Living a gospel-centered life
1 Corinthians 15:1-8
15 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one untimely born.
1. What is the gospel?
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared…
A. The historical facts of the gospel
• Christ died
• Christ was buried
• Christ was raised from the dead
• Christ appeared
B. The meaning behind the facts of the gospel
• Christ death was a substitutionary payment for our debt of sin
• Christ’s resurrection proved He was the Son of God; conquered sin and death; defeated Satan and gives us the certain hope of resurrection and eternal life
2. What does the gospel do for us?
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved…
• The gospel is the only hope of salvation!
• In the context of 1 Corinthians 15, it is the hope of resurrection with Jesus Christ and other believers
• We have been saved from the penalty of sin (justification); we are being saved from the power of sin (sanctification); we will be saved from the presence of sin (glorification)
Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Romans 5:9
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9
But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:4-6
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose
• Salvation is being delivered from the wrath of God
• Salvation is receiving the hope of resurrection and eternal life
• Salvation is being a made a new person in Jesus Christ
• Salvation is experiencing Christ’s abundant life right now
3. How should we respond to the gospel?
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
• Receive-believe: There must be a turning from sin and a receiving of Christ into our lives
• Take our stand: There must be a commitment to identify our whole lives with Christ
• Hold firmly: There must be the daily belief and walk with Christ
• Being gospel-centered means we know the gospel, we believe the gospel, we define our lives by the gospel, we live the gospel and we proclaim the gospel!
Being gospel-centered