来到书信的最后，保罗会怎样作结呢？这封书信的要旨，是在于指出基督的主权，要伸展至基督徒生活的每一方面。保罗在信中详论信徒如何在一个不信基督的世界中为主而活。来到最后，他最盼望读者能紧记哪一点呢？

他最后提及的，是两个非常宝贵的字词：恩典和爱。神是以祂的恩典待人。当我们最初来到基督的面前，神便是以恩典来接纳我们；因此，我们是从恩典入门进入救恩。但进入救恩以后，我们还要继续仰赖神的恩典过活；而保罗在这里所指的，便是这后者的恩典。

哥林多信徒每天都要面对生活的大小挑战，这对他们来说绝非易事；但神的恩典必够他们使用，只要他们向主祈求，神的恩典必与他们同在。

此外，他还提到爱。他分别谈到人要爱主(22节)，和在耶稣基督里的爱(24节)。我们怎能爱主？就是要重视祂，先于任何的人或事。

爱主就意味着渴望与祂相交，远超过渴望其他东西。我们每天花多少时间与主相交呢？我们如果爱祂，就必然渴望每天与祂见面。

爱主还意味着要顺服主。耶稣也亲口说过：「人若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。」换言之，我们要让主耶稣在我们的心中作王，并让祂掌管我们的人际关系、我们的敬拜和事奉等。我们若真的爱祂，我们就不会感到勉强，反而会心甘乐意地听从祂。

我们研读哥林多前书到此告一段落。但愿保罗对哥林多信徒的祝愿，也成为我们的盼望和立志──成为主所喜悦的人，并求圣灵将耶稣基督为我们所成就的一切，向我们一一显明。

How will Paul sum up what he has been saying in these sixteen chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians? His theme has been the Lordship of Christ as it reaches into every area of a Christian's life. He has talked about living for Christ in a Christless world. Now what does he want them to remember above everything else?

The last two things he mentions are the wonderful words, grace and love. Grace is the way in which God deals with us. He meets us in grace when we first come to Christ. Then he also gives us grace to live for him day by day. We call the first initial grace and the second continuing grace. It is continuing grace that Paul is speaking about here.

How the Corinthians would need this as they faced life there in Corinth. It would not be easy for them in any way. But God's grace would prove sufficient, if they would ask him to supply it for them.

Then he mentions love. He speaks about loving Christ (v.22) and his love for them in verse 24. What does loving the Lord Jesus involve? To love him is to put him first before everybody and everything.

To love Christ is to want to be in his presence more than anything else. How much time do we spend with the Lord day by day? If we love him as we should, surely we will want to meet with him every day.

Then to love Christ is to obey him. Jesus himself said, 'If you love me, keep my commandments'. This is letting the Lord Jesus rule within our hearts, in our relationships, our worship and our service. If we really love him this will be what we want.

So we come to the end of these readings in 1st Corinthians. Paul longed for them what we should want for ourselves,to be all that Christ wants us to be,to allow the Spirit of God to make real to us all the things Jesus Christ had made possible for us.