Giving

After such a careful analysis of the resurrection in the preceding chapter, and the victory that is ours because of it, chapter 16 almost comes as a surprise. We see that it is a very practical chapter, which almost feels like an anticlimax to the grand and sweeping theological theme he just wrote about. He begins to talk about Christian giving, which is followed by a section that deals with personal matters and the people involved. Paul then concludes with some greetings and closing statements.

As Paul begins 1 Corinthians 16, in the first four verses he mentions the collection, and he lays down some principles for giving. One principle is that of local giving. He informs the Corinthians that he is telling them to do the same thing that he had told the Galatian churches to do and presumably what he would also instruct the Roman churches to do, and the churches in Philippi, and all the other places where he had visited. He is saying that in Christianity giving should be on a local level.

Paul was the great apostle, the dynamic leader. Timothy was quieter, and seems to have been regarded less by some because he was not like Paul. So when Paul is writing to these churches, he tells them to receive Timothy, to be kind to him, and to accept him. And when Paul writes to Timothy, he tells him not to feel inferior because of his youth, but to set an example to the believers in all the various Christian graces.

In verse 13 he has a series of statements in which he is encouraging the Christians at Corinth. There are five statements there: 1.) “Be on your guard”; 2.) “Stand firm in the faith”; 3.) “Be men of courage”; 4.) “Be strong”; and 5.) “Do everything in love.” That is a good challenge for any group of Christians at any time because it speaks of our work in Christianity as a warfare, which means that there are enemies. Paul speaks of those he was facing. He mentions that there were those who opposed him in Ephesus. In the power of Christ, Christians are to stand firm against them.

The third point he makes is to be men of courage, and fourthly, to be strong. It is so easy to lose courage or to be weak because we look out and we see the enemies that are arrayed against us. We say, “Well, we can’t stand against that. We’re just weak, insignificant, and small in numbers.” What we need is to have our eyes opened like the servant of Elisha to see the hills filled with the chariots of fire and the angels of the Lord (2 Kings 6:17). The strength of the Lord is our armament. That is how we stand, and Paul is telling the Corinthians to do that.