Sanctified and Holy

Listen to Paul's introductory words to the church at Corinth:

I Corinthians 1:2
"To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ-their Lord and ours."

I was beginning to read through the book of I Corinthians the other day, and couldn't seem to get past verse 2 (above). What do I do with this?

There is a lot packed in this little verse. This was written to a church where just a few versus later Paul is rebuking them on their divisiveness - he does this two different times in the first 3 chapters! Most of us know the other issues addressed in the book - namely sexual immorality, lawsuits, drunkeness in their gatherings.

Paul is saying the church is made holy through Jesus, and yet called to be holy. The church (its people) are set apart through Christ and yet called to be set apart. Reread the verse. What is he trying to say?

I believe he is saying "it is finished" - and yet there is still work to be done. This is a theme repeated in other scriptures throughout the new testament. We ARE sanctified in Christ, and yet called to be holy. So our job/duty/work is to trust in the finished work of Jesus in our lives in order to fulfull all we are called to be in Christ. Jesus alone has sanctified me, and because I am learning to trust more and more in that, I am becoming more and more holy. Wow!