Which gospel is the gospel?

Most everyone has heard that Jesus died for their sins and this should be communicated along with who Jesus is and why he died for sin. All of this is necessary.

There are different emphasis’ on the gospel and some churches and teachers have made certain points their way to present it. So we should look at what the Scripture describes as the gospel.

Paul summarizes what he and the other apostles all taught as the gospel that saves a person.

1 Cor. 15:3-4 “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures ”

This is the complete message that must be believed in for one to receive salvation, to have them be removed from judgment of sin and to begin a new life with the spirit present, indwelling them.

Rom. 5:6 “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. V :8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Thess. 5:9-10 “God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.”

Rom. 6:10 “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”

The gospel includes who he is that died and raised from the dead. included in chapter 15 v.31 is Christ Jesus our Lord and  in vs.7-48 Jesus is called
the Lord from heaven. Which we find upheld all throughout the New Testament. It is necessary to understand and accept 'the who', the person that died and raised from the dead.

At the end of the book of Romans Paul explains Rom. 10:9-10 “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The gospel message is that he is Lord (Acts 10:36; 17:24; Rv.17:14) which according to 1 Tim 3:16 Paul explains the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, and ends with Received up in glory. (1 Jn.1:2). This is focusing on the who that died in the flesh.

It is not just that Jesus died but included is that he was raised from the dead in the same body, which is glorified (he is the first fruit unto the resurrection of eternal life).

To tell someone that Jesus loves them and died for their sins without speaking of the resurrection to believe in is NOT the gospel. Paul puts it this way 1 Cor. 15:17-19 “if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.”

Jesus’ resurrection is essential for salvation, it is not just he died for our sins. His being raised from the dead is just as important as Jesus dying for our sins.  As Paul says your sins are not forgiven. The early messengers focused on both of these, the majority was him being raised from the dead which was unheard of at the time.

Acts 13:30-31 “But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.”

Acts 13:34 "And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption.”

Gal 1:1 “but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead”

Eph. 1:20 “He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places”

Col. 2:12-13 “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

1 Peter 1:21 “who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

Paul gives the complete gospel in 2 Cor. 5:15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

The same one who died for sin was raised physically from the dead which is the third portion of the gospel message that must be believed just as one believes he died for their sin for one to receive the salvation that is freely offered.

Paul makes this comprehensive argument in 1 Cor. 15:12-17 “ Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”

This is the gospel that saves. Both the death, burial (shows he was actually dead) and resurrection (on the 3^rd day). Any less or any more added and it is changed. My focus in this article  is to show that one must also believe in the resurrection of the one who gave his life in payment for their sin debt (you personally) or the gospel is not able to affect them with the new life, having the Holy Spirit taking residence.

 

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