April 10, 2005

THE GOSPEL PAUL PREACHED

1 Corinthians 15:1-12

 

   “I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which ye received also, and in which ye stand also; by which ye are saved also, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye believed in vain” (1 Cor. 15:1-2). This declaration of the gospel is not to the lost but to the saved, the saints at Corinth , members of the church Paul had founded years before. We must keep this in mind lest we fail to rightly divide a passage so seemingly plain and apply these words to the lost. Such a misapplication creates doubt and uncertainty, for it is clear that they were saved only, “if they keep in memory” what Paul had delivered. This salvation sounds conditional, as though it depends on one's memory, and it does!

   Paul was not retelling the gospel to bring them to God in salvation. Some of their number had forgotten the fact and importance of Christ's resurrection. Paul was laying the groundwork here to explain the resurrection as the foundation of the gospel. And the salvation referred to here was to “save them” from the error of their sad misunderstanding on so important a matter.

   Chapter 15 divides into three sections. Verses 1-11 set forth the evidence for the resurrection of Christ and its importance in the gospel. Verses 12-34 explain the fact of the resurrection of Christ and of man. Verses 35-58 tell of the manner of the resurrection .

   “I delivered...first of all, that which I received also, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose the third day, according to the scriptures.” Paul then listed the eye-witnesses, for the risen Lord was seen by Peter, then the twelve, about 500 brethren at once, James, all the apostles, and last of all by himself. While he could not forget his own unworthiness to be an apostle, Paul nevertheless “labored more abundantly that they all,” yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (15:10). And with all these witnesses and the abundance of labor proclaiming the gospel, “how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” This is the error from which they needed to be saved, and Paul proceeded to explain in detail!

 

Ivan L. Burgener