It’s all in vain, if you don’t have Christ.
A bold statement. Risky even. Takes great courage to really believe it.
What does it mean?
Vain? Vain means having no real value, marked by futility or ineffectualness.
So, this statement says that all things have NO VALUE, or are marked by futility or INEFFECTIVE, if you don’t have Christ. All things have no value whatsoever if Christ is not in, on, around, all over THE thing, thought, feeling, belief, or understanding that you have.
Hmmm….
Well that sucks, right. Cause I’m guessing there are some things that you may think have value or some things you’ve done on your own accord that you believe were effective…but the reality is if Christ wasn’t in it, then it was all done or believed, in vain.
How do we assure ourselves that ‘IT’ doesn’t ever fall into the vain category?
Have Christ
Simple as that. Easy to say but how do you have Christ? Believe 1 Cor. 15:1-4 with all your heart, soul and mind. And don’t just believe but share it, and just don’t share it but live it every minute of every hour of every day…in every situation and every moment.
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
Have Christ, that what you do may not be done in vain. Have Christ, that there may be purpose. What serves the purpose of the gospel?
Everything done in Christ….have him.