“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that 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.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Paul was very clear with the Corinthians about the nature of the true gospel. The gospel is good news. It is the good news of His death. Jesus died. He was not rendered unconscious by the actions of the Roman soldiers at Golgotha. He died. This, too, is important. If Jesus had not died, He could not have been God’s sacrifice for our sin. He was buried and was resurrected. This is important. His resurrection testifies that the prophecies surrounding Him were true and that the words He spoke during His earthly ministry were also true. A dead Savior can’t save anyone. Our baptism is the picture of His death, burial, and resurrection. The gospel is not anything we want it to be. The gospel is not man’s thoughts on how to get to Heaven. The gospel is not one way of many. Man’s only hope of salvation is found in the resurrected Jesus. The gospel is God’s way of restoring man to Himself. It is this gospel that Paul not only taught, but that he had also received himself. Share what you know.

Question for Reflection.

What are the substitutes man has put forward in place of the biblical gospel?

How would you describe the way you felt when you believed the gospel and placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?

Shouldn’t everyone have the opportunity to feel the same way?