Scripture Reading: 1 Cor. 16:1-24
In this message we shall consider 16:1-24, the last chapter of 1 Corinthians. In verses 1 through 9 Paul deals with the collection of the gift. Verses 10 through 24 are the conclusion of this Epistle.
In verse 1 Paul says, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you do also.” This is the eleventh matter dealt with by the apostle in this Epistle, a matter concerned with money, mammon, and material possessions. All of fallen mankind are under the domination of mammon and material possessions (Matt. 6:19-21, 24-25, 30; 19:21-22; Luke 12:13-19). At the day of Pentecost, under the power of the Holy Spirit, all the believers overthrew this domination and had all their possessions in common for distribution to the needy ones (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32, 34-37). That practice, due to the weakness of the believers’ fallen nature (see Acts 5:1-11; 6:1), did not last long. It was already over by the Apostle Paul’s time. Then the believers needed grace to overcome the power of mammon and material things and to release them from Satan’s domination for an offering to the Lord to fulfill His purpose. Resurrection life is the supply for the believers to live such a life, a life trusting in God, not in treasures of material possessions, a life not for today but for the future, not for this age but for the coming age (Luke 12:16-21; 1 Tim. 6:17-19), a life that overthrows the usurpation of temporal and uncertain riches. This may be the reason that this dealing follows the one concerning the reality of resurrection life. In any case this dealing is related to God’s administration among the churches.
It is a crucial matter that this dealing follows a chapter concerning the reality of resurrection life. Resurrection is not only the power over sin and death; resurrection is a power over mammon and material possessions. Therefore, immediately following the chapter on resurrection, Paul turns to the matter of material possessions.
From verse 1 we see that Paul gave the same direction to the church in Corinth as he did to the churches of Galatia. This strongly indicates that all the local churches should be the same in their practice (7:17; 11:16; 14:33).
In verse 2 Paul continues, “On the first day of every week let each one of you lay aside by himself, storing up as he may be prospered, that no collections be made when I come.” The seventh day of the week, the Sabbath, was a memorial of God’s creation (Gen. 2:1-3; Exo. 20:8, 11). The first day of the week is a symbol of the Lord’s resurrection; it is the day the Lord resurrected from among the dead (John 20:1). It is called the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). The New Testament saints meet and offer their possessions on this day (Acts 20:7), the day of the Lord’s resurrection, signifying that they have been resurrected with the Lord (Eph. 2:6) through His resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3), and that they meet to remember Him and worship God with their offerings in resurrection by the resurrection life, not by their natural life.
Our giving must be in resurrection life, not in our natural life. However, much of the giving by Christians today is done according to the natural life. Money is raised by the natural life in a way that is absolutely in the old creation. Furthermore, those who give large amounts are often publicly recognized, whereas those who give small amounts are ignored. Our giving must be completely different from this. Our offerings must be presented in resurrection and by resurrection.
In verse 3 Paul says, “And when I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem.” The Greek word rendered gift can also be translated grace. This was a kind of fellowship, under the apostle’s direction, of the churches in the Gentile world with the church in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:1-2; Rom. 15:25-27).
We have pointed out again and again that in the second section of 1 Corinthians, chapters eleven through sixteen, Paul deals with matters in the realm of the divine administration. This section begins with the headship of God and consummates with a seemingly insignificant matter — the gift of material things for the saints. Whether or not we are truly in God’s administration, or for God’s administration, and are carrying out God’s administration, can be tested by how we are related to material things and how we handle our money. If we use our money in a worldly way, then no matter what we may say about resurrection, we are not truly in God’s administration. The extent to which we are in the divine administration and for the divine administration is determined by how we care for money and material possessions.
Throughout the years, we in the Lord’s recovery have been hearing His Word and have been built up in the riches of Christ. We have surely been nourished by the divine Word. Now if we all would be faithful to live for God’s administration in caring for money and material matters, there would be no financial needs in the recovery. For example, certainly we can exercise our spirit and our will to save a small amount of money each week, perhaps just two dollars and fifty cents, and give this to the Lord for His move on earth. One day, instead of having our lunch at a restaurant, we may eat a simple meal prepared at home. Then the money saved could be given to the Lord. Imagine what the situation would be if we all were faithful to do something like this week by week!
In such a spiritual book dealing with spiritual and heavenly matters, Paul eventually turns to the very practical matter of finances. It is quite easy to talk about the headship and say, “Praise the Lord, I am under the headship of Christ! Christ is my Head. Concerning His headship, I do not have any problems.” But can you say that you have no problem with the matter Paul brings up in chapter sixteen? We may talk about the victory of resurrection over sin and death, but what about the victory in resurrection over your use of your money and material possessions? It is easy for our talk to be abstract and impractical concerning the headship, discerning the Body, the gifts, and resurrection. For this reason, Paul, in God’s wisdom, deals with the matter of giving immediately after the matter of resurrection. If we truly live in resurrection, we shall not have a problem with money or material things.
