Out of nowhere, except perhaps that he is now drawing to a close this letter to a divided Church, come 5 big commands of Paul that is needed in our lives today.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16 v 13-14)
- Be spiritually vigilant. Is anything potentially damaging your spiritual well-being? Be on your guard. Be discerning. Be self-aware, people-aware and influence-aware. Don’t let your faith be damaged.
- Hold on to the core Christian beliefs. Be anchored to what you believe. Stand firm in the faith.
- Have the inner fortitude when going through the challenging season you are in. Have the moral courage to resist the cultural viewpoints that are anti-Christian. Be generous where others are more focused on gain. Be truthful when it is easier to be quiet. Be strong and be courageous are twinned together to call fort a resolve even when it is difficult, unpopular or costly.
- And do all of the above without letting go of love. Without love all the above traits have a dark side to them.
These 5 things form a framework for good Christian living. All of them are needed especially love!
Missions Paul 