1 Corinthians 15:3–9 (ESV)
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. 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. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
This passage is one place that I think the ESV gets the intent of Paul better than the AV:
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
For I think Paul was stressing what was to be held as prominent in our minds as believers, not what came first in a series of events. What came first in a series of events in Christ’s life was his birth, not his death. What Paul was saying here is that what is of “first importance,” or to be prominent in our thinking, is that Christ died, that he was buried, that he was raised from the dead, and that he appeared and interacted with men after his resurrection.
What is to be most valued about Christ and his life? The entire series of events has its own contribution to it. From each event in the series, his birth and life to his death, burial and resurrection each has its value, but of themselves, they would have no eternal value without the death, burial, and resurrection. Had Jesus just been born, lived, and taught as God’s perfect man and then ascended to heaven as Elijah, our fallen condition would have been only more fully exposed. We would be kept forever locked into Peter’s initial reaction to Christ:
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
“I am sinful, but I can’t live with the constant reminder of that. It is too painful and disturbing to see myself from that point of view.” If that is all Christ does in our lives, what a miserable state of affairs we would be left in. So, Paul stresses the solution that Christ provides. His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, etc. The Cross is so powerful that it reaches to the least, himself included and redeems any who believe. The Cross makes this possible:
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
Because of the Cross, God justifies the ungodly. He forgives the sinful. He gives a gift of standing righteous, holy, and perfect before him to the believer as a free-gift of grace. Paul says: “This work must be given prominence in our minds and hearts.” We will never stand before God apart from anything other than the grace of God, because of the work that Christ has done for us. In his death, burial, resurrection, and ascended life, we find the only basis for a secure relationship with God. We can never be dedicated enough to find merit before God. We cannot go to church enough. Pray enough. Witness enough. Or read our Bibles enough. We can never be perfect before God in our own strength or abilities. The devil will be there to point out our shortcomings and faults. Our only recourse is rest in the finished work of the cross. In the sufficiency of his death, burial, and resurrection. Consider what the Author of the book of Hebrews has said:
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
We all struggle to walk in the right way and in the proper spirit. We fail sometimes, we may seem to do well at others. But we can take heart, for God has said:
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” “I will love them freely” because they are covered by the blood of his cross, by the dirt of his burial, by the life of his resurrection, and the power of his ascension. This is what is prominent in God’s heart and mind about his children. This is what must be important in ours as well. Do you see yourselves perfect or defective today?
Lord Jesus, could this possibly be true? That we are as righteous before God as you? And what a blessing to know we have been perfected for all time, in your father’s heart and mind, because of the death, burial, and resurrection you went through on our behalf. Amen!!!
