Lesson 36 – 1 Corinthians Chapter 16:13-24
The last time we met, Paul instructed us on the topic of Christian giving. Just as with our salvation, it is a matter of the heart, so it is with our giving.
God’s Word tells us that the Lord loves a cheerful giver, and if someone gives out of some kind of obligation, they might as well not give at all. We should all give because we want to give… and that when we do give, it pleases God.
Just as when it comes to using our spiritual gifts, if love isn’t present, it loses all meaning; love also plays a vital role in our giving as well. This shouldn’t be surprising to us, because we serve a God who is the pure definition of love.
A well-grounded believer recognizes that all they possess comes from the hand of God, and that their giving is just being a good steward of what they have already received.
Let’s also be mindful that giving goes far beyond our finances, it involves what we’re willing to do for someone else as well. This is simply the “giving of ourselves.” It speaks of our generosity, not just of things, but of our time, energy, and attention. Giving of ourselves can mean showing up for a friend when they’re struggling, volunteering for a cause, or simply listening without judgment. It’s one of the most powerful ways we act out as God’s children, creating a connection with those around us.
It doesn’t always require grand gestures either. Sometimes it’s about the quietest moments of self-giving, like offering patience to someone when it’s hardest to give.
This kind of giving is something that only God sees… don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, It’s about doing the right thing without broadcasting it or expecting recognition from others or even from God.
We’ll pick up in verse 13, where Paul brings forth four amazing commands for us to take in.
1 Cor. 16:13:
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
Be on the alert… (grēgor-a-ō) this means for us to “be watchful,” or to “be awake.” Another definition as it pertains to law enforcement is to “be vigilant.” Why? Because their lives depend on always being alert to their surroundings, what is going on all around them.
The believer also needs to be alert! So let’s look at this from a spiritual point of view.
1 Peter 5:8:
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
As believers, we have a tendency to lose sight of this because when it comes to the spiritual realm, we can’t see the spiritual… no pun intended. This is why God’s Word gives us reminders like this, to draw our attention to the unseen world.
It’s easy to look at the world stage today and see the wars and rumors of wars, the deep-seated corruption in every government, the chaos and evil abounding everywhere… where evil is called good and good evil. Deep down, this is all spiritual battles going on around us.
As we consider the spiritual, we are aware that Jesus could come for us at any moment. The Corinthian believers needed direction from Paul, because as we have seen throughout this entire letter, they were in a spiritual and moral daze.
We can also see being alert as a reflection of what Paul had previously said at the end of chapter 15, where he said for us to be “always abounding in the work of the Lord.” It takes a spiritual alertness to continually be about the work of the Lord; far too many Christians fall into the trap of just being comfortable in their salvation, dulling their spiritual senses.
Be alert…
Mark 14:38:
“Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Being spiritually alert means maintaining a strong prayer life and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. It’s about recognizing truth from deception and staying grounded in the Scriptures.
Jesus Himself warned His disciples to be vigilant, particularly in the context of His second coming. In Matthew 24:42, He instructs them to, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.” This call to watchfulness is not merely about anticipating future events, but also about living in a state of readiness and holiness.
Bible commentary writes, “Christians cannot disregard the Lord’s Word with impunity. To neglect Scripture is to disregard it and treat it as if it means nothing. Before long we cannot remember what we have received and heard, and the Lord’s way becomes more and more vague and indefinite.”
Be alert…
As Christians, we are also called to look out for one another. Being spiritually alert means praying for others, encouraging them, and helping guard against any spiritual pitfalls they could fall in to.
It’s not about paranoia, it’s about having an awareness, a readiness, and love for those around us. Like a watchman on a city wall, spiritual alertness is a posture of care and courage.
Be alert…
As we learned in 2nd Peter, there’s all kinds of false teachers lurking around to poison the Lord’s flock.
2 Peter 2:1:
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”
Matthew 7:15:
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
False teachers often appear trustworthy, using Christian language and symbols, but their teachings subtly distort the truth of God’s Word, deceiving believers.
