為愛剛強 Courage Rooted in Love (English version below)
By Cathy Chen
「你們務要警醒，在真道上站立得穩，要作大丈夫，要剛強。凡你們所做的，都要憑愛心而做。」
— 哥林多前書 16:13–14
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.
這兩節經文出現在哥林多前書快要結束的地方。保羅在處理完教會中一連串複雜的問題，也寫下第十三章著名的「愛篇」之後，在書信最後留下了這幾句很短、卻很有分量的勉勵。
這幾天反覆思想，我開始覺得，這幾句話很像是保羅在書信結尾，對前面許多教導的一個濃縮提醒。
我們一想到哥林多前書，目光常常最先落在第十三章：「愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈……」
但如果繼續讀到書信最後，保羅給教會的提醒卻是：
警醒。 站立得穩。 勇敢。 剛強。
然後他又說：
「凡你們所做的，都要憑愛心而做。」
為什麼保羅會把這些放在一起？
我突然發現，這不正是保羅在哥林多前書裡處理教會問題的方式嗎？
他的愛，從來不是不去碰那些令人不舒服，甚至可能讓關係變得棘手的問題。相反地，他很勇敢地面對、指出、糾正；但在處理這些問題的過程裡，他又沒有失去對教會的愛。
哥林多教會的問題很多。
書信一開始，保羅就處理他們的分裂。有人說「我是屬保羅的」，有人說「我是屬亞波羅的」，也有人說「我是屬磯法的」（林前 1:12）。
第五章裡，教會中有人犯了嚴重的淫亂，教會卻沒有為此憂傷（5:1–2）。
第六章裡，信徒彼此告上法庭，讓不信主的人來審判教會內部的糾紛（6:1–8）。
到了第十一章，連守主餐都出了問題。有人先顧自己吃喝，有人甚至醉了，另一些人卻仍然飢餓（11:20–22）。
所以，在進到第十三章以前，保羅其實已經處理了很多很不好處理的事。
他沒有為了維持表面的和諧，就把這些問題輕輕帶過。正好相反，因為他愛他們，所以不能假裝那些問題不存在。
但保羅也沒有只停在責備。
在談屬靈恩賜時，他提醒他們，身體雖然有許多肢體，卻仍然是一個身體（12:12）。眼不能對手說「我用不著你」，頭也不能對腳說「我用不著你」（12:21）。
然後，就在這一段關於恩賜、彼此需要和教會生活的教導中，保羅把他們帶進第十三章。
他說：
「我若能說萬人的方言，並天使的話語，卻沒有愛，我就成了鳴的鑼，響的鈸一般。」
— 哥林多前書 13:1
甚至有先知講道之能，明白各樣的奧祕，有全備的信，卻沒有愛，仍然「就算不得什麼」（13:2）。
這讓我重新看見第十三章。
它不只是一段很美、很適合婚禮朗讀的經文。它是在一間有分裂、有驕傲、有罪，也有人彼此比較恩賜的教會中說出來的。
所以到了書信最後，保羅把「剛強」和「愛」放在一起，我就比較能明白了。
他沒有因為愛，就不處理罪；也沒有因為堅持真理，就忘了教會仍然需要被建造。
愛，有時需要我們面對問題
這使我想到整理房子。
如果家裡已經有發霉、漏水或蟲害，卻只是一直買新的家具、重新佈置，外表也許會變漂亮，可是真正的問題還是在那裡。
生命有時也是這樣。
我們可以一直增加新的活動、新的方法、新的知識，甚至新的服事，但如果有些已經明顯出問題的地方一直不願意面對，那些問題不會因為外面變得更豐富就自己消失。
有時候，愛反而使我們必須面對那些不容易面對的事。
可是，保羅沒有停在「警醒、站立得穩、勇敢、剛強」。
他最後仍然說：
「凡你們所做的，都要憑愛心而做。」
這句話對我來說很重要。
因為一個人可以說出正確的話，心裡卻不一定是出於愛。
所以當我們需要提醒一個人、處理一個問題，或做一個不容易的決定時，也許可以先問自己：
我是因為愛，還是只是想證明自己是對的？
有時候，我們因為怕別人不高興，所以不敢說真話。
有時候，我們又太急著說真話，卻忘了先看看自己的心。
這兩種情況，我都會有。
有些愛，真的需要勇氣
哥林多前書 16:13–14 提醒我，基督徒的勇敢不只是敢說、敢做。
我們需要在真道上站穩，也需要記得：
「凡你們所做的，都要憑愛心而做。」
有些愛真的需要勇氣。
真正愛一個人，有時候不只是安慰他、支持他，也可能需要說誠實的話，需要設立界線，需要面對我們寧可避開的問題。
但這份勇氣，也需要一直被主光照。
因為只要離開了愛，我們很容易把「持守真理」變成證明自己，把「剛強」變成強硬。
願神幫助我們，在需要說真話的時候有勇氣，在需要面對問題的時候不逃避，也保守我們的心，使這份勇氣真的從愛出發。
願我們所說的話、所做的決定，都能真正建造人，也榮耀神。
禱告
主啊，謝謝祢藉著這段經文提醒我們。
求祢幫助我們每天警醒自己的心，站立在祢的真道上，也願意接受祢的光照和改變。
當我們需要持守真理、說誠實的話，或面對不容易處理的事情時，求祢給我們勇氣。
也求祢保守我們的心。若我們裡面有驕傲、自義，或只是想證明自己，求祢讓我們看見，也願意悔改。
求祢教導我們，既不因害怕而逃避真理，也不因堅持真理而失去愛。
願我們所說的每一句話、所做的每一件事，都能建造人，也榮耀祢。
奉主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。
English Version
Courage Rooted in Love
By Cathy Chen
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.
