BEN F. VICK, JR.

This week’s article is the completion of the article last week. In closing out his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.” (1 Cor. 16:13–14.) I made a few comments on the first three imperatives. Please consider the last two:

Be Strong. Moses had died; Joshua was now the leader of Israel. In this period of transition, the Lord said to Joshua, “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” (Josh.1:5–7.)

Let All Your Things Be Done with Charity. The American Standard Version of 1901 renders this verse: “Let all that ye do be done in love." Read 1 Corinthians 13. You do not want to wear a mask because you do not want the government to tell you what to do? Ok. Granted, I do not think we have reached Acts 5:29 yet. We can still worship God wearing one. You say, "You cannot?" Why not? Others can, I have scarred lungs, but I can. If you do not want to wear a mask because the government tells you to wear one, what about your love for your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you love them enough to suffer a little discomfort? Peter commands, "…love one another with a pure heart fervently." Ok, if you have legitimate concerns about catching Covid-19, I understand. The parking lot maybe your best option for now. It may be different when winter arrives. Let us love one another and strive to get back together as soon as possible.

Let a man examine himself.