Paul's main theme was the preaching of the cross — the gospel that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.
Wherever Paul ministered, his central message was the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Les Feldick explains that this one message — the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of Christ, the gospel of God — is all Paul knew throughout all of his epistles. To those who are perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness; to those who are saved, it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 — Paul's central message of the cross is revealed as God's power to the saved and foolishness to the lost.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — This is the content of the gospel Paul preached: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.
Scripture reveals the heart of Paul's message in 1 Corinthians. Paul wrote, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). In the same letter he defined that message: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that 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" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Paul also summed up his distinctive emphasis, "But we preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). These verses show that Paul's message was not merely a general teaching about Jesus, but specifically the cross and resurrection.
Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul had one message and one message only: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, with the shedding of His blood. He says, "That's the very core of his whole message in all of his epistles." Les points out that Paul never mentions Bethlehem, never refers to Christ's birth, and makes no reference to His earthly ministry or miracles. Paul always returned to "the preaching of the cross." Les also stresses that the gospel Paul delivered — that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again — could not be added to or taken from. Whether Paul called it "my gospel," the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of Christ, or the gospel of God, it was the same message of the cross.
Les identifies the preaching of the cross with the gospel Paul delivered: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. He says, "That's the gospel. You can't add anything to it. You can't take from it." To those who are perishing this message is foolishness, but to those who are saved it is the power of God.
Les explains that Paul said, "Christ didn't send me to baptize like He did John. But what is His mission? To preach the Gospel." The gospel Paul was sent to preach was that Christ died, was buried, and rose again. Paul did not preach with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
According to Les, the world treats the gospel as foolishness. Even people today ask what something that happened 2,000 years ago has to do with them. But the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, while unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
Why Israel Was Blinded — Acts 13 & Romans 11 Explained
Now we've got to stop there. I didn't intend to teach Romans here, but we've got to stop. What did every Jew really want way down deep in their being, even before Christ came in His first advent? What were they longing for? The King, the Messiah, the Redeemer, see? A few of them recognized Him. That's what it meant here, see? A few became the elect. They recognized who He was.
The Power of God in the Cross
Les teaches that while the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who reject it, it becomes the power of God to those who believe and are saved.
Paul's Gospel in All His Epistles
Les shows that Paul knew only the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of Christ, and the gospel of God — the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the unsaved world.
Paul's Single Message
Les teaches that Paul had only one message: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and His shed blood; Paul never made reference to Bethlehem or Christ's earthly ministry.
Sent to Preach the Gospel
Les explains that Paul was not sent to baptize as John was; Paul's mission was to preach the gospel that Christ died, was buried, and rose again without weakening the cross.
Christ Crucified
Les contrasts preaching Christ in general with Paul's message of Christ crucified — the cross was the characteristic emphasis of Paul's preaching.
The Preaching of the Cross Defined
Les defines the preaching of the cross as the message that Christ died, was buried, and rose again; to the world it sounds foolish, but it is central to the gospel.
The Gospel Paul Delivered
Les teaches that Paul delivered the gospel — Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again — and that nothing can be added to it or taken from it.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
This is the verse Les repeatedly returns to as the summary of how Paul's message was received.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that 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:
This is the content of the gospel Paul preached and the main theme of his message.
1 Corinthians 1:17: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Paul's mission was gospel preaching, not the baptism ministry that had been given to John.
1 Corinthians 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Paul's distinctive message was Christ crucified, not merely Christ in general.
Paul's main theme was the preaching of the cross — that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. This was the gospel he preached everywhere.
Les Feldick points out that Paul never mentions Bethlehem, Christ's birth, or His earthly ministry and miracles. His only message was the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and the shedding of His blood.
Paul said the preaching of the cross is foolishness to them that perish, but to those who are saved it is the power of God. The world rejects it, but believers receive it as God's power.
Les says this is the same message Paul knew throughout his epistles: the gospel of Christ, the gospel of God, and his gospel — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is one message with different names.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Was Blinded — Acts 13 & Romans 11 Explained