Most Important – 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (CSB)
Paul turns to the core of our faith—the gospel—after addressing various aspects of church life in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2a (CSB)
“Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved,”
Paul ensures they grasp the most important thing: the gospel. Many aspects of faith matter, but the gospel is everything.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (CSB)
“For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: 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,”
Nothing surpasses the gospel: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day. Without Him, we’d be lost in sin, without hope or forgiveness. God’s justice demands a penalty for sin we can’t pay—Hebrews 9:22 states, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, shed His blood to satisfy God’s justice, as John the Baptist declared in John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” His resurrection proves He conquered sin and death, the consequence of sin.
Paul notes many witnesses saw the risen Christ, and at that time, many were still alive, affirming this truth. The gospel is most important. We have much to learn about faith and church life, but first, we must know what we stand on: Jesus lived sinlessly, died for us, and rose again. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19, God reconciled the world to Himself through Christ, not counting our sins against us. Praise God, we’re forgiven! Our risen Savior conquered death, and because He lives, we’ll live with Him forever. Are we standing firm on this gospel, letting it shape every part of our lives?
