The Gospel
by Greg Walker
The Power of God for Salvation
The Gospel literally means “Good News.” It is the good news about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is nothing more powerful, necessary, or urgent than the Gospel!
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 ESV
The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Without the Gospel there is no hope for humanity.
The Hinge Pin of Christianity
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-19
According to the Apostle Paul, the resurrection is the hinge pin of the Christian faith. If Jesus did not die for our sins and then bodily raise from the dead, we are still in our sins, will perish, and of all the people in the world, Christians are the biggest fools.
Praise be to God that Jesus died for our sins and then bodily rose from the dead!
About the Gospel
In his letter to the church of Corinth, Paul reminds the Corinthians about the Gospel:
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: 1 Corinthians 15:1-2
The Gospel is:
Preached
Received
By which we stand
By which we are saved
First importance
Not sourced in Paul, it is what he received
The Gospel Creed
Paul then delivers the Gospel in creedal form. According to many New Testament Scholars, verses 3-5 date to around a year or two after Jesus’ death. This creed is likely one of the earliest Christian creeds memorized by the early church.
…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, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5
The Gospel in four points
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures
2. He was buried
3. He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
4. He appeared
Did you notice the evidence surrounding the Gospel?
Point One: “Christ (Anointed One/Messiah) died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures“
“In accordance with the Scriptures” points to fulfilled Old Testament prophesy about the death of the Christ (Isaiah 58:3-10).
Point Two: “That He was buried”
His burial is evidence for the fact that He died.
Point Three: “He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”
“In accordance with the Scriptures” points to fulfilled Old Testament prophesy about the resurrection of the Christ (Psalm 16:10).
Point Four: His appearances are evidence for His bodily resurrection!
Removing the evidence:
Christ died for our sins
He was raised on the third day
Though the Gospel is simple in form, we don’t want to over simplify it. People need to know why they need it, what it means, and how to respond to it.
The Gospel Process
Here we will explain why we need the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, what it means, how one responds to it, and the results.
Why
The Gospel is a rescue mission from God to all individual people.
Why do all people need to be rescued? From what are they being rescued from?
All people from all times and places have intentionally and unintentionally broken God’s laws (commands). These laws are broken through our thoughts, words, actions, and inactions. This is called “sin” and sin is what has separated us from God.
“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Since all people have sinned against God and the penalty is eternal death, everyone is in desperate need of a rescue mission. We cannot save ourselves nor can we restore our broken relationship with God. The Good News is that this rescue mission arrived about two thousand years ago! We learn about this good news by hearing and understanding the Gospel!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
What
The Gospel is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. People need to hear and understand it!
Instead of making you and I pay for our own offenses, God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to pay the required penalty. God’s rescue mission to all people is His only Son Jesus Christ. After Jesus was sent here and while He was living on earth representing the Kingdom of God, He lived a sinless and pure life. He never broke any of God’s commands. He lived the perfect sinless life that we can’t live.
Because of our sin, Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross and He died in our place. Jesus paid the price once and for all for our sins. Three days later He physically rose from the grave defeating sin and death. The penalty that Jesus paid for us by dying on the cross was the only pure and acceptable sacrifice to God.
How
Faith
Anyone who agrees with God that they are guilty of sin and incapable of saving themselves can turn and place their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation for the forgiveness of their sins.
Faith is believing in, and thus trusting, Jesus Christ alone for eternal salvation. Jesus Christ is eternal life!
The Results
Everyone who places faith in Jesus Christ will receive eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and their relationship with God is restored forever! Once ones relationship is restored with God, one can begin restoring relationships with fellow man.
Upon salvation, one receives the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s righteousness is credited to him, he is a member of a Royal Priesthood, a new creation, and will spend eternity in a real place called Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saints, and heavenly hosts!
Why: All have sinned
What: Life, Death, & Resurrection of Christ Jesus
How: Faith
Results: Forgiveness, Reconciliation with God, Eternal Life
Those who Reject God’s FREE Gift of Grace
Those who do not turn and trust Jesus Christ alone for salvation will be eternally separated from God and will receive eternal punishment in a real place called Hell.
We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone, to the glory of God alone! Praise be to God!
Go Therefore…