Do You Ever Fear Your Faith is in Vain? Michael Edwards
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 1 Cor 15:1-2 NAS
Maybe you fear that you do not have enough faith or saving faith. Some teach that 1 Cor 15:2 is talking about a problem with our faith, a faith that is lacking and not real faith, thus not saving faith. However, when reading in context, a whole new picture arises. It is not our imperfect faith that leads to vain faith. Our less than perfect faith can only be in vain if what we have placed our faith in, the resurrection of Jesus, is a lie. The New Living Translation states this more clearly.
It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 1 Cor 15:2 NLT
Vain Faith in Context
After making the statement in 1 Cor 15:2, Paul goes on to present the true gospel. Many scholars believe 1 Cor 15: 3-5 was one of the first and earliest orally taught creeds regarding the gospel dated at around AD 33 to 35. The following verses encompass the whole gospel message.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 1 Cor 15:3-8 NAS
Finish this short study HERE. |
