But thanks be to God, who gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain
in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)
The resurrection of Jesus Christ brings
spiritual victory over sin and death to all who believe in Him. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ." As
we allow the Lord to be our guide through each day, He "leads us
in triumph in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:14).
When this process is unfolding, an effective Christian life is developing, by
the grace of God at work in us.
1. "Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be steadfast."
It is the will of God that our lives
be marked by steadfastness (constancy and stability).
Illust: Mat 7:24/25
therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine,
and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on
that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.
·
Rock – Foundation
·
Situations –
Circumstances
·
Faith
Paul rejoiced concerning fellow
believers who manifested such attributes:
"Rejoicing to see your
good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ" (Colossians 2:5).
He later added that they were to be "rooted and
built up in Him and established in the faith" (verse 7).
2. "Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be… immovable."
Our heavenly Father also wants us to be "immovable"
(firmly persistent, unable to be swayed). Paul was a good example of this.
Although he faced many threatening difficulties, he professed: "But none of these things move me" (Acts 20:24).
When Paul wrote to the saints at Ephesus, he warned of another threat to
spiritual persistency: "that we should no
longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).
3. "Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be…always abounding in the work of the Lord."
Our Lord wants us to be abundantly
laboring with Him. This is one of the purposes of Jesus' redemptive work for
us:
"Who gave Himself for
us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His
own special people, zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14).
Yes, living by grace will produce abounding good works.
The glorious fact is that such labors are actually the Lord at work in and
through us: "always abounding in the work of the Lord."
As the Lord sustains His work within us, we can grow in a certainty that
this kind of laboring will be effective: "knowing that your labor
is not in vain in the Lord."
Note the key word that indicates the basis
for all of these desirable traits: "Therefore." This
refers back to the resurrection victory provided by the Lord Jesus. In
light of this victorious work of Christ on our behalf, anyone trusting in this
reality will find these spiritual virtues developing in their lives, by the
grace of God at work.
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