The apostle Paul wrote to the people at Corinth to tell them about what mattered to him: "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3-4).
According to Paul, what really matters -- what is of "first importance" -- is that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was resurrected! For Paul, the cross is the core of the gospel. The cross is the hinge point that makes a significant difference in all of history. When the cross -- the crucifixion of Jesus -- is connected with the resurrection of Jesus, transformation takes place. Life is different. Christian disciples are born.
-- Rev. Timothy Bias in an article in “Circuit Rider,” Jan/Feb 2001
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