1.Corinthians 16:13-14
"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity."
Why does the church of God endure? You would quickly and rightly say that God does this, but what means does He normally utilize for this work? I was the pastor of a church in Mississippi which celebrated its 150th year during my tenure there. What caused that church to endure? What will keep and persevere this church for another 150 years, should our Lord tarry so long in His return? What makes a church endure as a true church?
The satanically deceived world has many answers to that question. Its adherents have written many books about what it takes to make the church grow and prosper, but these worldly means will make a church prosper by worldly standards only.
The world gives the church all kinds of advice. It says, ... maybe you ought to have Colonel Sanders come in and give away some chicken, that ought to pack them in the pews. Or it says, Hey, you could have bingo games to raise money. Oh, yes, it is gambling, but that is OK if the profits go for a worthy cause. It says, Hey, just go with the flow on social and moral issues, do not get all worked up about abortion or homosexual marriages ... why bother? It just does not sell; it will not be popular.
Satan and the world will whisper, Look here preacher, all that doctrinal stuff is just too difficult. Nobody understands that stuff ... nobody wants to hear all that stuff any more. Just make them feel all warm and fuzzy when they come to church and they will keep coming back. Whatever you do, do not preach about sin and the spiritual death that derives from it. Just say that we all make little mistakes which will be completely overlooked with a gentle wink and a nudge by a tolerant and sentimental god. Why, nobody is going to hell ... what a ridiculous concept.
Many have sold out to these worldly ideas, and whole denominations have become as worldly as the world itself.
In the real church, we must act differently for our duty is different, and the instructions to us are much different from what the world teaches. As Paul instructs Timothy in 2.Tim.4:1ff, so God Himself instructs us.
1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Now it does not matter what denominational label you wear today. I do not care if you call yourself Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Independent, or whatever; this applies to you and it applies to your church, and it applies especially to those who lead and teach in your congregation.
Paul does not say that we are to preach tolerance and sentimentality, we are to preach the Word of God, indeed, even the whole counsel of God. He says that this Word is to be preached both in season and out of season, that is, whether it is a popular thing to do and people want to hear it, or not; it does not matter, he says preach the Word regardless.
He tells us that many will not receive the Word but rather they will seek out teachers who will simply tell them what they want to hear, telling them fables instead of truth. Sadly, this is descriptive of so many religious institutions today, but the true church is different.
Paul exhorts the Church at Corinth, and so exhorts us. 13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14Let all your things be done with charity.
Notice that there are five commands given by the Apostle here:
Watch ye
Stand fast in the faith
Quit you like men
Be strong
Do all in charity (i.e., agape love, Godly love)
Today, I want us to examine together these five commands, and I want us to attempt to understand just exactly what Paul is saying both to the Church at Corinth and to the Church at Harrisonburg or to the church wherever it exists today.
First, we are told to watch, indeed, to watch ourselves. That is what Paul means here when he says watch ye; this is the sense of his teaching here. Christians, he says, watch yourselves! ... why? Watch yourselves to insure that you do not fall into sin which weakens us spiritually, and damages our testimony and our witness for our Lord.
Do not expect the world to take what you say about your faith in Christ very seriously, when it does not see Christ in you, but merely sees a clear reflection of itself. The world does not read the Bible, but it does read your life.
It will not do much good for you to go around here talking about how bad it is that we have those old casinos like we do back in Mississippi, if the world sees you frequenting them. Worldlings will laugh at your hypocrisy, and, I can assure you from the Holy Writ itself that God takes a very dim view of it as well, when your example leads others astray.
Why tell people about the evils of gossip, when you are out there talking about your neighbor every day. What does the world see? Now here I am going to get a little more personal and I am going to turn up the heat a little ... Do not tell me about how it is sinful to murder when you are voting for politicians and supporting religious institutions which labor tirelessly for the abominable murder of our unborn children. Do not be deceived; these traits are not characteristic of Christian people! It is incumbent upon us to be more watchful and more wise about our affairs.
You may say, well, I do not know if some politician or preacher is soft on abortion or gambling or whatever ... Well, the shame for that is on YOU!!! WATCH YE, You are to be wise as serpents. You are to find out these things, and be a fit instrument in the hands of God Almighty to hold His Church accountable! Watch ye, to keep yourselves from complicity in these kinds of sins which the world loves and embraces.
Second, stand fast in the faith ... stand fast in the faith. It is not enough to be watchful, we must stand fast, that is, firmly, upon that faith. The church is ill-equipped to stand if it is blind and asleep. We see from the parable of the ten virgins, that even the wise ones are asleep when the Bridegroom comes. So it will be in that day of His arrival, even the redeemed will be less watchful than they ought, but may it not be so now.
