📖 BEFORE THEY DIED: ONLY CHRIST CONQUERED DEATH
Main Text: 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 KJV
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
INTRODUCTION — THE QUESTION IS NOT “WHICH RELIGION?” BUT “WHO IS CHRIST?”
The world offers many religions, philosophies, teachers, traditions, and systems. But Christianity ultimately stands or falls upon a historical and biblical claim:
JESUS CHRIST DIED, WAS BURI... more📖 BEFORE THEY DIED: ONLY CHRIST CONQUERED DEATH
Main Text: 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 KJV
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
INTRODUCTION — THE QUESTION IS NOT “WHICH RELIGION?” BUT “WHO IS CHRIST?”
The world offers many religions, philosophies, teachers, traditions, and systems. But Christianity ultimately stands or falls upon a historical and biblical claim:
JESUS CHRIST DIED, WAS BURIED, AND ROSE AGAIN.
Paul does not present salvation as merely adopting Christ's philosophy. He declares a saving Gospel centered upon a Person and His finished work.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:14
“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”
Therefore, we should not merely ask:
Which religion sounds best?
We must ask:
Who dealt with my sin?
Who died for my sins?
Who conquered death?
Who can give me eternal life?
The answer of Scripture is:
JESUS CHRIST.
Our five truths are:
1️⃣ THE PERSON — CHRIST IS UNIQUE
2️⃣ THE PROBLEM — SIN IS UNIVERSAL
3️⃣ THE PAYMENT — CHRIST DIED FOR US
4️⃣ THE PROOF — CHRIST ROSE AGAIN
5️⃣ THE PROMISE — SALVATION IS IN CHRIST
1️⃣ THE PERSON — CHRIST IS UNIQUE
📖 Colossians 1:15–19; 2:9
Jesus Christ cannot rightly be reduced to merely another religious teacher among many. According to Scripture, He is the eternal Son of God and the Creator who became man.
A. His PREEMINENCE
📖 Colossians 1:18
“...that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
Christ does not merely deserve a place in our lives.
He deserves THE PREEMINENCE.
Paul does not place Christ alongside other religious authorities. Christ stands supreme over all creation.
B. His PERSON
📖 Colossians 2:9
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
Christ is truly man, yet He is truly God.
📖 Philippians 2:6–8
He took upon Himself:
“the form of a servant”
and was:
“made in the likeness of men.”
The incarnation makes Christ absolutely unique.
C. His POWER
📖 Colossians 1:16–17
“For by him were all things created…”
Christ is not part of creation.
HE IS THE CREATOR.
Everything exists through Him and ultimately for Him.
🔥 PREACHING TRUTH:
JESUS IS NOT MERELY ONE RELIGIOUS TEACHER AMONG MANY—HE IS LORD OF ALL.
2️⃣ THE PROBLEM — SIN IS UNIVERSAL
📖 Romans 3:9–23
Before comparing religions, Scripture exposes humanity's deeper problem.
Our greatest problem is not merely poverty.
It is not lack of education.
It is not merely bad government.
It is not simply the wrong philosophy.
OUR FUNDAMENTAL SPIRITUAL PROBLEM IS SIN.
A. Sin's PRESENCE
📖 Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Rich or poor.
Religious or irreligious.
Educated or uneducated.
Jew or Gentile.
ALL HAVE SINNED.
No human philosophy can erase that verdict.
B. Sin's PENALTY
📖 Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death…”
Sin earns wages.
Those wages are death.
Death is therefore not merely a natural inconvenience to humanity. Scripture connects death with the entrance of sin.
📖 Romans 5:12
“...by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin…”
C. Sin's POWERLESSNESS
📖 Romans 3:20
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight…”
Religion cannot cure sin.
Good works cannot erase sin.
Keeping commandments cannot justify a guilty sinner.
The Law reveals guilt; it cannot provide the righteousness sinful humanity needs.
🔥 PREACHING TRUTH:
MAN'S PROBLEM IS NOT THAT HE NEEDS BETTER RELIGION—HE NEEDS A SAVIOUR.
3️⃣ THE PAYMENT — CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
This brings us directly to Paul's Gospel.
CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS.
He did not merely die as a martyr.
He did not merely die to leave an inspiring example.
His death was for our sins.
A. The PRICE
📖 Romans 3:24
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Salvation has a price—but the sinner does not pay it.
CHRIST PAID IT.
Redemption is in Christ Jesus.
B. The PROPITIATION
📖 Romans 3:25
“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood…”
The cross demonstrates God's righteousness.
God does not simply pretend sin never happened.
Christ dealt with sin.
God therefore remains:
📖 Romans 3:26
“just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
C. The PEACE
📖 Romans 5:1
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Religion often asks:
“What must I continually do to make myself acceptable?”
Grace announces:
CHRIST HAS DONE THE WORK NECESSARY FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION.
The sinner is justified by faith, apart from works.
📖 Romans 4:5
🔥 PREACHING TRUTH:
SALVATION IS NOT WHAT WE DO FOR GOD; IT RESTS UPON WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US.
4️⃣ THE PROOF — CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD
📖 1 Corinthians 15:4
“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
The resurrection is indispensable to the Gospel.
Christianity does not proclaim merely:
“OUR TEACHER DIED.”
We proclaim:
OUR SAVIOUR ROSE AGAIN!
A. The PROCLAMATION
📖 1 Corinthians 15:12
Paul preached:
“that Christ rose from the dead…”
The resurrection was not an optional addition to Paul's preaching.
