1Co_16:13. Paul’s Charge to the Corinthians<\/p>\n
"Watch ye; stand fast in the faith; quit you like men; be strong."’971Co_16:13.<\/p>\n
The language of the text is quite of a martial description. We should at once presume it to be the address of a general to his troops; as if he were saying to them: Don’t neglect guard; see that the sentinels do their duty. Be firm and unyielding as valiant men; and bring all your united energies to bear against the common enemy be strong.<\/p>\n
Now believers are soldiers, soldiers of Christ’s cross; and it is under this metaphorical representation that the text is addressed to them. Let us then, I. Explain and illustrate the charge given. And, II. Enforce it by a variety of motives.<\/p>\n
Let us then,<\/p>\n
I. Explain and illustrate the charge given.<\/p>\n
The charge consists of four parts.<\/p>\n
1. Vigilance.<\/p>\n
"Watch ye." This is the opposite of apathy and sloth; the opposite of indifference and slumber; a duty often enjoined and of essential importance. This will be obviously both our duty and interest, when we reflect,<\/p>\n
(1) Upon the subtlety of our adversaries. Especially Satan, of whose devices we are not ignorant.<\/p>\n
(2) Our position is critical. Passing through the country of the enemy. He is called the god of this world. Here he has his seat. Here he goeth about, &c.<\/p>\n
(3) Our own hearts are deceitful. The strongest have been overcome; the wisest, deceived; the holiest, ensnared; the boldest, intimidated. For proofs, we refer to Sampson, David, Solomon, Peter, &c.<\/p>\n
How necessary, then, that we be vigilant! The next part of the charge is,<\/p>\n
2. Constancy.<\/p>\n
"Stand fast in the faith." Do not abandon your posts of trust and honor. Stand fast,<\/p>\n
(1) On Christ, the foundation of faith. "Other foundation can no man lay," &c. All else is yielding sand. Here only is there firm foothold. Stand fast,<\/p>\n
(2) By the standard of faith; which is the Holy Scriptures. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly," &c. "To the law and to the testimony," &c. Stand fast,<\/p>\n
(3) In the exercise of faith. As the eye of the spiritual mind, it must ever be directed to the cross’97"Looking unto Jesus," &c. As the hand of the soul, it must hold fast the horn of salvation, and it must distinguish all our reading, hearing, praising, praying, fighting, &c. We must live by faith in the Son of God, &c. This charge comprises,<\/p>\n
3. Manliness.<\/p>\n
"Quit you like men." Avoid all that is childish, and trifling, and fanciful.<\/p>\n
(1) Be prudent as men. In understanding and knowledge, men. Wisdom very essential, &c.<\/p>\n
(2) Decided as men. Not wavering, not changing and fickle, as the child; but resolved and determined as men.<\/p>\n
(3) Courageous as men. Not timid and fearful as children; but full of holy boldness and resolution.<\/p>\n
This charge includes,<\/p>\n
4. Strength.<\/p>\n
"Be strong." Not in yourselves, but in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might The Christian’s sufficiency is of God.<\/p>\n
(1) Be increasingly strong. Grow in grace, &c. Go on from babes to young men, &c. Use all the means to attain strength.<\/p>\n
(2) Be practically strong. Lay it out Devote it;o God. In all duties and difficulties bring all your strength to bear upon them, and thus be strong.<\/p>\n
(3) Be perseveringly strong. Go from strength to strength, from conquering to conquer, &c., till the alarm of war be exchanged for the shout of victory and triumph.<\/p>\n
Let us then,<\/p>\n
II. Enforce the Charge by a variety of Motives.<\/p>\n
We press the charge upon you,<\/p>\n
1. Because your cause is good.<\/p>\n
Cause of truth, of righteousness, of salvation, of God. No tyranny nor despotism associated with it. No misgivings on account of its oppressive character.<\/p>\n
2. Your Captain is great.<\/p>\n
Jesus is the Captain of salvation, Heb_2:10; He is the Bozrah Conqueror, the Spoiler of hell, Satan, and death. Invincibility is engraven on his shield, and Immortality on his banners.<\/p>\n
3. Your armory is perfect.<\/p>\n
Every weapon, both defensive and offensive, is provided for you. See Eph_6:13. Every part of the Christian’s person is protected, except the back; and therefore he cannot sustain injury unless it be in retreating.<\/p>\n
4. Your provision is abundant.<\/p>\n
Not called to go a warfare at your own charges My God shall supply all your need," &c.<\/p>\n
5. The victory is certain.<\/p>\n
This is more than any earthly warrior can say. But here it may confidently be said, Fighting is conquest: conflict is triumph. "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors," &c.; Rom_8:37, &c.<\/p>\n
6. The reward will be glorious.<\/p>\n
Refer to three passages: "Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold of eternal life." "Be thou faithful unto death," &c. "Him that overcometh," &c. 1Ti_6:19 Rev_2:10, Rev_3:21<\/p>\n
Autor: JABEZ BURNS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
1Co_16:13. Paul’s Charge to the Corinthians "Watch ye; stand fast in the faith; quit you like men; be strong."’971Co_16:13. The language of the text is quite of a martial description. We should at once presume it to be the address of a general to his troops; as if he were saying to them: Don’t neglect … Continue reading “126. 1CO 16:13. PAUL’S CHARGE TO THE CORINTHIANS”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19955"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19955\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}