We have recently seen how some wish to promote the idea of two Gospels, when there is only one Gospel (with various designations) or Good News. We have also seen how some desire to confuse justification with sanctification and expect the Gospel to include both. And then we have the traditional ideas that salvation is by grace through faith + something (either good works, or sacraments, or the perseverance of the saints), when that is not included in the Gospel.
But none of this would happen if people simply went to the Bible and searched the meaning of the Gospel. The key passage is 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 followed by Acts 2:22-40.
THE GOSPEL = THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
1 CORINTHIANS 15: THE GOSPEL
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
ACTS 2: THE GOSPEL
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
As we can see, both Peter and Paul presented the Gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Peter included in the Gospel message God's command to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He further included Christ's command to be baptized immediately after believing the Good News. And Paul said that we are saved by the Gospel. Which means that we are saved by believing that Jesus of Nazareth -- who is God -- shed His blood for our sins, and offered Himself as the Lamb of God for our redemption.
When a person believes this and truly repents (turning away from all sins and idols), God justifies that sinner by His grace, and imputes the righteousness of Christ to that person.
Christians the world over remember how Christ was crucified as the Passover Lamb on Calvary on the 14th of Nisan, AD 30 on Good Friday. He was crucified on a Wednesday, but Good Friday has become the day of remembering the death of Christ, and Easter Sunday has become the day of remembering His resurrection. This is the heart of the Gospel.
But none of this would happen if people simply went to the Bible and searched the meaning of the Gospel. The key passage is 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 followed by Acts 2:22-40.
THE GOSPEL = THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
1 CORINTHIANS 15: THE GOSPEL
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
ACTS 2: THE GOSPEL
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
As we can see, both Peter and Paul presented the Gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Peter included in the Gospel message God's command to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He further included Christ's command to be baptized immediately after believing the Good News. And Paul said that we are saved by the Gospel. Which means that we are saved by believing that Jesus of Nazareth -- who is God -- shed His blood for our sins, and offered Himself as the Lamb of God for our redemption.
When a person believes this and truly repents (turning away from all sins and idols), God justifies that sinner by His grace, and imputes the righteousness of Christ to that person.
Christians the world over remember how Christ was crucified as the Passover Lamb on Calvary on the 14th of Nisan, AD 30 on Good Friday. He was crucified on a Wednesday, but Good Friday has become the day of remembering the death of Christ, and Easter Sunday has become the day of remembering His resurrection. This is the heart of the Gospel.
-
2
- Show all
