Great Bible Truths Podcast Episode 119
1 Corinthians Talk 21
Concluding Exhortations (16:13-24)
Welcome to the final talk in our series on 1 Corinthians. Today we are in chapter 16.
We will be concentrating on verses 13 and 14 which contain five short commands which conveniently summarise all that Paul has been teaching in this letter.
But first let’s read the entire passage from v13 to the end of the chapter.
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters,
16 to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labours at it.
17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.
18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.
20 All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord!
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Now, back to vv13-14
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
14 Do everything in love.
There are in fact 5 commands in these verses, but for reasons I will explain later, we will deal with them under 4 headings:
- Be on your guard
- Stand firm in the faith
- Act like men, be strong
- Do everything in love
These instructions summarise everything that Paul has been teaching in this letter
- Be on your guard (ESV be watchful) v13
This verb is used in three main ways in the NT:
(1) To be watchful in the light of the Lord’s return
(1Thessalonians 5:6, 10, Mark 13:34-37)
(2) To be watchful with regard to the enemy (1 Peter 5:8)
(3) To be watchful against men who distort the truth (Acts 20:31)
In the context of 1 Corinthians be watchful could apply to:
Divisions in the church
Tolerating wrongdoing
Sexual immorality
Causing weaker Christians to stumble
Inappropriate behaviour at the Lord’s Supper
Misuse of spiritual gifts
Denying the resurrection
- Stand firm in the faith v13
The faith relates directly to the Lord Jesus Christ
In ch. 1 He is the power and wisdom of God
2:2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3:11 He is the foundation of the church
4:4-5 He is the Lord who is coming to judge the world
5:7 He is our Passover lamb who has been sacrificed for us
6:11 He is the One in whose name we have been washed, sanctified and justified
7:17 He is the Lord who assigns to each person their purpose and calling
8:6 He is our one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist
9:1 He is our risen Lord whom Paul had seen on the road to Damascus
10:13 He is the faithful God who enables us to overcome temptation
11:25 He has brought us into a new covenant with God through the shedding of his blood
12:1-4 It is the confession that JESUS IS LORD that marks a person out as a Christian
13 His character is revealed in Paul’s sublime description of love
15 His triumphant resurrection guarantees ours and our final victory over death
16:21 If anyone does not love him, let him be accursed!
- Act like men (ESV), be strong v13
I am taking these two commands together because in the Greek they are very similar in meaning
Be courageous (NIV) = andrizomai = act like men
Be strong = Krataioo which can have a similar meaning
Used by Luke to refer to JB and Jesus growing strong as children
The Corinthians needed to grow up:
- a) In their understanding of Christian leadership
Leaders are servants through whom they had believed
3:1-3 mere infants re Paul/Apollos etc
Leaders have authority which needs to be recognised
15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters,
16 to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labours (works till weary) at it. (Cf. 1 Tim.5:17)
18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
Part of Christian maturity is knowing our place in the body of Christ (cf. Ch.12). When we come to recognise the authority of those in leadership, it shows that we are becoming mature.
If we are called to be leaders we will have reached maturity when we hold in correct tension the paradoxical truths that we are both rulers and servants. The NT uses both these terms but rarely, if ever, uses the term ‘leader’.
- b) In their use of spiritual gifts
14:20 in your understanding be adults
Resisting satanic counterfeits
Recognising that every part of the body is needed Ch. 12
Remembering to put other people first 14
Realising that edification is the great principle
Recognising Paul’s apostolic authority
- Do everything in love.
This reflects ch.13 and covers everything that he has written in the letter. Love was the answer to all the problems he had raised.
The first requirement is to love the Lord
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed!
Come, Lord! Μαράνα θά⸃.”
The second requirement is to love one another
14 ESV Let everything you do be done in love
20 Greet one another with a holy kiss
This is one of five such appeals in the NT. Its background in Judaism can be found in the greeting of both family (Genesis 27:26, Luke 15:20) and friends (1 Samuel 20:41). It was also the evidence of reconciliation (Genesis 33:4).
If the Corinthians truly loved their fellow Christians:
There would be no divisions among them
They would forego their rights for the sake of weaker Christians
They would put others first at the Lord’s Supper
They would seek for spiritual gifts that would build others up
They would joyfully join in the collection for the poor
Finally, note how Paul sets the example. He tells them that he loves them.
24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.