“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with eloquence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified,” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2).

When the Apostle Paul first arrived in Corinth, he preached the Gospel Message, people responded, the church was planted, they knew that they were being saved by grace, they were justified by faith through Christ. In writing to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul was greatly concerned about the churches, how they have turned away so quickly from Him who called them in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, Galatians 1:6. Here in 1 Corinthians in the first chapter, he wrote and reminded the church to think back to when he first came to them, think back to how they were being saved. Was it a result of living under the bondage of the Law, was it by works or following some religious rituals? He wrote that he did not come with eloquence of speech, that he was determined not to know anything else among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He wanted the people to hear the simplicity of the Gospel, nothing else.

As ministers of the Gospel, we can be careless by attempting to add styles, persuasive and eloquence of speeches, or adding steps or religious rituals that people would go through in order to fully have salvation. Salvation is not attained by works or steps that man needs to go through, it is simply a gift of God, Ephesians 2:8-9. You have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ, believing in the finished work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary. For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain,” (Galatians 2:21).