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Today's Pathway: I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

In today's verse Paul concludes his teaching concerning the future resurrection of Christians. As we have mentioned previously, the word "therefore" connects what has just been said to what is about to be said. In this case, what Paul has written in this chapter is the basis for the encouragement and challenge that he is going to give to the Corinthians believers. Chapter 15 has been filled with doctrine. Paul has explained what the Gospel is. He has proven the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has taught them the doctrine of the resurrection of the redeemed dead as well as the rapture of the living saints. He has taught them about the resurrection bodies that they will someday have. Then, on the basis of these teachings, he tells them what their response to the doctrines should be. It must be noted that the doctrines that we believe are not simply academic information. They should be motivators for how we live. For example, two doctrines that the Bible teaches are that there is only one means of salvation and the reality of Heaven and Hell. These doctrines should motivate unbelievers to receive Christ, and Christians to share the Gospel with others. Bruce Hurt summarized it this way,

"Doctrinal declarations should always lead to dutiful directives".

So, in light of the resurrection, what should believers do? Paul gives them three directives. First he tells them to be steadfast. The word "be" carries the idea of "becoming". In other words, he is not telling them to continue to be steadfast, but he is telling them that they need to start being steadfast. "Steadfast" is a word that originally was used to speak of one who was sitting, and later came to be used of something that is firm, settled, and stable. Paul is telling the Corinthians that they need to be settled and firm in their beliefs, specifically those dealing with the Gospel and the resurrection. Next, Paul adds the word "unmoveable". They were not to allow anyone or anything to move them away from their belief in the Gospel or the resurrection. John Piper preached,

"'Immovable' means don’t get knocked over by sudden blows. Keep your balance. Stand strong and unshaken when the rains come down and the floods come up and the winds blow and beat against your house. Be like a boulder that can’t get washed away."

Paul then writes that believers should be "always abounding" in the Lord's work. "Abounding" carries the idea of exceeding the requirements, of overflowing or overdoing. "Work" describes an activity in which one exerts strength and energy. Because of all that Paul has told us in chapter 15, we who are saved should be doing as much as we possibly can to work for Him. John Butler wrote,

"Abounding in the work of the Lord necessitates fervency. We are not simply to 'always be serving', but also to abound in service. 'Always abounding' says to serve as much as you can and as often as you can. This is not the language of do-just-enough-to-get-by. It is the language of being involved in as much labor for the Lord as possible and at all times. Some may caution against burnout and overwork. That is definitely not the problem in Christian service today. The problem today is trying to get believers to do any service for any length of time."

Why should we obey these three directives? Because we know that all the toil and effort that we expend for the Lord will not be in vain or wasted. We know that we are saved because we have believed the Gospel. We know that because Christ has risen and has a glorified body that we too shall rise with an incorruptible body. Therefore not one moment of service to Him is wasted time. Even if people do not respond, or if it seems like we are accomplishing little, the labor exerted is not in vain. Bruce Hurt concludes,

"Paul had already instructed the saints at Corinth about rewards (I Corinthians 3:8-14). Labor for the Lord will be rewarded. This assurance should be a great stimulant for selfless service, which all too often may seem to be thankless, as no one expresses gratitude or appreciation and results may not be obvious. Paul is saying it pays to serve the Lord, and even if you do not realize any "reward" on earth, the promise is that in eternity you will clearly see that your labor was not in vain."