Essentials of the Faith - Pt 6

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV). The Cross Event is essential to our faith. Our reading today is one of the many passages that form a foundation for our correct understanding of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Paul points directly to the events of the cross and resurrection of Christ; and, he is not concerned with just any gospel, but with the only gospel that saves. This is “the gospel I preached to you,” Paul reminds the Corinthians. The same Paul who so forcefully warned the Galatians against accepting any false gospel reminds the church at Corinth that the very “gospel I preached to you” is the gospel “by which you are being saved.” Their stewardship of the gospel is underlined in Paul’s words, “if you hold fast to the word I preached to you.” All revealed truth is vital, invaluable, life-changing truth to which every disciple of Christ is fully accountable. But certain truths are of highest importance, and that is the language Paul uses without qualification. This truth is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Without these, there is no good news — no salvation. The Gospel is at the center of our faith, and the cross and the empty tomb are at the center of the Gospel. The reason is simply because there can be no redemption, no atonement, no restoration of relationship between a holy God and sinful people without these things. Later in the chapter, the Apostle Paul says: The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:56-58 ESV). Whatever confusion might exist between various denominations, we cannot be confused or disjointed about the absolute essential nature of the vicarious death of Jesus. He became our substitute and settled our debt in full. There was never another way; nor is there another way now. You may have a perfect interpretation of the apocalyptic passages in Scripture; however, if you don’t have a correct understanding of the death of Christ, you are lost indeed. Trust in His work! It is the only thing that will do.