First Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 16

Having reassured us with the promise of the resurrection of the dead Paul closes this letter to the Corinthians with instruction for giving and with his final plans, admonitions, and greetings. “Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do” (1 Corinthians 16:1). Here Paul begins his brief instruction about taking a collection for God’s people. In these words we have a firm foundation upon which we should model our own giving/collecting: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me” (1 Corinthians 16:2-4). Paul implores us to set aside money for the Church at the beginning of every week so that when this money is needed there will already be a sum and collection. This is what many today would call giving a “tithe.” However the Christian model for giving is not a legalistic tithe (10%), instead we are all implored to give as much as we can from our firstfruits based on how we are blessed with earthly goods from God. In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul touches on this more explicitly: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). It is important to see that a “tithe” (a firstfruits 10%) can be used as a good starting place or guideline, but we also need to see that the Christian in his freedom is called to much more than this; the Christian is called to give cheerfully, without compulsion, and sacrificially (as the Lord has given to us). Seeing that all we have is truly the Lord’s and that He Himself gave His own life for our sakes, it should be very easy for us to cheerfully give. He blesses us with everything (everything!) we have (life, body, soul, family, food, drink, toys, pleasures, jobs, fun, etc.), so how can we ever dream of being stingy with using these blessings to forward His Church in this world? “As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on’” (Luke 21:1-4). The widow who gave out of her poverty all she had to live on is the eternal example of the giving the Christian is called to. Obviously we should be wise with our blessings (being good stewards of the things God has given us) but we must also be willing to give beyond what our sinful flesh is “comfortable” with. If our giving is always “comfortable” and never puts us beyond the feeling of having “control” of our life and finances then we might want to step back and ask ourselves if we are truly relying on God as our provider. Our sacrificial giving is always meant to be an exercise of faith in God as our provider who will take care of us thru all things. The wealth of this world can never truly provide for us; God alone provides and His promise to do so will never fail. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?...So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:26, 31-33).

Moving on Paul discusses his immediate plans for visiting the Corinthians: “After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers. Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity” (1 Corinthians 16:5-12). As much as Paul desires to visit the Corinthians he realizes that the Lord’s will and work must always come first. No matter how “fixed” his plans may be in a worldly sense Paul is constantly willing to drop everything in order to follow the will of God that presents itself in his life. We should also strive for this attitude; we should never be too busy or too entrenched in our own plans to drop everything and follow a path of love and service that God presents in our life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. We may pass them by, preoccupied with our more important tasks, as the priest passed by the man who had fallen among thieves, perhaps—reading the Bible. When we do that we pass by the visible sign of the Cross raised athwart our path to show us that, not our way, but God’s way must be done…It is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and that we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God.” The Lord’s will must prevail even when we think we know what that will is; we need to be flexible, willing to humbly follow the seemingly winding path of our life, which in reality is nothing but the single, straight, and narrow way of Jesus Christ crucified.

Proceeding on Paul gives the Corinthians his final admonitions and advice: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14). Paul’s first concern is that we be on our guard. We must always be wary of Satan prowling around like a roaring lion waiting to devour us thru temptations and false teachings. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). If we are not alert and on guard then we may be infiltrated with the lies of the world and the false doctrines that pull us away from Jesus Christ. For this reason Paul urges us to stand firm in the faith. We need to be absolutely unmoving and uncompromising in our stand on Jesus Christ. If we waver or are willing to give up the truth for the illusion of peace then we will fall. “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all” (Isaiah 7:9). Our only hope is on the immutable and unchanging truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified, so if lose that then we are truly hopeless. This standing firm consequently lends itself to being courageous; being willing to face all the assaults and attacks of the false gospels that parade around in Christ’s name. Without courage we will become afraid and concerned of the world’s opinions and thoughts and eventually fall into serving men over God. So in this courage we need strength, the strength of Jesus Christ. It is only in Him and thru Him that we can be strong enough to stand firm as Paul urges. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Therefore having urged us to stand firm in the faith and truth of Jesus Christ, being on guard, courageous, and strong, Paul’s gives us his final guidance: Do everything in love. Once again Paul wants us to realize that the goal of our faith and hope in the cross is to empower us to lives of discipleship and love. On top of everything we need to see that we have been given the grace of Jesus Christ not for the sake of academics or exclusiveness, but for the sake of loving and serving our fellow man.

Next Paul urges the Corinthians to submit to those who come in the truth of Jesus Christ, who do the work of proclaiming the Gospel: “You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition” (1 Corinthians 16:15-18). We must not think that God can use only one person in our life to strengthen us in His Word, we need to be willing to listen to all men who proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. We must not attach to the messenger; we need to instead be focused on the Message. It doesn’t matter who brings it, what matters is what they bring. If they bring the truth then we owe them our attention, support, and prayers. “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. All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Corinthians 16:19-20). In these words we see the love and camaraderie that we should display towards our fellow believers. We should be warm and full of hospitality, greeting each other with affection worthy of greeting Christ Himself. Though we may think we are strangers in this life we are in reality dear friends and brothers (family indeed!), and in fact we are more than that, we are members of the one Body of Jesus Christ.

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Paul concludes his letter: “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand” (1 Corinthians 16:21). On the basis of his hand writing here in this greeting Paul testifies that this letter is his work, giving it the authority of an Apostle called by God. Even after having urged us to not be concerned about the messenger, Paul still recognizes the importance of the unique office that He holds as the Apostle of Jesus Christ. This unique office allows him to speak on behalf of God, proclaiming His truth and doctrine to the world. Therefore all messengers that come afterwards must have there proclamation compared to the truth laid out by the Apostles; their proclamation (along with the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms) is always the standard by which we judge the truth. “If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen” (1 Corinthians 16:22-24). With his final words Paul curses all who stubbornly reject Jesus Christ, he calls for the return of Christ, he bids the grace of Jesus upon the Corinthians, and then he gives his own love to them. Paul recognizes that he can only love the Corinthians “in Christ Jesus.” There is no fellowship or brotherhood between men except “in Christ Jesus.” Apart from Him we are nothing but a scattered and broken group of individuals, but in Him we are One Body and One Church. “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God” (Philippians 1:27-28).