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Tag: 1 Corinthians 15:58

Steadfast and unmovable

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 1 Corinthians, What’s new?.

What does it mean to be steadfast and unmovable (1 Corinthians 15:58)?

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV). This verse concludes a chapter that details the future resurrection of our earthly bodies. Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to remain faithful to everything he had taught them. When we see the word therefore in Scripture, we should always back up to see why it is there: what is the “therefore” there for? The word usually indicates a summation of what was previously stated. In this case, Paul addresses those who had fallen away from his original teaching on the resurrection. They were embracing heresy and introducing destructive ideas contrary to the gospel. Paul restates the truth of Jesus’ death for sin and bodily resurrection and then exhorts them to remain firm in that teaching.

To be steadfast and unmovable is to be spiritually grounded. A steadfast person knows what he believes and cannot be “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching” (Ephesians 4:14). An unmovable person can hear false teaching, engage doubters, and defend truth without it shaking his own faith. In his other epistle to Corinth, Paul expresses his concern for this church: “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). Even believers who had been personally taught by the apostle Paul were victims of deception. How much more vulnerable are we?

To remain steadfast and unmovable we have to know the Word of God. Second Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (NASB). To accurately handle the word of truth, we must not only read the Bible, but we must allow it to become part of us. Its truth should so penetrate our minds and hearts that it shapes our thinking and our actions. It should so fill our minds that we can detect error when we hear it. Satan uses Scripture for his own purposes, twisting it to sound as though it says something it doesn’t say (Luke 4:9–11). If we have not been diligent in our study and meditation on truth, we are vulnerable to error. The false religions of the world can be persuasive when they quote Bible verses to support their error. Even Christians can be duped by smooth-sounding heresy if they do not have a solid grounding in the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). It is God’s desire that we grow daily in our understanding of Him and His Word so that we will remain faithful to the end (John 8:31; 2 Peter 1:2; 3:18; 1 John 2:24).

Stand firm

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 1 Corinthians, What’s new?.

What does it mean to stand firm (1 Corinthians 15:58)?

First Corinthians 15:58 is the concluding verse of a famous chapter in the New Testament, which focuses on the resurrection and contains one of the earliest creeds in the first-century church. The verse states, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” The expression “stand firm” is also translated as being “steadfast” in the ESV and NKJV.

The connecting word therefore indicates that the verse is related to what comes before. Since this verse comes at the end of the chapter, we should examine the entire chapter to understand the broad context and gain a better understanding of what it means to stand firm.

First Corinthians 15 is Paul’s apologetic of the resurrection, and internal evidence indicates that he is responding to claims denying the resurrection of the dead (verse 12). He presents his response with a creedal reminder of the gospel essentials (verses 1–4) and by sharing key appearances of the resurrected Jesus to eyewitnesses (verses 5–10). In the remaining parts of the chapter, Paul argues for the reality of resurrection of the dead, which forms the Christian’s hope. Based on this hope and the victory over death, the reader is encouraged to stand firm.

The Greek phrase for “stand firm” implies stability, firmness, and strong devotion to something. The Corinthians of old and modern Christians are encouraged to remain committed to Christ and devoted to Him. Several metaphors come into play here. One can think of a tree standing firm against a strong wind, soldiers holding down a fort, or a spouse supporting an ailing partner. To stand fast is to be loyal, faithful, devoted, and unmoving.

The resurrection of Christ is evidence that there is more to this world. This should broaden our perspective from the temporary to the eternal. Whatever we do on earth for Christ is not in vain because of the resurrection. Pain and suffering are also temporary, as our new resurrected bodies will not be subject to these limitations (1 Corinthians 15:42–44).

We should stand firm in the face of trials, temptations, persecutions, and opposition. The Christian journey is not an easy one, especially with the increasing animosity toward Christian values. The church also faces attacks from false teachers who preach a different gospel, deny core Christian doctrines, and deceive many people. The deconstruction movement further emphasizes the need for steadfastness. While these trends are to be expected, they also serve as a wake-up call.

How does a Christian stand firm? It all begins with a strong trust in the Person and sacrificial work of Christ. He is the foundation. Christians should also depend on the Holy Spirit for strength, regularly feed on Scripture, and maintain fellowship with God through prayer. Christians are told to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10–11). A day will come when God will “wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Abounding in the work of the Lord

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 1 Corinthians, What’s new?.

How can we always be “abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58)?

If one word could sum up the nature of the apostle Paul’s commitment to the call of Christ on his life, it would be excellence. Paul desired to excel in everything He did for the Lord (2 Timothy 2:15), so he tackled his God-assigned mission to preach the gospel with all-out fervor, giving himself entirely to the work. He warmly encouraged fellow believers to do the same: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV).

When Paul said to always be “abounding in the work of the Lord,” he may have had these words of the prophet Jeremiah in mind: “Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD with slackness” (Jeremiah 48:10, ESV). Paul knew that life as a gospel minister was arduous work (2 Corinthians 11:23–28). It was often tedious and thankless work, too, so he encouraged Christians not to “grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9, ESV).

The term abounding means “being abundant or plentiful, going beyond, or producing or existing in large quantities.” The work of the Lord refers to the work of preaching, teaching, and being a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s wording in 1 Corinthians 15:58 closely resembles his question in 1 Corinthians 9:1 when he defends his work as an apostle: “Don’t you agree that I’m an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren’t you the result of my work for the Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9:1, GW). Paul said that his ministry protégé Timothy was “doing the work of the Lord, as I am” (1 Corinthians 16:10). And of Epaphroditus, his “fellow worker and fellow soldier,” Paul said, “He nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life” (Philippians 2:25–30, ESV).

Believers can always be abounding in the work of the Lord no matter what we do to further the kingdom of God. Whether we are onstage preaching the message or behind the scenes cleaning toilets or cooking for the crowds, we ought to devote ourselves to it wholeheartedly: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23–24).

To church elders, preachers, teachers, and ministry leaders, Paul taught, “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7–8, NLT).

We can always be abounding in the work of the Lord if we keep the same tenacious attitude as Paul. He completed the job with unswerving dedication, recognizing that serving Christ involves real labor. The rewards of heaven are worth going all out for, which is what Paul meant when he said our labor is not in vain. When the going gets tough or unexciting, ministers of the gospel must remember to “never tire of doing what is good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13). We are not called to idleness but to diligence (2 Thessalonians 3:6–15; Hebrews 6:11–12). Jesus taught this principle in the parable of the sower. The sower of the seed labored, knowing that some of the seed would fall on good ground and “produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown” (Mark 4:20; see also Matthew 13:1–23).