In the greatest chapter in the Bible about the bodily resurrection at the end of time, Paul opened, “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” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NKJV). Paul reminded them what he had already taught them. The word “gospel” (from euangelion) literally means “good news” (1 Corinthians 4:15; 9:12, 14, 18, 22; Romans 1:16). The word translated “preached” (from euangelizo) is actually the verb form of the word “gospel” and means to bring the good news, preach the good news, preach or proclaim. It is also translated “bring… glad tidings” (Luke 1:19; 2:10; Acts 13:32; Romans 10:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:6).
The Gospel’s Salvation
As Paul plainly declared, the Corinthians had been saved by that Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:2a). However, they needed to continue in the Gospel if they were to remain saved (1 Corinthians 15:2b). People are saved only when they ‘receive’ the Gospel and “stand” in the Gospel. The term “hold fast” [“keep in memory” KJV] (from katecho) means to keep, take, possess (1 Corinthians 7:30; 11:2). Obviously, this teaches that salvation is conditional (Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:10; Revelation 2:10). The denominational doctrine of “the perseverance of the saints” or “once saved always saved” is false! Not continuing in the Gospel will result in people ‘believing in vain.’ The word “vain” means for nothing, without reason, thoughtlessly, without proper consideration (Matthew 5:22; Romans 13:4; Galatians 3:4). Vain belief results when people claim to believe the Gospel yet deny any part of it, such as, in this context, the bodily resurrection at the end of time (1 Corinthians 15:12, 35; 2 Timothy 2:18). To deny the resurrection of all human bodies at the end of time was to deny the Gospel of Christ; to deny the Gospel of Christ was to deny the faith, and to deny the faith was to lose salvation. Keeping the Gospel by believing and living its precepts is necessary!
The Gospel’s Fundamentals
Paul continued, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Here are listed the three fundamental facts of the Gospel. First, Christ “died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). He died as our sin offering (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:18-20). His death was no accident, for it was “according to the scriptures” (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Zechariah 12:10). Second, Christ was “buried” (1 Corinthians 15:4a). This also was a fulfilment of Scripture (Matthew 12:40; 27:59-60; Isaiah 53:9; Acts 2:29-31; 13:29). Third, Christ “was raised” on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:4b). “Was raised” [“rose again” KJV], in this verse, is in the passive voice, which means that someone else (i.e., the Father) did the raising (1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:15; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Romans 8:11). The active voice is used elsewhere of Jesus raising Himself (John 10:18), but here the emphasis is on what was done to Him. The perfect tense of “was raised” points to “the permanent state” (Morris). The point is that Christ continues, even now, as the risen Lord! This perfect tense verb translated “was raised” occurs six other times in First Corinthians 15:12-14, 16-17, 20 but only once elsewhere in the New Testament. The resurrection proves that Jesus is Lord (Romans 1:4)! We must know and hold fast to these fundamental facts!
Conclusion
Although the death, burial and resurrection of Christ constitute the foundation of the Gospel, it includes more than these three elements. The Gospel includes everything that the New Testament authorizes! To illustrate, Peter sinned for refusing to fellowship with Gentiles when certain Jews from Jerusalem visited him (Galatians 2:11-16). Showing partiality violated “the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14)! Peter, on that occasion, did not cease believing the death, burial or resurrection of Christ, but he still went against the Gospel. It is not enough for us to merely believe the death, burial and resurrection happened. Rather, we must continue studying the New Testament to know what it teaches and to put those precepts into every aspect of our daily lives. May God help each of us to “hold fast” the Gospel lest we believe in vain!
Works Cited
Morris, Leon. “1 Corinthians.” Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Volume 7. Westmont, Illinois: InterVarsity P., 1985.
