Life Study of 1 Corinthians

Message 69 DEALING WITH THE COLLECTION OF THE GIFT

AND CONCLUSION
Scripture Reading 1 Cor. 16

DEALING WITH THE COLLECTION OF THE GIFT

The Apostle’s Direction
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.
B. The Apostle’s Willingness
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).
CONCLUSION
Intimate Charges
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.
Loving Greetings and Warning
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. 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.