The closing remarks of a letter, often penned with careful consideration, hold significant weight. Similarly, Paul’s final instructions in the last chapter of First Corinthians serve as a concluding yet pivotal message. Throughout this letter, Paul consistently emphasized the central themes of love and unity. Recalling a previous message, it’s reiterated that our labor in the Lord is never in vain, which compels us to persevere in God’s work, nurture mutual love, support fellow believers, and strengthen the church.
While expressing love verbally is easy, demonstrating it practically is the true measure. If someone claims to love you, tangible actions and material support are naturally expected. Paul initiates Chapter 16 of 1 Corinthians by encouraging believers to engage in consistent and loving giving as a primary means of expressing this practical love.
Principles of Giving: Supporting the Saints in Jerusalem
Paul’s instructions on giving begin with guidance on the collection for the Lord’s people, mirroring his directives to the Galatian churches. This consistent call for practical help extended to financial contributions, referred to as an offering. Specifically, believers were instructed to set aside a sum of money on the first day of every week, proportional to their income, or as God had prospered them. This instruction goes beyond mere salary, encompassing all sources of prosperity, such as investments.
The “first day of every week” is significant, as it indicates the early church’s practice of communal worship on Sunday, commemorating Jesus’ resurrection. This collection was explicitly intended as a gift for the Christians in the Jerusalem church, who were experiencing severe poverty due to intense persecution.
Beyond being an act of love, Paul envisioned this offering fostering unity between Jewish and Gentile believers. The Jewish believers in Jerusalem, often skeptical of Gentiles, were in desperate need, and a timely offering from the Corinthian church (comprising both Jewish and Gentile believers) would ease tensions and promote reconciliation. It was also considered a rightful act of gratitude from Gentiles, who had received spiritual blessings from the Jews, as prophesied to Abraham.
This act of giving served a dual purpose: it trained Gentile believers in generosity and taught Jewish believers humility in receiving help. While the poor often rely on the rich, Paul highlights that the rich also need the poor for their spiritual growth in faith, humility, and love, creating a mutually beneficial situation that ultimately fostered unity.
Key Principles of Consistent and Proportional Giving
Paul outlined several crucial principles for giving. First, giving should be proportional to one’s income, meaning those who have more should give more, and vice versa. While not explicitly commanding tithes, Paul emphasized substantial giving, advocating for saving up over weeks to accumulate a significant sum.
Second, money for offerings should be set aside regularly and early in the income cycle. This practical advice, rooted in an understanding of human nature, prevents impulsive spending on personal luxuries and ensures that funds are available for God’s work and the needy, rather than being mere leftovers.
Third, giving should be consistent, not a one-time act. Paul stressed a consistent life priority, demonstrating that our money reflects where our heart is. God desires continuous stewardship of our finances, reflecting a lifelong transformation rather than intermittent acts of generosity.
Fourth, these instructions apply to every Christian, not just the wealthy or spiritual leaders. While contributions are proportional, everyone benefits from the spiritual training in generosity and love that giving provides.
Finally, Paul preferred that collections be made before his arrival to avoid last-minute, pressured, or thoughtless offerings. This also allowed him to focus on teaching and fellowship rather than being distracted by financial matters during his infrequent visits.
Paul’s Travel Plans and the Nature of Spiritual Guidance
Paul expressed his desire to visit the Corinthian church after traveling through Macedonia, potentially staying for a while or even spending the winter. Crucially, he qualified his plans with “if the Lord permits,” demonstrating his submission to God’s ultimate will. This teaches us to plan while holding our plans loosely, ready to adapt to divine leading.
Paul’s use of tentative language like “perhaps” and “I hope” reveals that even a spiritual person like him didn’t always have exact foresight. This challenges the common assumption that spiritual individuals possess full knowledge of God’s plans. Instead of constant advanced knowledge, God desires that we walk by faith and submission, trusting Him step-by-step, even amid uncertainty.
