In 1 Corinthians 15:1 Paul delivers the meat of the Gospel of Grace that we preach; that Christ died for YOUR sins, was buried, and rose again “according to the scriptures”.
1 Cor 15:1
“Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein you stand.
It’s through receiving this gospel and keeping taking it to heart that you are saved; unless you have believed in vain.
For, I have delivered unto you, that which I also received; how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.
And he was buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day, according to scriptures.”
Friends, the above piece is the synopsis, the whole gist and the beef of the gospel of grace which we preach. It’s our Lord Jesus, and what he did with our Sin.
You will notice the special effort made by Apostle Paul to reiterate the phrase: ‘according to scriptures’.
That is to say: Hey guys, I am not making these things up just to sweet-talk you. These things are real and established in scriptures, which were of course the most revered records of that day and age. It’s like telling someone living in the Western Democracies today: “Hey, this thing is in the Constitution”.
In verses 5-8, Paul went ahead to invoke witnesses to the case he was making.
“And he was seen of Cephas (Peter), then the Twelve; then after that he was seen of five hundred brethren at one instance, of which majority of them are still alive and available to testify. After that, he was seen of James and the Apostles together.”
So, Paul is saying here, listen guys, there is both historical records and living proof that the gospel is true and real, and that Jesus Christ is alive.
Now what’s the reason for all that? Just to prove that you have not believed a fable. Paul says, I delivered to you what I received, so I recommend that you believe, receive it, and stand by it.
Grace makes little meaning at the Historical level alone i.e “Christ died and rose from the dead according to scriptures”.
Grace also makes still a little more meaning even at the Secondary evidence level where witnesses are paraded. “Yes he appeared to Cephas, James, the ‘Twelve’ and many others”; but something is still missing.
Grace is in full only when it’s personalized as Paul did.
Vs 8: “And last of all, he was seen of me also, as one born out of due season….”
This testimony delivers the message of grace home to the individual in terms of personal experience. Grace message is as authentic as the experience of its messenger.
Yes our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, not ours only, but for the sins of the whole world, but you cannot access grace at a historical level; like many folks try to do when they say: “You know, I am from a Christian family, my grandparents were missionaries, I grew up literally in the church…..etc”. Yes, that is history. It doesn’t move the pendulum one bit.
Neither can you rest also at the Secondary evidence level; like: “You know my wife is a good believer and I drop her off and the kids at church every Sunday. Occasionally also I do attend, like at Easter or Christmas”; or
“You know, I attend a Grace believing church, my Pastor, he’s good in the word…..etc
Your wife cannot believe grace enough for you to get saved, neither can your Pastor. Yea, that’s the truth. Grace has to be received at the personal level and acted upon, for it to truly change the course of your life.
Hear Paul’s conclusion on the matter:
Vs 10 – “But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly that they all; yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
(TO BE CONTINUED)