique portion simply by calling on His name. When we call on the name of the Lord Jesus, we get His person, and then this person becomes our portion.