How can 1 Corinthians 15:11 inspire unity in your church's teaching and outreach? The Heart of 1 Corinthians 15:11 “Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” Paul reminds the Corinthian church that every apostle proclaims the exact same gospel: Christ’s death for our sins, burial, and bodily resurrection (vv. 3-4). The result is a unified faith—“this is what you believed.” Unity Rooted in a Shared Testimony • The message, not the messenger, takes center stage. • Apostolic harmony shows that truth is fixed, objective, and non-negotiable. • When every ministry in a congregation teaches this single gospel, division has no foothold. • A unified confession strengthens credibility before a watching world (John 17:20-23). The Unchanging Gospel Message 1. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. 2. He was buried. 3. He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 4. Eyewitnesses confirm the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). These four points form the irreducible core; everything else radiates from them. Practical Steps for Teaching • Align every class, pulpit message, and small group around the same gospel outline. • Regularly read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 aloud so believers hear the “non-negotiables.” • Use catechism‐style memory verses—Romans 10:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9. • Encourage testimony nights that highlight how this one gospel saved diverse people. Practical Steps for Outreach • Present the gospel plainly—avoid jargon, stick to the four historical facts above. • Emphasize eyewitness evidence (vv. 5-8) to ground faith in history, not philosophy. • Train every age group to share the same concise message; unity of content builds confidence. • Invite seekers to compare the apostolic gospel in Scripture with any competing message (Galatians 1:8). Linking 1 Corinthians 15:11 with Other Scriptures • Ephesians 4:4-6—“one body… one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” • Philippians 1:27—“stand firm in one spirit… contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.” • Jude 3—“contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.” • Acts 2:42—believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,” producing remarkable unity. Summary Encouragement Keep drawing your church back to the single, apostolic proclamation. When all teaching and outreach echo “this is what we preach, and this is what you believed,” doctrinal clarity, relational harmony, and evangelistic power follow naturally. |
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