Devotion: 1 Corinthians 16:13

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

Today’s verse has a few different translations in different Bible versions. The version this translation came from is NIV. In the KJV it is read “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” The ESV reads, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”  The Message says, “Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute.” The CSB has, “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave and strong.” Plus many other translations…

As you can see, while the wording is different, the overall meaning is pretty much the same. The Apostle Paul gives us four final instructions before bringing his letter to a close. Written in a typical style for how he writes as he wraps up a letter, Paul gives short statements that are just as important to our Christian walk as lengthier passages.

The first thing he lists is to be on guard or to be watchful. He wasn’t telling them to be looking for someone or something, but rather to be watchful of their own hearts, thoughts, words, behaviors, etc. Sin is easy to do, so we need to be mindful of what we are doing so that we live a godly life.

Next he tells them to stand firm in their faith. It is not always easy to take a stand for what we believe, especially when facing persecution like many early churches experienced. But Paul wanted to encourage them to stand firm in their faith. And the same is true for us. We, too, need to take a stand for what we believe.

We then see him tell the church to be courageous, act like men, give it all you’ve got…. There doesn’t seem to be great consistency between the translations. But we can get a general idea from them despite that. And though a courageous person may or may not have fear, it is this statement that led me to include it in our theme for the month. Courageous or brave people generally don’t have the same fears as others. It is why I believe we should set aside fears and trust God to carry us through.

The last point is to stay strong. This doesn’t necessarily mean physical strength. A strong person has solid beliefs, behaviors, and values. As with courage, a strong person has little reason to fear because God is with them. And when you fear you cannot be strong, let God be your strength

Which of these four points do you most connect with?

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