We've all heard it said that "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Regardless of denominational differences and differences of opinions, there is common ground in the scriptures for which all Christians can stand. We know that 1) Jesus Christ died for our sins, 2) He was raised from the dead to give us eternal life with Him, 3) He appeared to men after the resurrection to serve as witnesses of His resurrection, and 4) He gives grace to sinners who come to Him.
"Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, then to the Twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
"For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether then, it was I or they, this is what we preach and this is what you believed" (I Corinthians 15:1-11).
It is important to remember that when Paul says "according to the scriptures," he is not referring to any of his letters or to the gospels, or to any of the New Testament. Those were not yet "scriptures." The people to whom he wrote believed according to eyewitness testimony in the context of the Old Testament.
53:1 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed?
53:2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
53:3 He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.
53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
53:7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
53:8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who `among them' considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke `was due'?
53:9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
53:10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see `his' seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.
53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, `and' shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.
53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? `Why art thou so' far from helping me, `and from' the words of my groaning?
22:2O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not; And in the night season, and am not silent.
22:3But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
22:4 Our fathers trusted in thee: They trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
22:5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.
22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.
22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, `saying',
22:8Commit `thyself' unto Jehovah; Let him deliver him: Let him rescue him, seeing he delighteth in him.
22:9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb; Thou didst make me trust `when I was' upon my mother's breasts.
22:10 I was cast upon thee from the womb; Thou art my God since my mother bare me.
22:11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; For there is none to help.
22:12Many bulls have compassed me; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
22:13 They gape upon me with their mouth, `As' a ravening and a roaring lion.
22:14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.
22:15My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
22:16For dogs have compassed me: A company of evil-doers have inclosed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.
22:17 I may count all my bones; They look and stare upon me.
22:18They part my garments among them, And upon my vesture do they cast lots.
22:19 But be not thou far off, O Jehovah: O thou my succor, haste thee to help me.
22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My darling from the power of the dog.
22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth; Yea, from the horns of the wild-oxen thou hast answered me.
23:5 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness.
5:2But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.
5:3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth: then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
5:4 And he shall stand, and shall feed `his flock' in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah his God: and they shall abide; for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
Because of the integrity of the Word of God confirmed through the Law and the Prophets and through many witnesses, we can also declare with the Apostle, "For I resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (I Corinthians 2:2), "but as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have learned the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (II Timothy 3:14-15); "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).
Until the end and beyond, I stand for Jesus Christ!
15:1 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand,
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