At the end of first letter to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul gives a five-pointed charge to the church. This series examines those charges and seeks their application to us today. Part 1 is here.
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Cor. 16:13-14)
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Have you offended anyone today?
Not simply by being you. Anyone can be annoying and offensive if you try. Have you offended anyone with the Gospel today? No? There’s still time.
The gospel is the central truth of our faith. This truth is that all mankind are sinners, have sinned, and are separated from God by that sin. God acted by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, in the flesh. He lived without sin and was murdered on a Roman cross by sinful men. This death at the hands of sinners was an atoning sacrifice for all who would believe. Three days later Christ walked out of the tomb alive and is alive today at the right hand of the Father interceding for all who believe in him. If you turn from your sins and trust in him for your righteousness, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
In this gospel we stand. This is truth, not fanciful belief. This is truth, not myth. This is truth, not vain tradition.
Paul calls us to stand firm in the faith. If we stand firm in the teachings of the Bible and yet do not have Jesus Christ we are to be pitied. Modern Pharisees who hurl the law yet have no relation to the Law Giver. If we have Christ, if we are in Him, we are sons and daughters of the kingdom.
If we have Christ this world is not our home and we await the world that is to come, the new heavens and the new earth. If we have Christ, there is no condemnation for us. (Rom. 8:1) If we have Christ, he has set us free from bondage to sin. (Gal 5:1) If we have Christ, we are to tell the whole world this glorious news of a God who saves. (Matt. 28:18-20)
Yeah We Know
You may say, “Yeah I know. What’s your point?”
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you – unless you believed in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:1)
As cultural Christianity declines in America the divide between Christ and culture is ever widening. It was always there. Holding a Biblical view of marriage and the family is increasingly seen as hateful. Add in any number of other differences that should set the Christian apart from their former selves, and we are now more akin to the “elect exiles of the dispersion” of 1 Peter 1 than Israelites under the rule of King David.
The change has been abrupt and jarring. We need to learn a theology of exile. That is, what it is like to live as exiles in a foreign land as increasingly we will have more in common with the Jews exiled to Babylon.
These words are not meant to make you depressed.
The call is to stand firm in the faith. Now, when God has graciously allowed our comfort to be pulled back our light is now exposed. Are we going to hide it under a basket or under a bed? (Matt 5:15) They will hate the light. People will curse us because we love Christ. They will curse, and revile, and slander us. (Matt 5:11-12) Yet we do not live for them.
We are to endure in the faith because Christ is worthy. He is worthy! We stand on the truth, not a version of it or our slant to it, but the truth. The truth is an infinitely solid ground upon which to stand. Our faith is grounded in truth. We believe in a God who is real, who has come and made atonement for us, and who is coming again. We stand on the knowledge that He is coming again.
Endure.
We were never promised it would be easy. We were in fact promised it would be hard and there would be tribulation.
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” 1 Peter 4:12
I don’t think our trials are as hard as they’re going to be. It will likely get worse. Stand firm.
Christ is worthy. Remember your inheritance in Him in the days and years ahead. Maybe he will be gracious and grant revival. Maybe. Revival begins with us, our faith being grounded in him, and our witness to a lost world.
Stand firm in the faith. Christ is best. Christ is worthy. Christ is King.
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