What is the Gospel?
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I
also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the
Scriptures.”
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4,
ESV)
Much confusion exists today over just
exactly what the gospel is. In an effort to clarify the gospel some begin
with a via negativa, highlighting what the gospel is not. This is
helpful, of course, but we cannot stop there.
There are several places in Scripture where the gospel is briefly
summarized, and 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, is one of those places. There the
apostle Paul reminds us:
The gospel is the revelation of
God's plan to reconcile sinners to Himself (1 Corinthians 15:3). This saving plan was
prophesied long ago (1 Peter 1:10-12), revealed to the New Testament apostles
and prophets (Ephesians 2:20) and inscripturated for our sake under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:16-21). In other words, the
gospel is not a man-made message (Galatians 1:11-2:10) but a divine revelation
received (1 Corinthians 15:3).
The gospel is about Jesus Christ
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This saving plan that was revealed to the Old Testament
prophets and New Testament apostles and prophets concerns Jesus Christ (Romans
1:1-4). God reconciles all things to Himself through Jesus Christ
(Colossians 1:19-22). Consequently, the Father sent Jesus at the
appropriate time in history to face the "hour" of His death on the
cross for us (John 12:23-28; 17:1). In this sense we may also say that
the gospel is an unrepeatable event in history.
Thus, the heart of the gospel is
the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for this historical event was
the plan which has now been revealed (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
1. Jesus Christ died as a
propitiatory sacrifice for sin (1 Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews 2:14-17). We
are sinners born in sin who owe a debt too large to pay (Romans 6:23).
Thus, the gospel is not a message of what we must do to redeem ourselves—that's
religion. The gospel is the message that only Jesus can cancel the debt
of sin that we owe (Colossians 2:13-14; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21). This
penal-substitutionary death was according to the Scriptures (Isaiah 53:4-5).
2. Jesus Christ was buried. The
point here is that contrary to Greek philosophical ideas that Jesus only
appeared to die, He really died, for He really was buried (cf. Isaiah 53:9).
3. Jesus Christ was raised on the third
day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4; see also Acts
2:23-32). Without the resurrection there is no gospel, no good news. Without the resurrection we are still in our
sins (1 Corinthians 15:12-18).
What are we to do with this
gospel?
1. We are to receive it by faith (1
Corinthians 15:1-2; Mark 1:14-15).
2. We are to remain in it by faith (1
Corinthians 15:1-2), for the gospel is that on which Christians stand. In
other words, we will never outgrow the gospel.
3. We are to
proclaim this gospel, for it is the only hope of salvation to the world (1
Corinthians 15:1, 3). This is the gospel priority (1 Corinthians 15:3).
It was Jesus' priority (Luke 4:18, 42-44); it was Paul's priority (Acts 20:24;
1 Corinthians 1:17; 9:23); it should be our priority (Mark 16:15; Luke
24:44-47).
Love,
Pastor Juan
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