REMEMBER THE GOSPEL, BY WHICH WE ARE SAVED

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 / Keywords 15:3,4

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

 

The Resurrection of Christ

15:1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Footnotes

a. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first

b. 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter

1. In this letter, Apostle Paul addressed many problems that were happening in the church in Corinth. He declared that the most excellent way to deal with squabbles was through the love of God (Ch.13). Now he was compelled to remind them of the gospel, which is of first importance.

2. What is the gospel (which means “good news”)? According to the Scriptures, Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day. This is the gospel by which we are saved, and the foundation on which we must stand firm. Otherwise, our faith is in vain. Christ died to remove the judgment we deserve for our sins. Christ was raised to give us victory, hope and power to live a new life in the Spirit.

3. The Risen Christ had witnesses including Peter, 500 believers, James, the apostles, and Paul. Paul felt unworthy to be an apostle since he had persecuted Christians. But God’s grace enabled him to work hard preaching the gospel, so that others might be saved by God’s grace.

Prayer Father, thank you for reminding us of the gospel of Jesus Christ, by which we are saved. May we stand firm in this gospel and share it with others, by the grace of God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

One Word Saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