Question #421

What is the Gospel?

What is the gospel?  Some say the whole New Testament; some say just the "death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ". What say you?

The Answer:

What is the gospel? This question, though asked for years, had received increased significance in today’s religious world. The song of ecumenicalism, based on their interpretation of 1 Cor. 15:1-4, is that the gospel consists of only three facts – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. From this interpretation they conclude that Christianity can unite upon these three important facts and that the rest is at best trivia and at worst divisive non-essentials. They, along with others who agree with them for whatever reason, have missed the boat.

What is the gospel? First, let’s read 1 Cor. 15:1-4:

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

Paul’s first sentence sets the stage for the subject of Chapter 15. He begins by reminding them of that which he preached while among them – the gospel. They received it, stood in it and were saved by it unless their faith was vain. Having reminded them of his message, he emphasizes three facts that were “of first importance” – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Notice that he does not say that all else is of no importance, having nothing to do with salvation. He ascribes first importance to the three facts emphasized. Nowhere in these four verses or elsewhere in this chapter, this book, or elsewhere in Scripture does Paul limit “gospel” to these three facts.

When we arrive at verse 12 we discover why he places such importance upon these three facts. He uses the resurrection of Jesus Christ to rebut some among them who were denying that there was a resurrection from the dead. Paul’s approach is a wonderful illustration of his logical thinking. The rest of the chapter is Paul’s teaching concerning the resurrection from the dead and the body of the resurrection. Those who restrict “gospel” to Paul’s three recited facts ignore the context of the chapter, and the greater context of both the book and the Bible. If there were nothing else, one word in the text proves the point. Paul not only says that he preached the “gospel”; he also says that he preached the “word.” Clearly “gospel” and “word” are synonymous. How can this be proved?

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:6-9)

The ecumenicists, having forgotten that Paul uses “gospel” and “word” synonymously, may say that Galatians proves their point, arguing that Paul says only that you cannot change the “gospel,” leaving the “word” to be changed. Such an argument demonstrates their desperation. Additionally, it demonstrates their lack of knowledge of the Scripture. The term “word” is used more to describe that which was taught than is the word “gospel.” Two other times Paul uses “gospel” and “word” synonymously (“word” often, but not always, connected with phrases such as “of Christ,” “of God,” “of truth,” or similar phrase). See, Col. 1:5 (“the word of truth, the gospel”); 2 Tim. 2:8-9 (Paul reminded them of Jesus Christ, risen and the son of David [a fact not mentioned in 1 Cor. 15] “as preached in my gospel,” for which he was “suffering, bound,” but in contrast “the word of God is not bound”).

Then, lest we forget, the gospel is not just something to believe, it is something to obey. Rom. 10:16 (“But they have not all obeyed the gospel.). The book of Romans begins and ends with the “obedience of faith.” Rom. 1:5; 16:26.

One last thought. Where, more than at any other time, does one draw nearest to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ?

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (Rom. 6:3-7)

Isn’t it strange that the very position that some take in order to get as far away as they can from the essentiality of baptism, find that position taking them right back to the place they don’t want to be. It is not only strange, but sad, when those who do it are some who formerly were faithful members of the Lord’s body, His church. Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18, 24. They have left the Light of Him who is the Word for the glitter of denominationalism. There will never be a basis for unity in “Christianity” until all return to the belief and practice of the church as it is described in the New Testament. Any difference from that standard is of man, not of God.