Despite his uncertainty, Paul conveyed a sincere desire to spend a significant amount of time with the Corinthians, underscoring his care and love for them. This communication of love, even amidst doctrinal instruction, is essential for nurturing brethren relationships.
Effective Work Amidst Opposition and Honoring Fellow Servants
Paul’s decision to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost was driven by an “effective door for work” despite “many who oppose.” This challenges the notion that effective work is always smooth sailing. Open doors for ministry often come with opposition, a reality Paul experienced, even fighting “wild beasts” in Ephesus. The devil actively works against God’s advancing kingdom, but believers can take heart that Christ reigns and will ultimately conquer, making gospel work effective through faithful struggle.
Paul then emphasizes honoring those who serve God, starting with Timothy. Paul preempted potential contempt towards Timothy, reminding the Corinthians that Timothy, despite his youth and timidity, was doing the Lord’s work and deserved kindness and honor, just as Paul did. This extends to all who serve God, regardless of their perceived status.
Paul’s mention of Apollos, urging him to visit, demonstrates unity and lack of rivalry, despite past divisions where factions supported different leaders. This contrasts with the divisive spirit in Corinth, highlighting Paul’s commitment to encouraging strong connections among co-workers.
Paul also calls for recognition and submission to individuals like Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who had devoted themselves to serving the Lord’s people. The inclusion of these less-known figures emphasizes the deep bond between Paul and his co-workers, reminding us that serving God is a collective effort requiring mutual edification and encouragement. The world often esteems the rich and accomplished, but Paul emphasizes honoring those who build the church, serve God, and meet others’ needs, including unsung lay believers working behind the scenes.
Final Instructions: Vigilance, Strength, and Love
Paul’s final instructions include a series of warfare terms: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” This language underscores that Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare, requiring vigilance against disunity, pride, misuse of gifts, disorderly worship, and wrong doctrines that Paul had previously addressed. Being drowsy or careless leaves us vulnerable to the cunning schemes of the devil, who actively seeks to devour.
To sustain watchfulness, Jesus’ command to “watch and pray” is paramount. We need God’s help to resist temptation. Timothy’s instruction to “watch your life and your doctrine closely” further guides us. Standing firm in the faith means clinging to truth and right doctrine, not allowing worldly pressures to sway our beliefs. Watching our lives means examining our habits and lifestyle choices to ensure they draw us nearer to God, not away from Him.
A healthy church community is vital for this vigilance, providing right doctrine and brethren who care enough to watch over us, keeping us in check and guiding us back when we drift. Once resolute in faith, we need courage and strength to face a world that may ridicule or oppose following God’s will.
Finally, Paul’s instruction to “do everything in love” summarizes his extensive teaching on love. Upholding truth firmly should always be done with humility and grace, motivated by a genuine desire for others to be saved and blessed by the gospel. This means communicating care and concern, even when delivering difficult truths, as Paul did throughout his letter.
Greetings and Lasting Reminders of Love and Grace
Paul concludes with greetings from various churches and individuals, notably Aquila and Priscilla, who exemplified hospitality by hosting Paul and establishing a home church. He urges believers to “greet one another with a holy kiss,” symbolizing brotherly love, adapted to cultural contexts. In modern settings, this might simply be a warm smile and eye contact, essential for making newcomers and returning Christians feel welcomed and loved, preventing them from feeling invisible or treated coldly.
Paul’s solemn warning, “If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed,” underscores the seriousness of our relationship with God. True love for God isn’t merely an emotional feeling but is demonstrated by obeying His teachings and commands. Ignoring God’s word while professing love is a false love, as God desires genuine, obedient devotion.
Paul ends his letter with two core Christian messages: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.” This reminds us of God’s initial love for us, which empowers us to love others. Paul emphasizes his own love for the Corinthians, acknowledging that his hard words were born out of a desire for their benefit, even if difficult to hear. In essence, he reiterates that loving others sometimes means speaking truths they may not like, but which are ultimately for their good.
[AI-generated notes from the sermon]
