Abounding in the Work of the Lord 1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul the apostle shared with the church members in Corinth about Jesus having “victory” over “death” and the “grave”, he gave, “thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In chapter fifteen and verse fifty-eight of First Corinthians, Paul told the church members what will happen, “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord”, where we read:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

The verse begins, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,...” Paul began with the word, “therefore” or “insomuch that, so then and wherefore”, “my beloved” which means “Paul's esteemed, dear, favorite and worthy of love” “brethren” or “fellow believers who are united to one another by the bond of affection”, “be steadfast” which means “firm, sedentary and immovable”, “unmovable” or “firmly persistent, not to be moved from its place and unmoved”, “always” which means “at all times and ever” “abounding” or “exceeding in a fixed number of measure, having left over and above a certain number or measure, exist or be at hand in abundance, overflow and excel” “in the work” which refers to “in the business, employment, enterprise or anything accomplished by hand, art, industry or mind” “of the Lord” or “concerning he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah”. After all Paul shared concerning the “resurrection of Jesus Christ”, he desired for the church members to be “firm, persistent and excelling” in the Lord's “business”.

The verse goes on to say, “forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Paul continued with the word, “forasmuch as you know” which is all one Greek word “” and means “the church members have seen, perceived, notice discerned and discovered” “that your labor” which means “that the church members' trouble and intense work united with toil” “is not in vain” or “is not empty, vain, of nothing and devoid of truth” “in the Lord” which refers to “with he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah”. Paul stated how the church members knew their “work” with “the Lord” was not “empty, vain and devoid of truth”.

When we think through these words from Paul, we should receive his exhortation to be “firm, persistent and excelling” in God's “work”. Because the message of the gospel sometimes comes with a price, people tend to grow faint and weary, however, Paul's exhortation and encouragement is to “keep at it”, “don't give up” and continue in the “work” God has for us to do. Jesus Christ desires to save every person who will, and regardless of their background and sinful behavior, He wants to provide them with eternal life. Let us remember that our “labor” in the Lord is never “in vain”, and God is more than able not only to strengthen us in His work, but also to enable us to do what He wants done.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Paul's words, “concerning the collection for the saints”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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