Read 1 Corinthians 14 – 16
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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 KJV
Here is a most important statement regarding the Gospel everyone needs to hear. It states the essentials of the Gospel people must embrace by faith. First, the death of Christ was according to the Scriptures. On more than one occasion Jesus affirmed this with His disciples. Jesus died for sin as a perfect sacrifice meeting all the requirements of the law. Without His death there would be no satisfactory payment for our sins. Second, He was buried. His burial was proof His death was real and the payment for sin had been made. He remained in the grave for three days to prove He was really dead. Third, He rose physically from the grave. This also was according to the Scriptures. It demonstrated the Father’s acceptance of His payment. Without His resurrection we would still be in our sins. These are the essentials people must believe for salvation, and you and I must share.
Lord, the Gospel is about you and the works you have accomplished for all that believe. I am grateful for your death, burial, and resurrection; for it is only by these essential acts and my faith in them that I am saved from the consequences of my sins. Help me be responsible in standing by these Gospel essentials and in sharing them with others.
A question to ponder: As essentials all three parts of the Gospel are necessary for salvation, why would the absence of a person’s faith in any one of them make their profession of salvation empty?