Let us now stand in a sure and certain Christian hope, assured that the promises of God shall be fulfilled, having ever greater confidence that He will do all that He has promised. Ephesians 3:20 says --- Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages
We must have that confidence to stand fast in our faith. Of course, we know that the same God who regenerates us and justifies us, is the same God who sanctifies us and glorifies us, this by no merit of our own, but according to the work that He performs in us; and His promises are sure and certain. In Philippians 1:6, the Apostle Paul writes that he is confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
Thus, we as Christians, do not sorrow as those who have no hope, for we have the sure and certain promises of God, that He works in us, and we may be totally assured of our place, ultimately ruling and reigning with the risen Christ, the firstborn of many brethren, for ever and ever.
We must be empowered by God and therefore made willing to do our duty. Robert L. Dabney (Chief of Staff to Stonewall Jackson, and Professor of Theology at Union Seminary in Richmond) wrote, ... The Bible (is our) complete and sufficient rule of duty ... It is a complete rule of life, in laying down principles and precepts which, by clear and easy application, will direct us in all the details of duty. ... Genuine Christians not only refrain from sin, but hate it; they not only submit to duty, but delight in it. These are most obviously, as cited in John 1:13, -- born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (Dabney; Discussions; I:127-8).
The church, then, endures when God grants that it should be composed of those who watch, who are on their guard against the wiles of the Devil and the enticements of the world; and those who, by grace alone, will stand fast in their confidence in the Word of God and their faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross of calvary.
But what else? Faith and assurance are important to the church, as is the sanctifying grace to keep us from sin; but what else? Well, the admonitions and exhortations of the Apostle just seem to demand ever more as we go along here. Indeed, his instructions and admonitions are progressive.
He now commands the third time, ... Quit you like men. Well, what does He mean by that? Quit you like men. It does not mean to quit so as to give up! The church is healthy when there are some mature Christians to lead it. This is a great need today.
So many seem to desire only the most shallow teaching, only the smallest commitment to prayer, Bible study, and worship. Yet the church needs leaders today. It needs MEN who are prayer warriors, mature in their faith, who read their Scriptures prayerfully and thoroughly, who desire understanding, who hate sin, and love righteousness. It needs MEN who, when they boast, boast only in the Lord. It needs MEN who trust in the Word of God more than the mammon and idolatry of the world.
These men must be leaders in their churches and in their homes, and must be willing to behave like men ought to behave, rather than constantly caving in to every whim of doctrine and every new offensive of liberalism that comes along. In order to quit themselves like men, they must have already acceded to the first two commands, namely to watch themselves to be kept from sin, and to stand fast in faith.
They must be able to stand in the grace of God against the wiles of the Devil and his fiery darts. Mature faith, even in those ordained to lead the church is so rare; and moreover, it is so valuable.
Now I must digress here for a moment, and reflect back upon my experience when I met with the Session of the Hopewell church (for you Baptists now, the Session is the Board of Elders, in many ways similar in function to your deacons).
I was determined to make them aware of certain closely held convictions that I possess, and I told them ... I said to them; Now I will preach the Word as God gives me grace to do, and I make no apology for that; and some folks may not like that, and some may leave Hopewell, or they may come to you and give you some problems.
One of them then said that he just had one request of me in that regard, and I asked what it was; and he said -- Just do not back up. I must compliment that Session as a group in this, because I was very visibly involved in several controversies over the time that I pastored there, (The women deacons issue, the abortion issue, and let us not forget our Mississippi state flag ... not only in Mississippi but elsewhere as well!). The point is that they supported me and they have taken the heat when it has been applied to them, and I commend them in that insomuch as God has granted them a measure of maturity in spiritual things so that they may effectively lead that church.
Strive not to be the weathiest church, nor to be a church which meets with any worldly carnal standard for success, but stive to be a church that is deeply and genuinely interested in the adherence to the Word of God as God gives you understanding of it.
Quit you like men! If you are going to lead the real Church of the Living God, Be a man, and acquit yourself as becomes a man with authority, but yet taking responsibility for the duty that you have been given. Quit you like men!
Fourth, Paul says -- be strong ... Be Strong! Strength is necessary for the health and perseverance and endurance of the church. Be Strong, Paul says. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! I can do all things through Christ (not just "him" as in some modern translations) which strengtheneth me!
Now the quality of strength does not sound very much like the kind of quality that Christians ought to have high on their list of priorities, if you listen to most who stand in pulpits today. They talk about -- being affirming and tolerant and sentimental. But we do not need to sugar coat the Gospel of our Lord, for He certainly did not mince words. Indeed, the gospel is an offense to those who are perishing. Do not expect that the gospel will not be offensive in the world. It is offensive to the worldlings around us.
Nicodemus came to Jesus by night with many platitudes on his lips, but Jesus abruptly asserts that -- except a man be born again, he shall not see the Kingdom of God. In Matthew 23, Our Lord tells the Pharisees that they are hypocrites, that they are whitewashed sepulchers without, but within they are full of the bones of dead men!