2 Tim. 4:3-4:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
False teaching often flatters and entertains, rather than convicting or transforming. They come at you with big smiles, cherry-picking the Scriptures, tickling your ears with only feelgood messages that can lull a believer into complacency.
We often hear the best way to combat against false teachers is to read and study God’s Word, which is completely true, but another avenue often neglected is prayer. Prayer is hard work, but its spiritual rewards are unending.
Like I said earlier, being spiritually alert means maintaining a strong prayer life and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. It’s in our deepest prayers we receive the greatest satisfaction.
In our being alert, we will have an awareness about us that the world is oblivious to, but we can use this to our advantage, knowing that the time is short, and seeing to it that people hear the truth about God’s salvation.
Stand firm in the faith…
It should be no surprise that an alert Christian would be one who stands firm in the faith. The common saying is, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” For the Christian, standing firm in the faith is like a “spiritual compass” that keeps us in check.
In the middle of a forest without a compass you would be hopelessly lost. It is faith that keeps the believer heading on a course of true north… pointing to Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christianity teaches that truth isn’t relative, it’s rooted in God’s Word. Without a firm foundation in Scripture, believers can be swayed by every new idea or cultural trend.
2 Cor. 5:7:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Taking a stand in our faith can often come with a cost, be it social, emotional, and even sometimes physical, but Jesus never promised us comfort; standing for Him means being willing to face the resistance of the world with grace, love, and conviction.
The Corinthians, like many of the Ephesians, were being carried about “by every wind of doctrine,” as it says in Eph. 4:14. They wouldn’t take a firm stand on many things. The faith Paul is talking about isn’t the faith of trusting, but it’s the faith in God, that He is who He says He is.
Jude 1:3 (NLT):
“Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to His holy people.”
Phil. 1:27:
“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
To stand firm in the faith means for us to have a “mature stability” when it comes to our Christian character. Paul had already warned the Corinthians back in chapter 3 that they were immature children who needed to just grow up.
Another thing to consider is satan can’t take our faith away, but he can cause us to wander off in the wrong direction.
Standing firm in the faith is the pathway to victory. Whether it’s overcoming sin, facing loss, or navigating life’s chaos, standing firm in the faith is how Christians walk in victory. God provides the strength, wisdom, and patience to endure what might otherwise cause us fear in our lives.
In short, standing firm in the faith isn’t about us being perfect, it’s about being planted, having our spiritual roots grow deep into the truth of God’s Word… faith comes by hearing.
Act like men…
In a world filled with metropolitan girly men, how can a guy be a real man? The world’s definition of masculinity is shifting, and that can leave guys wondering what does it actually mean to be a man anymore? I’ve often thought about having a custom T-shirt made that says, “Man up, bun down.” Just like anything in life where we need guidance, we can turn to God’s Word for advice.
When Paul says act like men, he’s not talking about guys pumping iron and running in marathons, he is once again speaking of their maturity level. The Corinthians were seriously lacking in this department.
1 Cor. 3:1-2:
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,”
Being a “real man” isn’t about outdated stereotypes or trying to dominate, it’s about having moral character, conviction, and courage. What ties this all together is the word “love,” we covered this in chapter 13. For the mature believer, love addresses the emotional and moral spirit of a person. A real man stands firm in his values, even when it’s unpopular.
Someone has said, “A real man welcomes responsibility and lives for a higher purpose.”
What Paul has in mind for the Corinthians is to set their compass on pursuing a deeper relationship with God. It might sound like I’m beating the same old drum, but there’s something to be said for reading your Bible and praying every day. This isn’t an effort in futility, but a formula for growth and enrichment when it comes to our relationship with God.
2 Peter 3:18:
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
How does a believer grow and mature?
1 Peter 2:23:
“Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.”
The key to having that “longing” in our heart for God’s Word, comes to us when we pursue Him. The moment we take one step toward God, He comes running to us, like a Father longing to embrace His child.
