City Life Starter

The Word: I Corinthians 15:3-11

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.

6After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

7then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

8and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

9For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

11Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

By Scott Fiddler

These nine verses present a wonderful summary of the gospel. Paul notes that the most important thing he is doing is simply delivering the same good news to the Corinthians that was delivered to him—first, that Jesus died for our sins just as the prophets in the Old Testament had predicted. Moses, Isaiah, and David in the Psalms had all foretold of the Savior who would deliver people from their sins.

Some denominations focus on the sacrifice of Jesus almost to the exclusion of his burial and resurrection, but Paul doesn’t stop there. To do so would be to present an incomplete Gospel. Paul notes that Jesus was raised on the third day. Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate event that proved who Jesus was, and without which there would be no forgiveness of sins. Paul makes this point later in the chapter. Jesus’ victory over death is also the basis for Christians’ living in victory over sin because the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead can give Christian’s victory over sin in their lives.

Third, Paul lays out the evidence for the resurrection. I never refer to Christianity as “a faith,” as if it was some fairy tale Christians just choose to believe. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are well-attested and rooted in history. Paul lays out some of the evidence: Jesus’ appearance to Peter and His disciples after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to more than 500 hundred eye-witnesses after His resurrection, Jesus’ appearance to His brother James, and then Jesus’ appearance to the harshest of persecutors of the early Church, Paul.

Fourth, Paul talks about the grace of God by which he was saved and lived, and by which all Christians are saved and should live. It is not by anyone’s works but Jesus’ that anyone is saved. Paul then hits on the very important point that he labors to advance the kingdom of God but that he does so in partnership with the grace of God. The progress of sanctification and our work for King Jesus does not happen by merely “resting” in Him or “knowing who we are in Christ,”  nor does it happen purely by our own power or strength. Instead, it is a spiritual joint venture whereby as we move and He empowers.

Lastly, Paul notes “we preach and so you believed.” It is foundational and fundamental that having received the Gospel, Christians should share the Gospel with others or, as  Jesus called it, make disciples.

This is the Gospel as it was given to Paul, as it is given to us, and as we are to give it to others.