“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57
Believers in Jesus Christ are designed to live in victory! What God has done for us in Christ is absolutely phenomenal and astounding. We don’t have to live in defeat. We don’t have to live in any form of poverty: spiritual, mental, emotional or financial. We don’t have to live in fear, depression, lack or loss. In Christ, we can boldly proclaim “Victory is mine!”
To understand the Apostle Paul’s preaching to the Church at Corinth, one must understand the state of Corinth during Paul’s visits there. I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Corinth. It is a beautiful and fascinating place to visit. Corinth, during Paul’s lifetime, was a city with a population of around 400,000. It was a prominent center of commerce in the Mediterranean world. But it was also a place for all types of vices and sin.
The famous Temple of Athena hosted 1,000 priestesses dedicated to prostitution in the name of religion. During my visit to Corinth, I stood in the same location where the Apostle Paul stood and defended the Gospel against intellectualism. It is a place called “The Bema Seat.” The immorality and intolerance of the Christian faith had such a profound effect on the church at Corinth that scholars and theologians marvel that a church existed at all in such a city.
There are days when I must confess it’s amazing that the church exists in our cities and nation today. I’m often astounded at the transition I’ve witnessed away from godly, righteous and moral living. It is not uncommon for several generations of families to be unchurched, with the children rarely if ever having attended church.
Sunday is no longer the “Lord’s Day.” Professional sports, youth sports leagues, festivals, farmer’s markets, etc., now takes place during what used to be sacred time dedicated for families to worship God together. Attacks on the church, her leaders and her messages are commonplace. Immoral leadership has led to immoral membership. There is apathy towards saving souls coupled with little to no hunger for the word of God beyond the Sunday worship experience. It seems we live in an “anything goes” society.
It looked gloomy in Paul’s time, and it looks gloomy today. However, God’s people are never left without a word of encouragement and hope. So let’s explore Paul’s words in this vein to the Church of Corinth.
First, thanks be to God. We are reminded to give “charis” or an expression of thanks. God has given us something and someone to be thankful for. Thanks be to God for the indescribable, inexpressible, unspeakable words cannot describe gift of Jesus Christ! Through Christ comes salvation for the lost. Through Christ comes freedom from sin’s debilitating grip. Through Christ comes victory even over death!
Secondly, we have the victory! 1 Corinthians 15:57 proclaims the believer’s victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. We can be thankful to Christ because we have the victory through Christ. Victory through Christ’s birth. Victory through Christ’s Gospel teachings. Victory through Christ’s miracles. Victory through Christ’s death on the cross. And finally, and most importantly, victory over death through Christ’s resurrection from the dead!
Victory is mine, victory is mine, victory today is mine. I told Satan to get thee behind. Victory today is mine!
Dr. Preston T. Adams, III, is senior pastor at Amazing Grace Christian Church, agccindy.org. Contact him at seniorpastor@agccindy.org and follow on Twitter @DrPrestonTAdams.
