By Pastor Chad
The redemptive story is God’s story. But it isn’t just God’s story, it is also our story. It is the story of how everything came to be, how mankind fell from an intimate fellowship with God, and how God seeks to restore that fellowship.
How? How does God restore that fellowship? That’s the good news! That’s the story of the gospel. Paul shares the heart of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “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…”
There it is! That’s how we are reconciled! Christ died for our sins. The Master of the universe sacrificed Himself for the salvation of others. He gave His own life for us.
Verses 3-4 are generally assumed to be the oldest statement in the New Testament. Most New Testament scholars believe this statement was an early church creed. A creed is a series of doctrinal claims that declare what one believes. This statement would have been recited in church services. And would have been a common statement used to describe what Christians believe.
Though we don’t know for sure, there are some that speculate this creed could have been developed by the apostles within 5 years of Jesus’ ascension.
This, again, is a truth that is the heart of the gospel. What does it mean to say Jesus died for our sins? It means Jesus died on our behalf. He died bearing the wrath of God, so that we may escape the judgment of God. Jesus died taking the punishment we deserve. He is the substitute of all who believe this gospel. Of course, there are many ancient stories of people dying on behalf of others. But Jesus is the only one who died for the sins of the whole world. Jesus is the only one that died for those who don’t deserve it. Jesus is the only spotless, perfect lamb of God to die.
Of course, Christ didn’t stay dead. By the power of God, He rose from the dead. This was no spiritual resurrection. He was bodily, physically risen from the grave. And now, all who benefit of this sacrifice will be reconciled to God.
Paul grounds every claim he makes in something far more authoritative than his word. He grounds it all in Scripture (“in accordance with Scriptures”). Now, this creed is not referring to the New Testament because the New Testament had not been written yet. The creed–and by extension Paul–is referring to the Old Testament. The Old Testament details how God brought about His redemptive work and plan through the Hebrew people. It shows why this redemption is necessary. And it shows God’s providential hand in all of history.
Paul says that he “delivered as of first importance what [he] received.” According to Paul, the gospel message is the heart of the redemptive story. It is the catalyst upon which all other parts of the redemptive plan depend. Therefore, the gospel is of central importance in a Christian’s life and in the life of a church. It not only impacts every area of the Christian life, but it impacts every area of the church. That’s why, at Cedar Heights, we strive to be gospel-centered in everything we do.
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