Be, Just Be
Be, just be is my take on a directive given by Paul to the Corinthian church and the men in it. These directives can come for any number of reasons, but this one was in response to waiting for Apollos, another church leader who was to come to the Corinthian church and lead. Before Apollos arrived, Paul wrote the Corinthians a letter telling them to "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 6:13-14)." Being watchful like when Jesus wanted the disciples to stay up through the night and keep out a watchful eye. Stand firm in the faith meaning do not waiver and dilute the faith and add unto it, but stand strong in what is whole, virtuous and true. Acting like men may get taken to mean not to be effeminate, but I think here in this context it means be strong like men as men are naturally stronger than women (that's not sexist). The strength here isn't about physical strength, but emotional strength or endurance and perseverance and courage while waiting for Apollos to arrive. Lastly, let all you do be done in love. If you hold God up high first and foremost and you love and honor His word and His will, then you can love people (even unbelievers) as God loves them. So, be, just be. Be strong. Be a man. Be loving. Be like Jesus. Be, just be.
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Paul's Final Words
Paul closes out 1 Corinthians with some points and instructions, but I want to focus on a few things that popped out to me. Specifically speaking to the men in the church Paul says in verse 13, "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." That is a statement that is not just a "Hey! Be yourselves and do whatever" but Paul actually encouraging them to "act like men" and "be strong." I see that lacking in some areas in this country. Men are not acting like men. Men are not being strong in the faith. That means men have a specific role that they needed to fill then (and now) and Paul was reminding them of that role and their position.
1 Corinthians 16:14 is the second part of a very important piece of scripture. Paul says "Let all that you do be done in love." Wow. All, not most. All, not some. All, not none. All we do must be done in love. Remember we love God first and because we recognize that and loved God first, then we love people. We love them and do things that are encouraging them to things out of respect for the Lord, not just things that we personally want them to do.
1 Corinthians 16:24 tells us "My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen." When he finished the letter it was with love. We can read through the entire book of 1 Corinthians and see Paul's sarcasm and his disappointment. But instead of just making it a letter or set of letters that was only focused on what they did wrong he made sure to include his support of them to do what was done in Christ and he sent his love. How often do we have a chance to reassure people we are upset with that we love them and yet we do not? Paul did and that can be our example.
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Paul is Spared
In Acts 23:1-5, we see Paul get punched while being held down. The command to punch him came from the High Priest Ananias. Paul's response was an insult to whoever commanded the punch, but according to Exodus 22:28, Paul was wrong to insult a ruler of people.
Then in Acts 23:6-11, Paul knows that the Sadducees and the Pharisees were divided on their stance of Paul's innocence and guilt, he lets the crowds know that he is a Pharisee. Because he believed in the resurrection of Christ (the dead being a risen is believed possible by Pharisees and not Sadducees), then he aligns himself with the Pharisees saying that he is one of them. The disagreements became violent and in order to keep Paul from being harmed he was moved. The next night he was told by God “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome (Acts 23:11).”
There was a plot to kill Paul and the Jews made an oath to not eat or drink until Paul was dead. Paul's nephew (his sister's son) found out about this and told Paul who had his nephew taken by the centurion to tell the tribune of what was waiting for him. Paul was then sent to Felix the Governor. A letter was accompanied with Paul and those he was sent with explaining Paul's situation including his possible innocence (Acts 23:28-30). After the arrival, Felix decided not to charge Paul with anything until the accusers arrived and he could hear them out.
I learned from Paul's trials that when you are led by the Holy Spirit, keep going. I see Paul as an example of courage in the Spirit of God to keep pressing on even when it seems hopeless. I see God's hand guiding Paul the whole way. Have you ever taken the time to look back at life and see where God's hand was guiding you in accordance with the Bible?
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