A Call to “Be”
The church in Corinth had issues, deep issues. Yet make no mistake about it, Paul identifies them in 1:2, as “the church of God in Corinth,” they are “sanctified in Christ Jesus,” and “called to be saints together” along with all who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Throughout his letters Paul starts with a doctrinal foundation that points to Christ. Then he proceeds to apply the gospel and its implications to the life of the church, how they are to live together, and how they are to engage in the world around them. This is clearly true throughout the letter of 1 Corinthians.
And it is true for us today. What is guiding and fueling your life as you embark into your regular ordinary routines?
What we think and believe will drive our convictions and thus the way we live out our mission. Connected with this is how we think about and live with each other. Christ said his followers would be known in the world by their love. (John 13:34-35) This a very good reason why we must focus on the church as we consider our mission. We can’t divorce who we are called to be from what we are called to do. These are held together and grounded in Christ.
Be Steadfast in Faith
1. Be
It is clear throughout the whole of this letter that the church is surrounded by spiritual danger. To be watchful requires time and care. It requires close attention. Does this describe how we think about our Christian life? Are we paying close attention to the world around us?
John Calvin: “the warfare is incessant; the watching requires to be incessant too.” Are we just passively taking in ideas from the world without much thought or are we developing a watchful mind that takes what we hear and considers it in light of God’s Word?
2. Stand
(Here is a link to the same web site: What we believe)
The church in Corinth was surrounded by false teachers. The Word of God has been under attack since Genesis 3. Thus we are called to stand firm in it. Stand firm in what we have received and believed from God through His Scripture.
Do you know what you believe?
3. Act like
Some translations say be courageous. The Greek word used here means to behave in such a way that is according to how men should behave. This same word is used often in the Greek translation of the Old Testament.
Joshua 1:6-7,9 – “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them…Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (See also: Deut. 31:6-7, 23)
1 Chronicles 28:20 – Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.”
This gives us a good sense of what Paul is calling the church to when he tells us to act like men. Be strong and courageous in the Lord!
4. Be
This is a call for the church to act with courage and strength. Obey Jesus Christ. Trust and be confident in His power, especially in the face of a world opposed to Him.
Be Steadfast in Love
1. Do
Be careful when we read this exhortation to not deflect it by comparing ourselves to others. You might say, well I love better than or more than so and so. The Corinthian church as well as Fresno Bible Church is to be known by the love of Christ. Christ is our example. When we seek to do all things in love, we seek to follow His lead.
Jesus taught us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-40).
If you were to give yourself a “love test”, where would you score?
0 being I don’t love at all like this. 10 being I’m perfect in love.
God doesn’t leave this to our opinion:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”
Does our “love test score” shift at all?
The result of this shouldn’t be discouragement, but gratitude for God’s love and mercy toward us. Then respond in prayer. God help me! Teach me to do everything in love as you have done toward me in Christ.
2. Be
What does it mean to be subject to every fellow worker and laborer? So we have to do everything every fellow worker tells us to do? Is that what that means? We shouldn’t be quick to explain away the command “be subject to” just because we don’t want anyone telling us what to do.
We do need to acknowledge that the church in Corinth had issues with politics in the church, who’s really the leader and who are we really following. Corinth is not the only church that received an exhortation like this: 1 Thess 5:12-13: “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”
3.
How important is the ministry of these three men? It seems as though their importance could be overlooked in the Corinth church. Paul wants to call to the church’s attention these men who are known for their care and encouragement to both Paul and to their church. Don’t take for granted those who refresh, encourage, and support you. Recognize and appreciate them.
Our Foundation for Mission
So all of this is good and clear but what again does this have to do with our mission? As stated in the introduction, what we are called to do as the church can never be separated from who we are called to be. As Christians, as the church, our identity is first and foremost about who Christ is and what Christ has done. Yet living in this world we are constantly distracted from this core identity. It is extremely easy for us to begin identifying ourselves first with someone or something other than Christ. This was the Corinthians’ problem. Thus with each issue Paul addressed in the church, he rooted them in doctrine, he pointed them to the gospel of Christ, and their new identity in Him. They are one in Christ, there should be no division. They are the body of Christ (12:12-31). They are the temple of the Holy Spirit (3:16). They are God’s community (1:2) of saints called to reflect His character.
Anytime we move away from our faith and doctrine, we distort both who we are called to be and what we are called to do. Not only that but how we are to love each other, which again further distorts who we are and what we do as the church.
Practically speaking if we are not steadfast in faith, what are we calling the lost world to? We are calling the lost world to repent and receive the righteousness of God found alone in Christ by which they can be saved.
Further if we are not steadfast in love, what are we calling the lost world to? May we remember the steadfast love of Christ toward us, the grace we have received, thus we are known as a family that demonstrates (not perfectly) Christ’s love and grace to each other.
Be steadfast in faith and love!