Most of our New Testament is made up of Paul’s letters and correspondence with individuals. We trust so much of what Paul wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for Christian doctrine and practices. So let’s consider for a moment the topic of the Gospel according to Paul. Have you ever thought about what the focus was of Paul’s gospel and what are the practical implications of the gospel according to Paul?

The answers to these questions can be found in two passages. I’ll break down each one.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

VERSES 1-2 – Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. – Paul writes that he is now going to make known to the Corinthians something they have already heard and accepted but need to be reminded of: the GOSPEL. The word gospel means “good news”. When the word was used in ancient times, it didn’t have to describe the message of salvation in Jesus Christ; it could describe any good news. But the best news ever is further explained in verses 3-4 where Paul will describe the content of the gospel but for now, he is reminding them of the process of how they came to understand and obey it. First, Paul preached the gospel to them then second, they received it. Third, the Corinthians enjoyed the blessings of standing in and fourth being saved by the gospel. The Corinthians were willing to take a stand in the gospel despite all their failings. While the Galatians were ones who were quickly being moved away to another gospel (Gal. 1:6). They had done well listening and responding to the message of the gospel and now Paul is telling them to continue to hold fast and not let go of the words he preached about the gospel. If they do let go then it might as well be that they had believed for no reason at all.

VERSES 3-4 –  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, – Paul wants them to realize that the gospel that he preached was the first and most important message for him to preach and one that he too received. He did not make up this “good news” he received it from Jesus Christ Himself (Galatians 1:11-12). Then Paul delivered the most important message ever. What Paul preached was not insightful good advice. What Paul preached was actual historical events that happened. First, Christ died. This is good news because God has always required a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sins. The good news is that Jesus’ blood is pure and innocent and because of his perfection His bloody death was a once and for all event. It was a death for all mankind, for all sins, for all time. That is good news. Second, Christ was buried. This is good news because His burial is proof of his death because one is not buried unless they are dead. His burial is also good news because it fulfilled the Scriptures which said And they made His grave with the wicked; but with the rich at His death (Isaiah 53:9). Third Christ was raised. This is good news because it shows us power over death and the grave. It proves His omnipotence and therefore His deity. It’s also good news because Paul’s argument in this pericope is that If Jesus was not raised then everything we are doing, saying and everything we are living for is worthless. But since he was raised it makes everything we are doing and saying and living for the most important.

Romans 6:3-4 – Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

It is in this verse that we see the correlation of the gospel (death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) and our salvation. When we obey the gospel we are obeying the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Now since we are not able to physically die with Christ, not physically be buried with Him, and certainly not have been physically raised with Him over 2,000 years ago we have to obey a form or type of that doctrine (Romans 6:17 – But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,). That form or type is found in the verses under consideration. When we have been baptized we have died to our old self, been buried with Christ in baptism, and are raised up to walk a new life in Christ. So now we must remember what Paul said to the Corinthians… it was in the gospel they are saved. The gospel is the death burial and resurrection of Jesus and we are to obey the gospel by dying, being buried, and being raised in baptism. It is at baptism that one is saved because it reenacts the gospel “good news” of Jesus. No wonder why Paul says he preached Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23).

The practical implication is that we too must obey the same gospel that Paul preached.

If you have not please let me help you obey. Give me a call TODAY!

I love you,

Alex