What would you answer if someone asked you, "What is the gospel?"? Some common answers to the "what is the gospel" question are: "the gospel is that God loves me!" or "the gospel is that we are to love God and love people!" or "the gospel is that we are to put others ahead of ourselves" or "the gospel is that God forgives me."
Scripture shows us that all of the above answers are inaccurate and encourages us to know the real gospel by clearly defining it.
Since the gospel is "the power of God" to save people and also for those who are being saved, and we believers are to receive it and take our stand on it, and because it is the devil's mission to blind people's minds to the light of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4), we must be able to define the gospel precisely.
In today's short study, we will see the gospel defined, and we will note that it has two parts. Please reread 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 today:
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, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
1 Corinthians 15:3-7 NIV
Question 1. What definition of the gospel do you find in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 NIV?
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1 Corinthians 15:3-5 defines the gospel for us. We can see in these verses that the gospel contains two parts and two confirming proofs. Let’s notice those now:
The gospel’s two parts are, 1) “that Christ died for our sins” (verse 3) and 2) “that He was raised on the third day” (verse 4).
Paul also provides two confirming proofs of these points. For the first point, that Christ died for our sins, Paul states “that he (Jesus) was buried.” And for the second point, that Christ was raised on the third day, Paul mentions that many people saw the risen Christ.
Notice also that the gospel is “of first importance” (verse 3). In God’s eyes, the death of His Son for our sins, and His resurrection from the dead, is of first importance. If it is of foremost importance to God, it should also become of primary importance to us.
In closing, according to 1 Corinthians 15, when you look at the cross, you should see Jesus dying
to pay the penalty for your sin (Romans 6:23),
to forgive you completely (Ephesians 1:7),
to remove all guilt from you (Romans 3:19-29),
to free you from all condemnation (Romans 8:1)
to reconcile you to God (2 Corinthians 5:18)
to make atonement for your every sin (Romans 3:25)
to give you eternal life (John 3:16).
When Jesus hung on the cross that dark day, at the end of His six horrendous hours, He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). This meant that all who believe were saved, rescued, redeemed, and freed from the burden and the bondage of sin, the guilt of sin, and the condemnation of the Law!
As believers, we must learn to define the gospel biblically. The gospel is not merely “the love of God” or “all the good things Jesus did.” No, it is a particular communication from God that comes with power to all who believe it.
“...Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NIV
Question 2. Why do you think it is essential to define the gospel biblically? Please share your thoughts here:
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