1 Corinthians 15

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3

Paul will now review “the gospel which I preached to you” which he mentioned in verse 1. This is not all-inclusive of his teaching, but it is, as he says, what “I delivered to you first of all.” This is an idiom which is found in the Greek translation of the Old Testament in Genesis 33:2 and 2 Samuel 5:8. It is the placing something before other things. His words then are those which are of paramount importance in understanding the work of Christ.

It needs to be considered that this letter is written about 25 years after the time of the resurrection. At this early point in Christian history, these tenets were passed on, understood, and held in the highest regard as points which were to be communicated during a gospel presentation. What he writes here closely matches the words of the Apostle’s Creed.

It should also be noted that a portion of what he will state is not recorded anywhere in the gospels. For that reason, he says, “that which I also received.” These words are a claim of divine inspiration. This then is what he is referring to in Galatians 1 –

“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹² For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11, 12

The first point of his “first things” is “that Christ died for our sins.” Christ wasn’t just a martyr who did a good deed in giving up his life for another. Rather, He came with the specific intent and purpose of destroying the sinful state in which man exists, and which has been inherited in all men since the fall of man. Christ’s death was an atonement for sins committed, and an expiation of those sins, carrying them away, never to be held against His people again. He died in place of us (a vicarious offering) so that we could be reconciled once again to our Creator. In Christ’s death, our sins are nailed to His cross and we die to sin with Him. If this didn’t occur, then we would remain in our sins; forever separated from God.

This is where the hope begins, and so this is where Paul begins with his “first things.” And this death of Christ was “according to the Scriptures.” It must be remembered that there was no New Testament at the time of Paul. There were only the Hebrew Scriptures. Some of the gospels may have been recorded, and Paul was in the process of writing his epistles, but none were considered as “Scripture” at this point. Therefore, this is an explicit reference to the fact that the atoning death of Christ is referred to in the Old Testament.

And sure enough, it is found in every type and picture imaginable. It is also found in specific writings such as the psalms and in Isaiah. These truths may have been veiled, but upon completion of His work, they become clearly understood. All of Scripture speaks of the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

Concerning these “first things” that Paul speaks of in this verse and the verses to come, the Pulpit commentary notes seven points that are worthy of being repeated here –

1. It is the completest summary.
2. It refers to some incidents which are not mentioned in the Gospels.
3. It declares that the death and resurrection of Christ were a subject of ancient prophecy.
4. It shows the force of the evidence on which the apostles relied and the number of living eye witnesses to whom they could appeal.
5. It is the earliest written testimony to the Resurrection; for it was penned within twenty-five years of the event itself.
6. It shows that the evidence for the Resurrection as a literal, historical, objective fact, was sufficient to convince the powerful intellect of a hostile contemporary observer.
7. It probably embodies, and became the model for, a part of the earliest Creed of the Church.

Life application: Christ died for our sins. Let us not continue to live in sin, but to live in Christ, holy and undefiled.

Heavenly Father, I see time and time again in the New Testament that the writers say that a truth about Jesus is “according to Scripture.” And yet, there was no New Testament at that time, only the Old Testament. How wonderful it is to see that the coming work of Messiah was so clearly and plainly recorded in the Old so that when He came, it would be perfectly apparent to all that He is the fulfillment of what was written. Our hope isn’t in the words of man, but in what You have revealed since the beginning. I have the surest hope of all; I have Jesus! Amen.

Tuesday, 24 February 2015

…by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:2

The difficult nature of Paul’s words have led many to assume that he is saying:

1) Our continued salvation is dependent on a work of our own will, and
2) That salvation can be lost if one fails to hold fast to what was preached

In other words, this verse is used as a denial of the doctrine of “eternal salvation.” This is not the case. As Ellicott notes, “The idea here is not, as implied in the English version, that they were converted, and yet that heretofore no results have followed from their belief…” Rather, Paul will explain exactly what he means in verse 11, which says –

“Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” (verse 11)

There has been belief and there has been forgiveness because of the gospel message. Paul’s intent here in verse 2 is similar in meaning to what he will say in verse 17 –

“And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” verse 17

And so the best avenue is to look at verses 1 and 2 together and then analyze verse 2 –

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

In verse 1, the gospel was preached and it was received. It is also the truth in “which you stand.” This is the gospel “by which you are saved.” The words “are saved” indicate a done deal. It is the moving from Adam to Christ and the spiritual rebirth which was anticipated since the fall of man. From there it says, “if you hold fast that word which I preached to you.” The essence of this difficult portion is speaking of a possibility (not a reality) that someone heard and didn’t believe. The message didn’t sink into their minds in order for them to “hold fast” to it.

