CTG 0076

 OF FIRST IMPORTANCE 

Paul and those who worked with him brought the gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ, to various places throughout the Roman Empire. Planting churches, i.e. gatherings of believers in Christ, and raising up workers who would care for them. 

After moving on to new areas he would stay in touch with the new churches in various ways. Revisiting, sending colleagues and sending correspondence. 

One such group of believers was the church that was established in Corinth, one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. 

Corinth was a multi-ethnic metropolis. It had two seaports and was well connected by road. Sailors and travellers often passed through. And the city was well known for its immorality, possessing a notorious reputation. 

Paul had reached out with the gospel there, to his own ethnic people at first. Then to the other people groups. “… many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptised. One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you ...’ So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God (ACTS 18: 8-11 NIV)."

The grace of God positively impacted many in the city. 

Later, in one of his letters that he sent there, Paul stated: "To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 CORINTHIANS 1: 2- 3 ESV)." 

Paul covers a lot of important matters in this letter that need attention. But the most important was this: “... I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures ... (1 CORINTHIANS 15.1-4 NIV). 

Of first importance! 

Christ's death for our sins! 

His resurrection! 

Bible based truth! 

The gospel, good news! 

Having received it, believing it! 

Which saves us! 

On which we have taken our stand! 

This is how our lives are transformed! 

It is the foundation on which everything else fits together! 

And it is the basis on which the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is available to us. So that we are enabled to share the good news with others, with our own ethnic group and other ethnic groups too. 

FOR FURTHER READING 

Acts 18:1-21 

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 

1 Corinthians 3:11 

1 Corinthians 15:1-58 

2 Corinthians 13:5 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 

Luke 22:1 - 24:53