(13) Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (14) Let all your things be done with charity. (15) I beseech you, brethren, ye (know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints), (16) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to everyone that helpeth with us, and laboreth. (17) I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. (18) For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
There is somewhat truly interesting in this short, but striking exhortation of the Apostle. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Paul doth not simply look to them, or teach them to look to themselves; as if either, or the whole of these Christian graces were of their own procuring, or depended upon their own strength to make effectual. The exhortation is more like the Prophet on the watch-tower, directing them to be on the look-out for the daily, hourly, minutely manifestations of the Lord's grace, to be made perfect in human weakness; that, in a consciousness of their nothingness, they might be made strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Ephesians 6:10
I never can say enough to myself, neither to the Reader of this humble work, on the subject of this watchfulness, and the standing fast in the faith, and the like. Steadfastness in faith is not so well understood as its importance demands. We are everlastingly looking for it in ourselves, and in our own attainments; whereas the Scriptures are uniformly teaching us it can be only found in the Lord. That precious child of God, be who he may, can only be said to be stedfast in faith, when counting the state of grace in which he stands, he forms his conclusions, not from what he feels in himself, but from what Christ is. Not from what hath passed in him, but from what hath passed for him, in the council of peace before all worlds, and from Christ's suretyship engagements and fulfillments for his Church and people in time. A child of God may sometimes be enlarged, and sometimes straitened, sometimes in the mount, and sometimes in the valley. But neither of these states becomes the standard to judge by of his interest in Christ. I will be free to confess, that it is comfortable, as it is our privilege, to be always rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, yet, the hope and the glory of God do not depend upon our rejoicing sense of them. Paul meant somewhat more than the mere accommodation of the body, when he said, I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound, Philippians 4:12. It is blessed to be strong and stedfast in the faith, when things are dark and discouraging, and to trust Christ and his promises, when the way to the accomplishment of those promises we cannot see through.