First Importance

God has done it again. :)  I've had a blog post rattling around in my head for awhile now.  I jotted down some notes about a month or so ago regarding this subject but never had it all come together in my mind enough to feel that I could flesh it out into a full post.  Well, this past Sunday our Pastor preached a message with a similar message.   He preached on being Redeemed by Grace.  I was reminded of the notes I had jotted down and so I'm finally putting this post together. 

Paul's teaches in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 what is to be our primary message to the world and what is to be of "first importance" in our own lives:

                                                        "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 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,"

Notice Paul's words here; the Gospel, Jesus crucified as payment for our sins and raised in victory so we also can have victory over sin and death through Him, is what, through our believing and receiving brings us salvation (see Romans 10:9 & 13, Ephesians 2:8-9) but it is also what we as believers are to stand on as the foundation for everything in our lives and we are to hold fast to the Gospel!  Over and over Paul reminds the Corinthians to keep the focus of their lives on Jesus and on the Gospel.  In Chapter 1 Paul talks about how distractions are causing divisions within the church and how that we need to depend on God's wisdom and not our own.  He begins Chapter 2 by reminding them of what is really important...what the church is all about; WHO is to be its focus. 

"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming 

to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 

and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, 

but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith 

might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (vs. 1-5)

 It wasn't how great Paul could write a sermon or how wise or educated he was.  Paul said Jesus crucified, the testimony of God, the Spirit, power and wisdom of God; these are what are most important. 

What are we telling the world (by actions or words) is of first importance?  Dressing a certain way?  Attending church? Being part of a certain political party?  Having it all "together" so no one sees your sin? Or maybe even that certain sins are acceptable but others aren't so they just need to make sure they stay within the certain acceptable sins?  Are we more concerned with judging the sins of unbelievers or preaching the Gospel?  What have we let distract us?  The Devil knows that Jesus is the Key!  If he can distract us from sharing the Gospel, if he can keep us running in circles discussing political issues, if he can keep us focused on earthly things then the Devil knows our effectiveness for the Gospel will be greatly decreased if we even have any effectiveness at all.  Matthew 6:21 reminds us that "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Where is your heart's focus?  On modifying someone's behavior or sharing the Gospel so that Jesus can give them a brand new heart? 

Two final thoughts on all of this. First: in chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians Paul scolds the church for judging the actions of unbelievers while allowing sin to go unchecked within the church; in verses 12-13 Paul says:

"For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Is it not 

those inside the church whom you are to judge?  God judges

those outside.  "Purge the evil person from among you.""

The world is in darkness, those without Christ are blind to the Truth; we need to be a witness to them, lets make sure we are being a testimony for Christ with our own lives and shining His light into the darkness...they don't need our judgement and condemnation...they need Jesus! 

Second, this does not mean that we don't speak truth, but I'm concerned that we (myself included, and something I'm prayerfully working on) have become so caught up in speaking truth that we forget that Jesus Himself was not only truth but grace.  John 1:14 reminds us:

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we 

have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of 

grace and truth."

"You're not doing me any good if all you do is grace me and I know no truth; but if I got me some truth but I don't have any grace how will I ever have the dignity to get back up again after the pit I have been in, I gotta have a Savior who is full of grace and truth." ~ Beth Moore

Our world is full of people trapped in a pit of sin, many believers have been in a deep dark place of sin.  Paul addresses those believers in sin in the verses about from Chapter 5.  We all need both Jesus' grace and His truth; then we need to shine that grace and truth of Jesus to the hurting world around us because the truth is that it is only through grace that there is salvation....and that my friends...sharing the Gospel for the salvation of souls is what is the to be of first importance!  

Ephesians 2:8-9

"For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this 

is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works,

so that no one may boast."