Post by foxjj on May 27, 2019 5:46:56 GMT
The Heart Of The Gospel
In the following verse’s, Paul stresses the heart of the Gospel: “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: 3-4) These facts are not hearsay. On the contrary they are recorded historic happenings. Spurgeon put it this way: “Our religion is not based upon opinions, but upon facts. We hear persons sometimes saying, ‘Those are your views, and these are ours.’ Whatever your ‘views’ may be, is a small matter; what are the facts of the case?”
Where Paul wrote: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,” he was referring to the Old Testament Scriptures, because, the New Testament was still being written and not yet recognized as Scripture. As an example; Old Testament Scriptures such as Psalm 22 which is a description of Crucifixion long before the Romans used it as their mode of execution.
Isaiah 53 describes Messiah’s agonizing death: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:4-9)
As evidence that Jesus died; His physical body, was laid in a tomb. The resurrection was in fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures such as Psalm 16:10 where it states: “You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay.”
As evidence that Jesus arose from the dead there are many eyewitness: ”and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)
This is the heart of The Gospel - The Good News - Jesus Christ came to atone for our transgressions, showing the love of God, and offering peace and hope to all who will accept His sacrifice on their behalf.
Today, let us praise The Lord for His Gospel of hope.
John Joseph Fox.
In the following verse’s, Paul stresses the heart of the Gospel: “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: 3-4) These facts are not hearsay. On the contrary they are recorded historic happenings. Spurgeon put it this way: “Our religion is not based upon opinions, but upon facts. We hear persons sometimes saying, ‘Those are your views, and these are ours.’ Whatever your ‘views’ may be, is a small matter; what are the facts of the case?”
Where Paul wrote: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,” he was referring to the Old Testament Scriptures, because, the New Testament was still being written and not yet recognized as Scripture. As an example; Old Testament Scriptures such as Psalm 22 which is a description of Crucifixion long before the Romans used it as their mode of execution.
Isaiah 53 describes Messiah’s agonizing death: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:4-9)
As evidence that Jesus died; His physical body, was laid in a tomb. The resurrection was in fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures such as Psalm 16:10 where it states: “You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay.”
As evidence that Jesus arose from the dead there are many eyewitness: ”and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)
This is the heart of The Gospel - The Good News - Jesus Christ came to atone for our transgressions, showing the love of God, and offering peace and hope to all who will accept His sacrifice on their behalf.
Today, let us praise The Lord for His Gospel of hope.
John Joseph Fox.