Sunday, May 10, 2015

Free Grace Gospel Illustrations

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, the apostle Paul uses four verbs to remind the Corinthians of the facts of the gospel: 1) Christ was dead for our sins (as John Wycliffe has put it), 2) Christ was buried, 3) Christ was raised, 4) Christ was seen (vv. 3-5).

Commenting on this passage of text, Paul Barnett writes the following in his book Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), page 181:
 
“This tradition consists of a raft (‘what I also received’) of four connected planks, each introduced by ‘that’ (hoti):
- that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures 
- that he was buried 
- that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures 
- that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, etc. (1 Cor. 15:3-5)”
 
Here are some simple illustrations to describe the gospel in four parts:
  • A gospel or barbershop quartet singing in four-part harmony
  • A table, chair, or stool with 4 legs
  • A baseball diamond with 4 bases
  • A heart with 4 chambers
  • A hand with 4 fingers
  • A square with 4 sides
  • A house with 4 walls
  • A chain with 4 links
  • A raft with 4 planks
  • A car with 4 tires

Can you think of any others?

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please read before commenting: I use this comments section to add research updates and additional notes, serving as an addendum to the main post. To keep this space focused and organized, please send any comments you may have via the "Contact Me" form on my blog. Thank you!