The Christian Gospel or Message
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: (1) that Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures, (2) and that He was buried, (3) and that He rose
again the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
1) Jesus Christ died for our sins.
The next day
John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
For when we were
still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For
scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man
someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love
toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were
reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been
reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we
also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11.
2) Jesus Christ did die and was buried.
But Jesus said,
“Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for
Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you
may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she
could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly,
I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what
this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Mark
14:6-9.
But Jesus
answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be
glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls
into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces
much grain.” John 12:23-24.
3) Jesus Christ rose from the dead establishing our faith (living hope) in Him.
Paul, a
bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the
gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy
Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of
the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of
God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection
from the dead. Romans 1:1-4.
Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant
mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3.