In verse 2 Paul specifically mentions “the first day of every week.” We have seen that this day, the Lord’s Day, is a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. We are not those who live and act in the seventh day of the week, for that day is a memorial of the old creation. We should be living in resurrection on the first day of the week. This means that we should not be seventh-day people; we should be first-day people. If we live in resurrection, in the first day of the week, then in the Lord’s recovery there will be no problem regarding financial need.
In 16:4-9 we see the apostle’s willingness. Verse 4 says, “And if it is fitting for me also to go, they shall go with me.” In verse 6 he goes on to say, “And perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, that you may send me forward wherever I may go.” In verse 8 Paul tells us that he would remain in Ephesus until Pentecost. This Epistle was written in Ephesus, where the apostle stayed for three years on the third journey of his ministry (Acts 19:21-22; 20:1, 31).
Verse 10 says, “Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without fear; for he is working the work of the Lord, even as I.” In order for Timothy to be with the Corinthians without fear, they would have to be obedient and submissive to Paul’s word. In this verse Paul seems to be saying, “You must be in the first day of the week, living in resurrection. You must also be under the headship of Christ and of God, you must discern the Body, desire the greater gifts, practice the gifts in love, and be in resurrection. If this is your situation, then my young co-worker will have no fear when he is with you. See that Timothy is with you without fear, for he is working the work of the Lord even as I am.”
In verse 11 Paul continues, “Let no one therefore despise him. But send him forward in peace, that he may come to me; for I am awaiting him with the brothers.” Here Paul urges the philosophical Greek believers not to despise his younger co-worker. How could the Corinthians have sent Timothy forward in peace unless they were living in resurrection? This would have been impossible. In this verse we actually have a very pleasant picture. Paul was awaiting Timothy with the brothers, hoping that the Corinthians would send him forward in peace.
In verse 12 Paul goes on to say, “Now concerning our brother Apollos, I urged him much that he would come to you with the brothers; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come whenever he has opportunity.” By this, the Corinthians should realize that Paul’s attitude toward Apollos and his relationship with him were in sharp contrast to their preferences (1:11-12). His attitude and relationship kept the oneness; their preferences caused division.
Both Paul and Apollos were persons living in the Spirit. Yet one urged the other to visit the church, but that one did not have the desire to do it. This shows that both had freedom in the Spirit, and the Spirit had freedom in them. This also shows that no one exercised any control over the work for the Lord.
In verse 10 Paul simply refers to Timothy. But when speaking of Apollos in verse 12, he uses the expression “our brother.” This is a dear, intimate expression. We know from the early chapters of this Epistle that certain of the Corinthians preferred Apollos over Paul. Their preferences were a cause of division. Now Paul’s reference to “our brother Apollos” indicates that there was nothing between him and Apollos. It seems as if Paul was saying, “You Corinthians make a difference between Apollos and me. But I would like you to know that there is nothing between us. Apollos is my brother; he is our brother. I urged him much that he would come to you.” Even though Paul realized that certain of the Corinthians preferred Apollos, he still encouraged him to go to Corinth. In fact, he urged him much to go. However, it is not likely that very many Christian workers today would encourage another worker to go to a certain place if they realized that those in that place had a preference for that other worker.
We have pointed out that although Paul urged Apollos to go to Corinth, it was not Apollos’ desire to go at that time. Who, then, was living in the Spirit, Paul or Apollos? The answer is that both were living in the Spirit. But although both Paul and Apollos lived in the Spirit, they had different feelings about Apollos’ going to Corinth.
Some have condemned me and accused me of being a dictator; they have claimed that I have autonomous authority to control all the churches and all the saints. It is a fact that I do not exercise control over the churches or over the saints. As many can testify, when others come to me for advice, I encourage them to go to the Lord and pray. I tell them that it is not for me to decide what they should do. Paul did not exercise control, and we do not exercise control today.
In verse 13 Paul says, “Watch, stand firm in the faith, be a man, be strong!” Here Paul charges the Corinthians not to be shaken by any heresy, especially the heresy that says there is no resurrection. The faith in this verse is objective; it refers to what we believe. To be a man is to be a full-grown man, strong in the faith and firm in his standing, not like a child in understanding (14:20), or a babe tossed by waves and carried about by the wind of teaching (Eph. 4:14). Growth in life is needed (1 Cor. 3:1, 6).
Verse 14 says, “Let all you do be done in love.” This is the love defined in chapter thirteen.
In verses 17 and 18 Paul says that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus “refreshed my spirit and yours.” This must have been by the riches of Christ ministered by their spirit in order to touch the spirit of others. This indicates that our contact with the saints and our relationship with them must be in and by our spirit, not our soulish emotion. If these brothers had come to Paul with a lot of gossip, they could not have refreshed his spirit. The fact that they refreshed the spirit of the apostle and of all the Corinthians indicates that they lived and behaved in the spirit.
