The Gospel

“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.”
1 Corinthians 15:1-4

An editor’s job on a newspaper or magazine is to distill a reporter’s information into a concise article. In 1 Cor. 15:1-4, the Apostle Paul crystallizes the Gospel, or good news in this pronouncement:  “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day...” From Genesis to Revelation the Gospel’s continuing refrain is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He “died for our sins.” Since God Himself had established death as the penalty for sin and since the offering had to be “unblemished” (1 Pet. 1:19), Christ became the divine substitute and representative. He died our death and bore our sins which separated us from God.

Jesus was “buried.” Christ came to the same grave to which we all come. His execution on the cross was complete - no vital signs.

He was “raised on the third day.” Death could not keep Him captive; sin could not conquer Him. Victory over sin and death was announced. Deliverance from both is offered freely now to all who trust in Christ’s mighty redemptive work, providing abundant and eternal life.

This good news is for everyone everywhere, at all times. Its message never changes; its power never wanes.

“I love to tell the story, the great redemption story.”
-A. Katherine Hankey