It is often said the gospel is the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ, and it’s true (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), but to say the gospel is only the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ is not true.
After John’s imprisonment (Matthew 4:12), Jesus began to personally preach the gospel (Matthew 4:23), but who with an honest heart and mind would say Jesus only preached about his death, his burial, and his resurrection? Indeed, Jesus preached about much more because the gospel is more than the three factual principals of his death, his burial, and his resurrection – the gospel is about the principles of living a mortal life that leads to an immortal life with Jesus (Matthew 7:21-29; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58).
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is a sure foundation – it is a rock-solid foundation that proves his sonship (Matthew 16:13-20; Romans 1:1-4). A foundation that gives authority to the requirement of belief (Mark 16:15-16), of repentance (Luke 13:3-5), of confession (Romans 10:8-10), of baptism (Romans 6:1-11), of sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7), of humility (Luke 18:13-14), of loving our neighbor and family in Christ (Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 3:14-16), and on the list could go.
Foundations are meant to be built upon (Ephesians 2:17-22). Less than the gospel truth does a disservice to the gospel because the gospel of Christ is the truth that fills and fulfills (Galatians 2:11-16; Matthew 5:17-20; Hebrews 8). The gospel is something to rejoice over (John 8:56), it is something to live by (Romans 1:16-17; Philippians 2:25-28), it is something that changes us (1 Peter 1:17-25), because the gospel is something to be obeyed.
“14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.” (Romans 10)
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