It stood at the center of his proclamation.
B. The PROOF
📖 1 Corinthians 15:5–8
Paul lists witnesses of the risen Christ, including Cephas, the twelve, more than five hundred brethren, James, the apostles, and finally Paul himself.
Paul therefore presents the resurrection as an event witnessed by people—not merely an abstract spiritual idea.
And Paul's own encounter with the risen Christ radically redirected his life.
📖 Acts 9:3–6
C. The POWER
📖 Romans 4:24–25
Christ:
“...was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
If Christ remained dead, Christianity would have no saving message.
Paul says plainly:
📖 1 Corinthians 15:17
“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
But Christ was raised.
Therefore:
THE CROSS WAS NOT DEFEATED.
THE GRAVE DID NOT WIN.
DEATH DID NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD.
🔥 PREACHING TRUTH:
THE EMPTY TOMB DECLARES THAT THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST IS THE RISEN LORD.
5️⃣ THE PROMISE — SALVATION IS FOUND IN CHRIST
📖 Romans 6:23
“...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The Gospel does not invite us merely to admire Christ.
We must trust what He accomplished for us.
A. Salvation is PROVIDED BY GRACE
📖 Ephesians 2:8–9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith…”
Salvation is:
not earned,
not purchased,
not merited,
not achieved.
It is God's gift.
B. Salvation is POSSESSED BY FAITH
📖 Ephesians 1:13
Paul gives a beautiful order:
HEARD → BELIEVED → SEALED
“...after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed…”
No sinner's prayer is presented here as the instrument of justification.
No sacramental system.
No religious performance.
HEAR THE GOSPEL.
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.
TRUST CHRIST.
C. Salvation is PERMANENT IN CHRIST
📖 Ephesians 1:13–14
The believer is:
“sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”
And Ephesians 4:30 says:
“sealed unto the day of redemption.”
Our security does not rest upon our ability to hold onto Christ perfectly.
IT RESTS UPON GOD'S FINISHED WORK AND HIS SEALING SPIRIT.
🔥 PREACHING TRUTH:
CHRIST DID THE SAVING WORK; FAITH RECEIVES WHAT GRACE FREELY PROVIDES.
⚠️ RIGHTLY DIVIDING JOHN 14:6
The poster correctly quotes Christ:
📖 John 14:6
“I am the way, the truth, and the life…”
That statement is eternally true concerning Christ.
However, as dispensationalists, we should recognize its dispensational setting.
Christ spoke John 14 during His earthly ministry to His disciples within Israel's prophetic program.
Later, through Paul, God revealed further truth concerning the Mystery and the Church, the Body of Christ.
📖 Romans 16:25
“...according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.”
The revelation of the Mystery does not replace Christ.
IT REVEALS MORE GLORY CONCERNING CHRIST.
Paul reveals Christ as:
our righteousness — 1 Corinthians 1:30
our redemption — Colossians 1:14
our peace — Ephesians 2:14
our life — Colossians 3:4
our Head — Colossians 1:18
our hope of glory — Colossians 1:27
🏁 CONCLUSION — DON'T MERELY CHOOSE A RELIGION; TRUST THE RISEN CHRIST
The issue is greater than comparing religious founders.
The Bible brings every sinner face-to-face with Christ.
THE PERSON — Christ is unique.
THE PROBLEM — All have sinned.
THE PAYMENT — Christ died for our sins.
THE PROOF — Christ rose again.
THE PROMISE — Eternal life is in Christ.
Christian faith ultimately rests not upon the greatness of Christians, churches, denominations, or religious institutions.
It rests upon:
THE CRUCIFIED, BURIED, AND RISEN CHRIST.
📣 CALL TO ACTION
1️⃣ RECOGNIZE YOUR CONDITION
📖 Romans 3:23
You are a sinner who cannot justify yourself before God.
Do not compare yourself with someone worse.
Compare yourself with God's perfect righteousness.
2️⃣ RELY UPON CHRIST'S COMPLETED WORK
📖 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
Stop trusting:
religion, rituals, sacraments, baptism, good works, law-keeping, personal righteousness, or denominational membership.
Trust the Gospel:
CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS, WAS BURIED, AND ROSE AGAIN.
3️⃣ REST IN GOD'S GRACE
📖 Romans 5:1
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God…”
Do not try to complete what Christ has already accomplished.
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.
TRUST CHRIST ALONE.
REST IN HIS FINISHED WORK.
💡 FINAL THOUGHTS
1️⃣ THE PERSON
Christ alone is the Saviour.
📖 Colossians 2:9
2️⃣ THE PROBLEM
All humanity is guilty of sin.
📖 Romans 3:23
3️⃣ THE PAYMENT
Christ died for our sins.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:3
4️⃣ THE PROOF
Christ rose from the dead.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:4, 20
5️⃣ THE PROMISE
Eternal life is God's gift in Christ.
📖 Romans 6:23
✝️ RELIGION CANNOT SAVE YOU.
GOOD WORKS CANNOT SAVE YOU.
A DENOMINATION CANNOT SAVE YOU.
JESUS CHRIST SAVES.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS.
HE WAS BURIED.
HE ROSE AGAIN.
DON'T JUST FOLLOW A RELIGION—TRUST THE RISEN CHRIST.
⚔️✝️✠ Lady Dinah Scivoletti ✠✝️📖⚔️
⚔️✝️✠ Turco, Joan of Arc Priory ✠✝️📖⚔️
⚔️✝️✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠✝️📖⚔️