Be strong…
Whenever I hear the phrase Be strong, I think of Joshua 1:9:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
You know who does “not” want us to be strong? That would be satan, he wants us to be timid and weak, not willing to stand strong.
Be strong (kratai-oō) the Greek defines it as to denote inner spiritual growth. So, it literally means for us to be strengthened. Apart from the Lord we cannot be strong… Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (Jn. 15:5)
Eph. 6:10:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”
We cannot strengthen ourselves; that’s the Lord’s work. Our part is to submit ourselves to Him in order that He can strengthen us.
Col. 1:10-12:
“So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
We grow in strength as we use our strength.
1 Cor. 16:14:
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
To put the icing on the cake with our previous four commands, Paul comes back to love. It’s obvious that our very existence in Christ is because of love. We learned in chapter 13 that every Spiritual gift from God must be used with love woven into it.
Being on the alert while standing firm in the faith, along with being mature strong believers, love must be part of the equation. If we don’t have love, it could leave us legalistic, and hard. We could say that love is the softening agent for every circumstance in which we find ourselves. When you think about it, love compliments and balances everything out.
If someone was the most powerful in all the universe, and that power was saturated with love, that power would never be misused… oh wait, I just described God!
This is why as Christians grow in Christ and become more and more kingdom minded, their capacity to add love increases all the more.
Speaking of love, John MacArthur says, “It keeps our firmness from becoming hardness and our strength from becoming domineering. It keeps our maturity gentle and considerate. It keeps our right doctrine from becoming obstinate dogmatism and our right living from becoming smug self-righteousness.”
The Corinthians needed love, just as we all need love!
1 Peter 4:8:
“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”
1 John 4:7:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
Our greatest command is to love God, and love those around us.
1 Cor. 16:15-16:
“Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia (A-hi-ya), and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors.
As we close out chapter 16, these next ten verses are a reflection of love within the church.
The household of Stephanas… they were the first converts in Corinth. They were also the first fruits of Paul’s labors.
Achaia in southern Greece was close to Athens and Corinth, so Paul had history there with the Athenians.
Acts 18:5-6:
“But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
At this point a few Jews gave their life to Christ, one of them was named Crispus, the leader of the local synagogue, but most of the converts from Corinth were Gentiles… and that’s where Stephanas comes in. He was one of the few people Paul actually baptized.
Stephanas was with Paul when this letter was written, and he would be part of the team that would deliver the letter. When Paul says that Stephanas and his household were the first fruits of Achaia, it was a bit of spiritual foreshadowing. They were the beginning of a great crop that would emerge out of Corinth.
For this to happen, it would take love. Paul knew if the Corinthians would connect with Stephanas and his family, including all the servants, they would be ministered to with love in the name of Jesus Christ.
As we have studied this letter to the Corinthians, we can’t help but notice that everything Paul did was all out of his love for Jesus Christ. Evangelism was Paul’s main focus, it became his passion, and if he didn’t include love, all of his ministry efforts would have evaporated very quickly. Love is the energy source that the Holy Spirit gives us, but we must be willing to tap into that source, and as we do the Holy Spirit will always be there for us.
Romans 9:1-4 (NLT):
“With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed… cut off from Christ! …if that would save them.”
The love Paul had for his fellow Jews was the same love he showed to the Gentiles, and it is this love that is at the heart of evangelism.
Someone has said, “Evangelism is the sob of God. Evangelism is the cry of Christ over a doomed Jerusalem. Evangelism is the call of Moses to his people, willing to give up his salvation. Evangelism is the weeping in the night of the parents of an unsaved child.”
Hopefully we’ve learned that in all our efforts for the kingdom, it takes love. We need to ask God for the same kind of love that Paul had in his heart.
They have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints…
Stephanas and his family had the love we’ve been talking about. They have devoted themselves… there’s one Greek word for the phrase which is tas’-so, it means “to set in order.” In this context, it means they were appointed, assigned, or ordained for the specific work of ministering to the saints. They were like a saint’s “charging station.” Paul couldn’t have left the Corinthians in better hands.