There was nothing tolerant or sentimental or affirming in the speech of our Lord Jesus Christ to those of the world who were His avowed enemies, and who would remain the avowed enemies of almighty God Himself.
We are to emulate Christ, and so we too are to be strong, even as He was strong. He was strong in doctrine, and He was no coward. I am often quite put off by the Hollywood portrayals of Our Lord Jesus Christ as a soft-spoken, puny, frail little man. He was far from that. He was, by trade, a carpenter; and if you know any full-time carpenters, you will likely understand that it is not an occupation well suited to the frail and puny.
He was not only the most courageous man ever to walk the earth, but He was God incarnate, perfectly righteous and without sin, the promised Messiah and the Savior of His people.
Let me tell you today that there are too many cowards running churches today. This is no place for the coward. The church needs men of real and true courage; men who are gifted to rightly divide the precious Word of truth, but in addition to that, men who trust God enough, so as not to be afraid to openly espouse that which God, through His Word, has revealed to them. Too many church leaders seek the easy way, the worldly way, the way of the coward.
We must be strong for we are involved in a war. It is a war against God Himself waged by the great Adversary, Satan himself with all his minions. Most men and women in this world stand opposed to God and therefore opposed to us. Yet we do not struggle only against flesh and blood, but against angelic forces beyond our comprehension in strength and intelligence.
A.A. Hodge wrote, quoting the Scripture as follows: This Christian warfare is no light matter. What says the Scripture? -- Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. -- Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. -- Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Labour . . . for [the] meat that endureth unto everlasting life. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace but a sword. He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. War a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience (1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 2:3; Eph. 6:11-13; Luke 13:24; John 6:27; Matt. 10:34; Luke 22:36; 1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Tim. 1:18, 19). Words such as these appear to me clear, plain and unmistakable.
They all teach one and the same great lesson, if we are willing, by the grace of God, to receive it. That lesson is, that true Christianity is a struggle, a fight and a warfare. He that pretends to condemn fighting and teaches that we ought to sit still appears to me to misunderstand his Bible, and to make a great mistake. (endquote Hodge)
Fifth, do everything in charity, that is, in true Christian love. Without this Godly love, all we do is vanity. 1.Corinthians 13 begins with these familiar words:
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
This is so important. Charity, agape love, is the most enduring of the three graces of faith, hope and charity. In our glorified state, there is no need of hope, for the sure and certain promises which God had made aforetime shall have been fulfilled. Faith too, shall be unnecessary, for we shall see Him as He is, being like Him in glory. True love however, shall endure forever.
Look around you today. You might as well get to liking these other folks who are true Christians, because you are going to have to live with them for a very very long time in glory.
Now true love is not sentimental tolerance. These are not the same things at all. It is most unloving to be tolerant by telling the abortionist that his reprehensible trade is permissible according to the Law of God, hypocritically saying that his/her practice is something other than murder.
It is most unloving to be such a coward that we will not face the known practicing homosexual with his/her sin. We think it is more loving to call it an alternate lifestyle. That is what the world teaches, but it is not what the Word of God teaches. Never substitute worldly reason for the truth of the Word of God. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.
This agape love of which I speak is the same type of love that Jesus Christ pours out upon His people. It is the imcomparable love of Jesus Christ for His people which brings about our salvation, and it is that love which chastens us in this life.
Whom the Lord loveth, He chastiseth; and we should count all of it joy for we know that it is for our ultimate good, for our edification. But make no mistake, our Lord is neither tolerant, nor sentimental about our sin.
The problem with us is that we are cowards. We do not like confronting anyone with their overt sin, even though it is far more loving to do so. We do not like to be confronted with our own sin either. I heard a preacher say once that -- sin damages us more than we think it does. Indeed it is more serious than we know. Oh, if we only understood the consequences of sin. We ought to know and understand; we read that the wages of sin is death, but somehow we do not get our arms around that.
Would we not attempt to keep someone from doing some sort of physical mischief to themselves or someone else? Why would we not seek to prevent them from spiritual death by dealing with sin in the context of the outward call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Many great pastors and preachers preceded me at Hopewell. Recently, I located a copy of a portion of the diary of Dr. Samuel A. Agnew, who was the pastor at Hopewell and at Bethany during the 1800s. He survived the terrible privations of the War Between the States during this time, while spying on Federal troops for the Confederates, I might add.
While it would seem that he would have become embittered by the awful calamities that befell him, his family, and his congregations at the hands of Federal troops during the days of Federal occupation, he never failed to find the hand of God in all the tragedy around him.
In his diary entry for December 31, 1863, he wrote, -- In two hours and 25 minutes this year will have expired ... We have been exposed to Yankee raids, but amid many dangers, we are still preserved and can sing of mercy and not of judgment. At the end of the year, I can look back with thankfulness for our many mercies. To God be all the praise, who has preserved me to the close of another year. -- (endquote-Agnew)
May the Lord continue to bless and keep this church and many others until the day of His coming in glory.
