'Always abounding in the work of the Lord' (1 Cor. 15:58).

This is the word used by the apostle in Philippians: 'This is the fruit

of my labour' (1:22).

Kopos.  The word is derived from kopto to strike, and means 'a

beating'; then, as if a beating of the breast, it means 'wailing', 'grief';

and carrying the idea still further, 'wearisome effort', 'toilsome labour',

something that cannot be accomplished apart from toil and possibly tears.  As

an example we may take the words of the Lord in John 4:38: 'Other men

laboured, and ye are entered into their labours'.

Agonizomai.  This word belongs to the arena and the stadium.  The

substantive is translated 'race', 'fight', 'contention' and 'conflict'.  The

verb is translated 'strive', 'fight' and 'labour fervently'.  The cognate is

translated 'agony'.  The solemn association of this word with Gethsemane

reveals an aspect of ministry that is far removed from anything merely

scholastic or respectable.  This word (sunagonizomai) is used by the apostle

in Romans 15:30, also (agonizomai) concerning Epaphras in writing to the

Colossians: 'Always labouring fervently for you in prayer' (Col. 4:12).

Closely allied with this is the word translated 'labour together' in

Philippians 4:3, where the original uses the word sunathleo, the latter half

of which will be recognized as the origin of our word 'athlete'.  Christian

service is, therefore, a work, a wearying labour and a conflict.  Let us take

a few specimen passages, which will show the usage of these words:

Service is Work.  'As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy

Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work (ergon)

whereunto I have called them' (Acts 13:2).

Service is Labour.  'In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in

labours (kopos), in watchings, in fastings' (2 Cor. 6:5).

Every word in this verse speaks of suffering and endurance, harmonizing

with the primary meaning of the word 'labour'.  The same association is found

in 2 Corinthians 11:23:

'Are they ministers of Christ? ... I am more; in labours (kopos) more

abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths

The next five verses fill out a list of sufferings that are almost

unbelievable, all an expansion of 'ministry', weary labour indeed.  The

apostle links together 'labour and travail' in 2 Thessalonians 3:8, yet we

know that in all this labour, weary in it though he may have been, he was

never weary of it, for as he wrote to the Thessalonians in the first epistle,

his ministry was a 'labour of love'.

Service is Conflict.  The word agonizomai occurs only seven times in

the New Testament, and it may be helpful to see all the references together.

We therefore give them without comment, to avoid occupying too much space:

'Strive to enter in at the strait gate' (Luke 13:24).

'If My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight'

(John 18:36).

'Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things' (1

Cor. 9:25).