"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58). The following lessons are taught in this verse.

If you are a brother you are exhorted to work. This responsibility rests upon every Christian, not just the elders or preacher or a few of the members. Paul compares the church to the human body in Rom. 12 and 1 Cor. 12. We can see from this that each member of the physical body has its own particular work; so it is in the spiritual body. All cannot be elders, preachers, deacons, song leaders, or have a leading part, but each can serve to the best of his ability. This is all that God expects.

In some congregations, instead of the members working as they should, they try to hire a preacher to become their proxy to do their work for them. The preacher is expected to do about all of the personal work, visit the sick for the brethren, do their studying for them and look out for the absentees. What the church needs is preachers to preach, elders to "edl," deacons to "deak," and members to "mem."

We need to try to make, if possible, "Sunday-morning-only-goers" conscious that they are responsible before God to attend every service of the church and help out in any way that they can. If God will permit the "oncers" to go to heaven in their apathy, then he will allow all of his children to go on the same basis. So, let's just close the doors of the meeting house on Sunday and Wednesday nights, eliminate gospel meetings, have curb service for the Lord's Supper on Sunday morning and all go to heaven like "greased lightning."

Ask yourself this question brother: "What if all the members were just like I am, what kind of church would it be?" The answer is "indifferent" in many cases, I am afraid. It is no wonder that it is so difficult to convert people. The half-converted members stand in their way.

Let's work brethren. Study the Bible, teach the truth, visit the sick and destitute, attend all the services of the church possible and do any other good work when we have an opportunity.

The Corinthians were told to be steadfast and unmoveable. All must have these characteristics to work. A fickle man seldom will do anything. You can always tell the brethren who have conviction. They are interested in the progress of the church, and consequently are the ones who do the work. A member who has no conviction does not care much what happens. The salvation or condemnation of people does not seem to stir him, nor if the church folds up, he is not bothered.

There is no place for spasmodic service in the Lord's vineyard. We must be constantly working. There are no arrangements for retirement in this life as long as we are able to do something. Retirement comes after we put off this earthly tabernacle. John says that we will then rest from our labors (Rev. 14:13).

Some are satisfied to come a Sunday and miss a Sunday. Others come only on "Easter." Many are only "good weather" workers. The weather has to be almost perfect before you see much of them. But "always" means during all kinds of circumstances.

To be just mediocre in the Lord's work is not enough. We must abound in it. Observe that Paul said "abounding" and not "bounding." There are many brethren who are "bounding" in the work of the Lord. They are continually on the go. They never concentrate their efforts in one congregation, but "float" around from one congregation to the other. They do this to get away from responsibilities.

"Abounding" means that the Christian is to work for the Lord diligently, laboriously and strenuously, excelling in the work ordained by Jesus Christ. The church needs this kind of workers.

"Therefore" in the verse under consideration is a conjunction and means, "in view of this or that." Paul had been talking about the resurrection of the saints and the second coming of Christ. If we are to be resurrected with the just and go to live eternally with the Christ, we must be steadfast, unmoveable. always abounding in the work of the Lord. The certainty of the reward is given when Paul says "forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

Truth Magazine, XVIII:13, p. 6
January 31, 1974