Don’t Miss What is of Most Importance

The Apostle Paul was vehemently and violently opposed to Jesus and to his followers. That is why what he wrote to the church in Corinth should cause us to pause and be amazed.

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 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, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 (ESV)

There are many things that claim to be important for our lives, but only one is really of first importance for this life and for all of eternity.

That these things happened should come as no surprise. God declared all of them in the Old Testament. All you have to do is read Isaiah 53 to see most of it.

Isaiah 53:12

“Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors.”

The last phrase is an important part of this prophecy. He died, he bore the sin of many, but he continues to make intercession for transgressors. That is only possible if there is a resurrection.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.