William Barclay writes, “In the early church, willing and spontaneous service was the beginning of official office. A man became a leader of the church not so much by any man-made appointment, because his life and work marked him out as one whom all men respect. All those who share the work and toil of the gospel command respect, not because they have been appointed by man to an office but because they are doing the work of Christ.”
Stephanas was such a man.
That you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors…
With this, it takes a measure of love to submit ourselves to the leadership within a church… love and also humility.
Eph. 5:21:
“And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”
1 Peter 5:5:
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Paul wanted the selfish, un-submissive Corinthians to wake up and submit to his model, just as he continually submitted to Christ’s model. Paul never asks that we do anything he wouldn’t do, he wasn’t a hypocrite.
1 Cor. 16:17:
“I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part.”
Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus… were Paul’s buds, his friends, and Jesus was the common denominator. Paul had experienced companionship with these guys. They had gone through ministry together.
If you’ve ever gone on a mission with other believers and worked shoulder to shoulder with them, there is a bonding that takes place.
Because they have supplied what was lacking on your part…
These guys indeed bonded together with Paul, by encouraging him, and identifying with his ministry.
1 Cor. 16:18:
“For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.”
These men were trial tested and proved their trustworthiness, and Paul says, they have refreshed my spirit and yours. When you come across Christian fellowship and a friendship develops, these relationships can transform into life-long friendships that will last for all eternity. Our Christian brothers and sisters can become closer to us than our own flesh and blood.
God not only has made us for Himself, but has made us for each other.
Paul uses the word refreshed (ana-pauō) it means to give rest, to give one’s self rest, or to take rest. Jesus used the same word…
Matthew 11:28:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (ana-pauō).”
Paul’s friends helped the hard-pressed apostle find rest and refreshment. They helped lighten his burdens just by being with him.
My spirit and yours…
When Titus personally reported to Paul the good news of the Corinthian church’s change of heart and repentance of their rebelliousness, Paul wrote to tell the church of his joy that now they too were refreshing others with their fellowship:
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2 Cor. 7:13:
“For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.”
Therefore acknowledge such men…
It’s kind of a shame that Paul even has to say this, but it needed to be said.
Acknowledge signifies recognition of something for what it really is. Paul is simply calling for respect and appreciation of these men.
Bible commentary says, “In God’s pattern for church leadership, godly persons rise to the top by virtue of their godliness… their right belief, right living, and loving care for others. Such persons we are to acknowledge, respect, and imitate. When we choose leaders simply because of their money, prestige, education, influence, or talents we follow the world’s standards rather than God’s. God’s standards for leadership are purity and maturity. When the church follows and respects godly and mature believers, the body of Christ is strengthened in fellowship, service, and love.”
1 Cor. 16:19-20:
“The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
The kiss was given on the cheek or forehead and represented essentially what a hug or a warm embrace represents for us today. Paul was speaking of the genuine and spontaneous expression of brotherly or sisterly love, which in that day was a kiss.
1 Cor. 16:21:
“The greeting is in my own hand… Paul.”
The main part of this letter was dictated to a scribe, and was signed in his own hand and finished by Paul himself. The closing remarks are a short postscript, perhaps given in his own handwriting to clearly establish the letter’s authenticity.
1 Cor. 16:22:
“If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha.”
Paul issues a warning here, to anyone who does not love the Lord. If they don’t love the One who is altogether lovely, the One who suffered and died for you, the One who cares about you, the One who gave everything that He might be with you in this life and in the ages to come; if you don’t love this One who is all-wise and all-knowing yet all-loving and all-forgiving… then you curse yourself.
Everyone must make a decision as to who they will follow!
Maranatha… means our Lord cometh or will come. Jesus is coming back, and when He does, we must be found in Him, otherwise we will be left behind.
1 Cor. 16:23-24:
“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”