— 1 Corinthians 16:13–14
These verses come near the very end of 1 Corinthians. After addressing a long list of difficult problems in the church, and after writing the well-known chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul leaves them with these short but weighty words.
As I have been reflecting on them, I have started to see them as a condensed reminder of many of the things Paul has already been teaching throughout the letter.
When we think of 1 Corinthians, our attention often goes first to chapter 13: “Love is patient, love is kind…”
But if we keep reading to the end of the letter, Paul’s final exhortation to the church is:
Be on your guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
Then he adds:
“Do everything in love.”
Why does Paul put these things together?
And then it suddenly struck me: isn’t this exactly how Paul has been dealing with the problems in the Corinthian church?
His love never meant avoiding the things that were uncomfortable or that might make relationships difficult. He was willing to face problems directly, name what was wrong, and correct it. But even as he did that, he did not lose his love for the church.
The Corinthian church had many problems.
Early in the letter, Paul confronts their divisions. Some were saying, “I follow Paul,” others, “I follow Apollos,” and others, “I follow Cephas” (1 Cor. 1:12).
In chapter 5, Paul addresses serious sexual immorality in the church, while the believers were not even grieving over it (5:1–2).
In chapter 6, believers were taking one another to court and asking unbelievers to settle disputes within the church (6:1–8).
Then in chapter 11, even the Lord’s Supper had become a place of division. Some were eating and drinking freely while others went hungry (11:20–22).
So before Paul ever reaches the famous words of chapter 13, he has already dealt with many things that were not easy to confront.
He did not ignore those problems just to keep the peace. Quite the opposite. Because he loved them, he could not simply pretend that the problems were not there.
But Paul did not stop with rebuke.
When he talks about spiritual gifts, he reminds them that the body has many parts, yet it is still one body (12:12). The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” and the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you” (12:21).
And it is right in the middle of this teaching about gifts, dependence, and life together in the church that Paul leads them into chapter 13.
He says:
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:1
Even if someone has the gift of prophecy, understands mysteries, and has faith that can move mountains, without love, Paul says, “I am nothing” (13:2).
That changes the way I read chapter 13.
It is not only a beautiful passage that we hear at weddings. It is spoken into a church marked by division, pride, sin, and competition over spiritual gifts.
So when Paul places strength and love side by side near the end of the letter, it begins to make more sense to me.
He does not ignore sin in the name of love. But neither does he hold on to truth and forget that the church is meant to be built up.
Sometimes Love Means Facing What Is Wrong
It makes me think of taking care of a house.
If there is mold, water damage, or an insect problem, but we keep buying new furniture and redecorating, the house may look better for a while, but the real problem is still there.
Our lives can be like that too.
We can keep adding new activities, new methods, new knowledge, even new areas of ministry. But if there are things that clearly need to be faced and we keep avoiding them, those problems do not disappear simply because the outside looks more complete.
Sometimes love is exactly what makes us willing to face difficult things.
But Paul does not stop with “Be on your guard,” “Stand firm,” “Be courageous,” and “Be strong.”
He still says:
“Do everything in love.”
That part is especially important to me.
Because a person can say something true and still not be speaking from love.
So when we need to correct someone, address a problem, or make a difficult decision, maybe we should first ask ourselves:
Am I doing this out of love, or am I simply trying to prove that I am right?
Sometimes we are afraid to speak honestly because we do not want someone to be upset with us.
Other times, we are too eager to speak the truth and forget to examine our own hearts first.
I can fall into both.
Some Kinds of Love Really Do Require Courage
First Corinthians 16:13–14 reminds me that Christian courage is not simply being bold enough to speak or act.
We are called to stand firm in the faith, and at the same time to remember:
“Do everything in love.”
Some kinds of love really do require courage.
Loving someone does not always mean comforting or supporting them. Sometimes it means honesty. Sometimes it means boundaries. Sometimes it means facing something we would rather avoid.
But that courage also needs to remain under the Lord’s correction.
Because once love is lost, “standing for truth” can easily become a way of proving ourselves right, and courage can easily turn into harshness.
May God give us courage when we need to speak the truth and when we need to face difficult things. And may He guard our hearts so that this courage remains rooted in love.
May our words and decisions truly build others up and bring glory to God.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for reminding us through this passage.
Help us to guard our hearts each day and stand firm in Your truth. Give us hearts that are willing to receive Your light and be changed by You.
When we need to hold to the truth, speak honestly, or face something difficult, please give us courage.
At the same time, guard our hearts. If there is pride, self-righteousness, or simply a desire to prove ourselves right, help us to see it and repent.
Teach us not to avoid truth because of fear, and not to lose love while trying to stand for truth.
May every word we speak and every action we take build others up and bring glory to You.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
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