Oh the Sweet Gospel and Effective Grace [1 Corinthians 15:1-11]

1Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 

 

As we wrap of the book of 1 Corinthians what do you think has been the overall theme that God, through Paul, is trying to get across?

I look back and see phrases like:

1:4 - I thank God because of God's grace given to you in Christ Jesus, that by Him you were made rich in everything

1:17 - Christ sent me to preach the gospel

1:31 - The one who boasts must boast in the Lord

2:2 - For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified

2:12 We have received the Spirit in order to know what has been freely given to us by God

2:16 But we have the mind of Christ


Those are from the first two chapters.  We can look back at the others in the next few days.  But looking at what was said in the beginning and what is said at the end can help you see what is in between.   He wants them to know and understand the gospel in such a way that it permeates their entire life.  He preached this word for us, too.  He wants us to "hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain."  This is what we received, this is in what we stand, this is by which we where saved -

  • Christ died for our sins
  • He was buried
  • He was raised on the third day
  • all this was according to the Scriptures (the promises of the Old Testament)
  • He appeared to many (to confirm He was indeed raised from the dead)
And no matter what you have done (Paul had persecuted the church of God) "But by God's grace I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not ineffective." (v.10, Holman CSB).

If you have believed this gospel now walk in it!  Let it permeate every minute of your live today.

 



Verna McCrillis, 12/11/2008
Feedback:
Allison Stusse 12/11/2008 09:53
I think 1Cor 15:10 is going to be my new theme verse. :-)