T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S th e heads of th e apostle’s customary discourse a t Corinth; are three, or, ra th e r two, propositions. They are th ree, if we take them in th e b are an nouncement of them , as m atters of fact — Christ died; he was buried; he rose again. They are two, if we ta k e them in connection w ith th a t appeal to the Old T estam ent Scriptures which occurs first in th e th ird verse, and th en again, secondly, in the fourth. And it is th a t appeal which gives them th e ir real meaning and value, as embodying and unfolding th e essential principles of the divine government applicable to th e sal vation of man. Christ Died for Our Sins The first proposition, then, is “ th a t Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” It is not the mere fact of our Lord’s death th a t is insisted on; but, first, the meaning of th a t fact— “He died for our sin s ;” ‘ and, secondly, th e place which it holds in th e economy of God, as re vealed from the beginning of th e world — “He died for our sins, according to the Scriptures.” In eith er view, the historical fact becomes a religious dogma, or doctrine. Thus, in th e first place, “ Christ died for our sins.” To say th a t Christ died, is to state a bare historical fact; to say th a t Christ died for our sins, is to teach a religious doctrine. It was not, th e re fore, an ordinary death th a t He died. It was no t the common case of a n ftn giving up th e ghost, breath ing his last, and, as th e phrase is, paying the debt of natu re. His death and our sins are in tim ately connected: th e gu ilt of our sins being the cause of His death; the removal of th a t guilt being th e fru it and effect of it. To th is death of Christ, thu s viewed, I was always, says the apostle, directing your eye: “ I d eter mined not to know anything among you, save, Jesus Christ, and him cruci fied.” I held him fo rth before you.
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I THE GOSPEL
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1 PAUL PREACHED | = A Sermon by ROBERT CANDLISH 5 fj- Preached in 1858 = S,iiiiiiiiiiiiiifliiii> iiiiiiaiiiii>iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii»iiiH iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim F o r I d eliv e re d u n to y o u firs t of a ll th a t w h ich I also receiv ed , h ow th a t C h rist d ied fo r o u r sin s a c c o rd in g to th e s c rip tu re s ; a n d t h a t h e w a s b u ried , a n d t h a t h e ro se a g a in th e th ird d a y a c c o rd in g to th e s c rip tu re s ; A nd t h a t h e w a s se en o f C ephas, th e n o f th e tw e lv e : A fte r t h a t he w a s seen o f ab o v e five h u n d re d b re th re n a t o n ce; of w h om th e g r e a te r p a r t re m a in u n to th is p re se n t, b u t som e a re fa lle n asleep . A fte r th a t he w a s se en of Ja m e s; th e n o f a ll th e a p o stle s. A nd la s t of a ll h e w a s se en of m e also , a s of one b o rn o u t o f d u e tim e. F o r 1 am th e le a s t of th e a p o stle s, th a t am n o t m e e t to be c a lle d a n a p o stle , b e c a u se I p e rse c u te d th e c h u rc h of God. B u t b y th e g ra c e of G od I am w h a t I am ; a n d h is g ra c e w h ich w a s b esto w ed u p o n m e w a s h o t ' in v a in ; b u t I la b o re d m o re a b u n d a n tly th a n th e y a ll: y e t n o t I, b u t th e g ra c e o f God w h ich w a s w ith m e. T h e re fo re , w h e th e r it w e re I o r th ey , so w e p re a c h , a n d so ye b eliev ed .— 1 Cor. 15:3-11. how th a t Christ died for our sins ac cording to th e Scriptures; and th a t he was buried, and th a t he rose again th e th ird day according to the Scriptures.” 1. The articles of th e creed on which he insisted were few and p la in ^V C h rlst died; he was buried; he rose again." These th ree facts formed th e staple of his preaching; they furnished .to him his heads of discourse; (they made up together his confession o< faith. These were the tru th s which he was accus tomed to deliver a t Corinth. 2. He delivered them “ first of ,*11.” They were among th e first things of which he spoke. He pu t them always in th e van and the forefront of all his teach ing. 3. He delivered them as “ th a t which he also received." They consti tu ted his message an a >4s m ission; both of which came to him directly from th e Lord. The articles of th is apostolic creed; HE gospel which P aul preached was very simple: "F o r I de livered unto you first of all th a t which I also received,
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