It is being given as a possible scenario for someone who sat among the believers (and he has noted that they “received” the gospel) and didn’t bind the truth of the gospel to the saving of their soul. However, for those who did, the gospel is perfectly able to save and keep on saving, “unless you believed in vain.” These words are again not saying that someone first believed and then didn’t believe. Instead, it is, like verse 17 (cited above), a hypothetical statement. In essence, “yes you believed, but the message that you believed isn’t true and therefore you aren’t saved.”

Paul is attempting to get the Corinthians (and thus us!) to wake up to the fact that our very conduct in the church is to be based on the fact that we are saved. If we are, we have a hope which is grounded in reality. If it is grounded in reality, then we should act as if it is so. Chapter 15 has taken on a new direction, but it is still an orderly move from Chapter 14, which highlighted the disorder within the church.

If we have believed in vain, then our conduct doesn’t matter. But we have not believed in vain. Instead, we have believed in the gospel and therefore our conduct should be based on that.

Life application: If you were saved by the blood of Christ, you are saved by the blood of Christ.

Lord, I so love the world we live in which You have given to us. I thank You for the astonishing array of beauty, smells, sights, and tastes which flood my life each day. And yet, I so despise the world which we have made. There is war, death, hatred, perversion, and contempt for Your word. Help me to focus on what You have given, work against the wrong we have established, and keep me reminded of the perfection that lies ahead of me when Christ returns. I look forward to an eternal walk in Your heavenly garden. Amen.

Monday, 23 February 2015

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 1 Corinthians 15:1

Paul now enters into a new chapter with a new direction. This chapters concerns, above all else, the doctrine of the resurrection. It is divided into six noticeable parts as follows:

1. The good news of Christ which is realized in His resurrection (verses 1-11)
   2. Our hope in the resurrection of Christ (verses 12-19)
   3. Dead in Adam; alive in Christ (verses 20 – 28)
   4. Remaining awake to righteousness (verses 29-34)
   5. A contrast between our present earthly body and our coming heavenly body (verses 35-49)
   6. Victory in Christ (verses 50-58)

This chapter, along with 1 Corinthians 13, stands out as one of Paul’s most notable passages. In it is the hope of the believer and the surety of our faith. It gives us hints of the coming rapture, and it shows our unique and unbreakable tie to Christ our Lord. Should we find ourselves in a mental slump, we can come to the words of Chapter 15 and renew our souls in the hope we possess.

And so he begins with “Moreover.” The Greek conjunction can mean something like, “in addition to,” or “now I am about to say,” or something similar. In this case, it is a transition away from the doctrine of tongues and prophesying, and into that of the resurrection. This is directed to the “brethren.” In other words, what he will say does not apply to all people. It only applies to those who are in Christ.

Next he notes, “I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you.” In the coming verses, he will sum up the good news of Christ; the gospel of salvation for all who believe. The word he uses is gnorizo. It means “to make known.” But Vincent’s Word Studies notes that he is stating this reproachfully; having to make known all over again this news. It is as if they had forgotten the very basic information which they had believed at the beginning.

This gospel is the good news “which also you received and in which you stand.” He is making an effort to repeat the very basics which brought them to salvation and which continues to save them. But it is right and proper that Paul needed to repeat this to them in writing, because his letter to the Corinthians contains the same words which are now included in the Bible. Their failing memories prompted Paul’s hand to write the words of Scripture which continue to instruct the faithful 2000 years later.

Life application: Let us pay heed to the words of 1 Corinthians 15 and stand fast in the good news which Paul presents to us there. Let us apply them to our minds and fix them in our hearts in order to carry us through even the darkest moments of our continued walk in Christ.

Heavenly Father, if there is one thing that I am absolutely sure about, it is that of the record of Christ’s resurrection. It is as sure as anything else in all of history. I am more certain of the truth of that wondrous moment than I am that the sun will rise again each day. Even if the heavens fail to work properly, I have a sure foundation in the testimony of Your word that Christ is risen. And because I am in Him, I too will rise to eternal life. No fear here. Amen.