Verse 19 says, “The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you much in the Lord, with the church which is in their house.” This indicates that the church in Ephesus met in the house of Aquila and Prisca when they lived there (Acts 18:18-19, 26). When they lived in Rome, the church in Rome met in their home (Rom. 16:5 see Col. 4:15-16; Philem. 1:2).
Verses 10 through 21 present a picture of the actual practice of the Body life in a beautiful harmony, not only among the apostle and his co-workers, but also between them and the churches for the building up of the Body. As we have seen, this building up is emphasized strongly in chapters twelve through fourteen.
In verse 22 Paul declares, “If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed! The Lord comes!” The Greek word anathema denotes a thing or person accursed; set apart, devoted, to woe. To love God makes us those who are blessed of God to share the divine blessings He has ordained and prepared for us beyond our apprehension (2:9). Not to love the Lord makes us those who are accursed, set apart to a curse. This is a serious warning.
The sentence, “The Lord comes!” is actually a translation of the Greek word maranatha, a phrase taken from Aramaic. It may also be rendered, “Our Lord come!” It is an exclamation that reminds us of the Lord’s second coming with judgment.
Verse 23 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.” As we pointed out in a foregoing message, this grace is the resurrected Christ becoming the life-giving Spirit to bring the processed God in resurrection into us to be our life and life supply.
As a rule, Paul concludes his Epistles with a word concerning grace. But in this Epistle he ends with a word of love: “My love be with you all in Christ Jesus” (v. 24). This is not natural love, but love in Christ, love in resurrection (4:21), the love of God that becomes ours through the grace of Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). Of Paul’s fourteen Epistles, only this one ends with such a word of the assurance of love. It is because of the apostle’s dealings with strong rebukes (1:13; 3:3; 4:7-8; 5:2, 5; 6:5-8; 11:17). He is faithful, honest, and frank to them in the love of God in Christ (2 Cor. 2:4), without any politics. Hence, the Lord honors his dealings so that the Corinthians accept his rebuke and gain much benefit through their repentance (2 Cor. 7:8-13).
First Corinthians concludes in a pleasant spirit with a pleasant picture of fellowship. Although it is a book of dealings and rebukes, it ends in such a pleasant way. It shows us that in the ancient time there was a sweet fellowship among the co-workers, between the co-workers and the churches, and among all the churches. The co-workers and the churches were all in this pleasant fellowship.
We have seen that the second section of this Epistle covers five matters related to God’s administration: headship, the Body, the gifts, resurrection, and material possessions. God’s administration requires the headship. Then to carry out the divine administration under God’s headship, there is the need of the Body. If the Body is to carry out God’s administration, all the members of the Body need gifts for functioning. Thus, we have the headship, the Body, and the gifts, the abilities. Furthermore, there is the need for power, strength. This is resurrection life. Resurrection life enables the members to function with their gifts so that the Body may operate to carry out God’s administration under His headship. The last item covered in this section — money and material possessions — is a test to prove how much we are living in resurrection life.
The very practical test of material possessions is a matter related to the first day of every week. A day refers to our living. The kind of living we have depends on the kind of day we have. If we are defeated in our living, this means that we have a day of defeat. Moreover, if we live in the old creation, we are living in the seventh day. But if we are living in the resurrection life, we are living in the first day of the week. If we are not in resurrection, we are through with the gifts, the Body, and God’s headship. However, if we live in the first day of the week, that is, live in resurrection life, then we are surely under God’s headship, we are in the Body, and we exercise our gifts in a profitable way. Then we shall have a daily living that declares to the universe that we are those who live a life absolutely in resurrection.
To Christ, the last enemy is death. But to us, the last enemy is mammon, material possessions. Resurrection life enables us to overcome the power of sin. Resurrection is also the power for Christ to rule over the rebellious ones and subdue all His enemies. The last enemy that will be subdued by Him is death. As the continuation of chapter fifteen, chapter sixteen indicates that the resurrection life in us overcomes our final enemy — material possessions.
From observation and experience, I can testify that with many spiritual people, the last matter to be overcome is the matter of money. Some Christians are victorious over their temper, their weakness, and their sin, but they are not victorious in the area of material possessions.
From the time I was a young Christian, the Lord began to discipline me in the matter of money and material possessions. The Lord trained me to use money for Him. Even as a young person, I used any money I had to print gospel tracts I had written. After some experience, I can truly testify that material possessions are the last enemy.
Therefore, from experience I realize that the overcoming of material things in chapter sixteen is both a continuation and a conclusion of the matter of resurrection dealt with in chapter fifteen.
Praise the Lord that we have the headship, the Body, the gifts, the resurrection, and the victory over material possessions! The victory proves that we are living in the first day of the week. We are not those living in the Sabbath, that is, in the old creation. We are a people of the Lord’s Day living in resurrection. By resurrection life, we have overcome everything, and everything is under our feet.
