Outline of 1 Corinthians 15:1 – 11
I. Receiving the Gospel – Grace Delivered (vv. 1, 2)
II. Preaching the Gospel – Grace Described (vv. 3 – 5)
III. Living the Gospel – Grace Displayed (vv. 9 – 11)
Reformed Baptist Congregation Exaltation | Edification | Evangelism
Outline of 1 Corinthians 15:1 – 11
I. Receiving the Gospel – Grace Delivered (vv. 1, 2)
II. Preaching the Gospel – Grace Described (vv. 3 – 5)
III. Living the Gospel – Grace Displayed (vv. 9 – 11)
The testimony of the the Holy Spirit is more excellent than reason or nature. General revelation leads us only so far but no further – that there is a God. God alone is a perfect witness of himself in his Word, and his Word only finds acceptance in our minds and hearts when it is sealed by the inward witness of the Spirit. The sheep hear the voice of the Shepherd and they follow him.
I like how Calvin put it: “those whom the Holy Spirit has inwardly taught truly rest upon Scripture, and that Scripture indeed is self-authenticated; hence , it is not right to subject it to proof and reasoning. And the certainty it deserves with us it attains by the testimony of the Spirit. For even if it wins reverence for itself by its own majesty, it seriously affects us only when it is sealed upon our hearts through the Spirit. Therefore, illumined by its power, we believe neither by our own nor by anyone else’s judgment that Scripture is from God; but above human judgment we affirm with utter certainty (just as if we were gazing upon the majesty of God himself) that it has flowed to us from the very mouth of God by the ministry of men. We seek no proofs, no marks of genuineness upon which our judgment may lean, but we subject our judgment and wit to it as to a thing far beyond any guesswork!”
Here is John Owen’s Argument for Particular Redemption. Still unanswerable!!!
The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for, either:
In which case it may be said:
You answer, “Because of unbelief.”
I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!”
Prov. 19:27 – “Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge”
Notice the verb – “hear”
Remember faith comes by hearing & hearing through the word of Christ – Rom. 10:17
How concerned are we for the lost? Do we agonize painfully in prayer for their salvation. Do we declare the love of Christ for sinners? Doctrinal exactness is no substitute for preaching Jesus & him crucified. Without the love of Christ manifest in our lives & preaching – precision in theology will leave sinners cold & dead. I am all for doctrinal exactness and we should be very concerned for that – but let our hearts be fired with love from our doctrine for the sinner who is perishing. The lost husband or wife or child or friend. Pray about this – seek Christ about it – since he sought you and found you.