Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | November 25, 2011

The Facts of First Importance of our Faith

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.
 
“1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;  7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;  8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”  1 Corinthians 15:1-8.
 
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The emphasis of today’s Scripture is that certain historical facts occurred that were witnessed and thereby proved.  Christ died.  Christ hung high on the cross in the open on a hill for everyone to see.  There were plenty of witnesses to that historical fact of Christ’s death.  Christ was buried.  There were plenty of witnesses to that historical fact. Christ was raised on the third day.  Notice how verses 5 through 8 emphasized the number of people to whom Christ “appeared”, thus proving His resurrection.  There were plenty of witnesses to that historical fact.  During all times, “eye-witnesses” are one of the best means of proving facts.

These facts are of “first importance” of our gospel a/k/a faith.  For example, although The Apostle’s Creed is very short, it contain these three facts of “first importance”:  Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Here is what The Heidelberg Catechism states in part to these three facts of “first importance”:

Question 40.  Why was it necessary for Christ to humble himself even unto death?

Answer.  Because with respect to the justice and truth of God, satisfaction for our sins could be made no otherwise, than by the death of the Son of God.

Question 41.  Why was he also “buried”?

Answer.  Thereby to prove that he was really dead.

Question 42.  Since then Christ died for us, why must we also die?

Answer.  Our death is not a satisfaction for our sins, but only an abolishing of sin, and a passage into eternal life.

Question 43.  What further benefit do we receive from the sacrifice and death of Christ on the cross?

Answer.  That by virtue thereof, our old man is crucified, dead and buried with him;  that so the corrupt inclinations of the flesh may no more reign in us;   but that we may offer ourselves unto him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Question 45.  What doth the resurrection of Christ profit us?

Answer.  First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, that he might make us partakers of that righteousness which he had purchased for us by his death;  secondly, we are also by his power raised up to a new life;  an lastly, the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.

In conclusion, through God’s grace and work within us, today’s Scripture encourages us to remember and share these simple three facts of “first importance”:  Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

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