Was 1 Corinthians written to Israel, or to the assembly?
First Corinthians was written to the assembly, not to Israel. Paul addresses the epistle to the called-out assembly at Corinth—those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call upon the name of Jesus Christ. He distinguishes this from Old Testament writers and the Twelve, who ministered to the nation of Israel.
Les explains that when reading Scripture, you should always determine to whom it was addressed. Here, Paul is not writing to the nation of Israel as Isaiah, Daniel, or the other Old Testament writers did, nor as the Twelve ministered to the nation of Israel. Paul addresses this epistle to the assembly. Les prefers the word "assembly" over "church" because the Greek word ekklesia means a called-out assembly; "church" is more or less a coined term and not really in the original Greek. The assembly is those at Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all in every place who call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
More Questions
Who is 1 Corinthians 1:2 written to, and does it include believers today?
Paul's greeting in verse 2 addresses not only the believers at Corinth and the surrounding area but also believers today, described as the assembly of believers who are called saints and all those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ.
Does 1 Corinthians 1:2 describe believers today or only the church at Corinth?
Paul's description in 1 Corinthians 1:2 is not limited to the original readers; it still covers the assembly of believers today — those called saints and all who call upon the name of Jesus Christ.