This is the third article in “The Gospel of Salvation” series. (Previous “The Problem of Sin” and “The Penalty of Sin”)

• I Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
• 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
• 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
• 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
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I Cor. 15:1-4 is the gospel (vs. 1) of salvation (vs. 2) in a nutshell. The good news of Jesus Christ referred to here in I Cor. 15 is Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. In this article, let’s focus on the phrase “…Christ died for our sins….”

In “The Penalty of Sin”, we learned that sin’s penalty is death. So, someone has to take the punishment of death for your sins. Good works do not pay the fine of death. Baptism’s waters do not pay sin’s penalty of death. The only way is for someone to die for you. At the same time, that someone has to be perfect; without sin. Otherwise, they need to pay in death for their own sins. The answer then is Jesus. Only Jesus, Who is both God and man, is perfect. Heb. 4:15 reveals that Jesus “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Someone stated correctly, “The Gospel does not consist of what we can do for ourselves, but of what God stands ready to do for us.” Remember from “Definition of Gospel” that gospel means “good news.” Proverbs 25:25 states, “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” Ahh, and what good news Jesus brought! Jesus came from the “far country” of heaven, lived a perfect life, and then died on the cross so that you could be saved. On the cross, Jesus proclaimed, “It is finished.” (Jn. 19:30) “…Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (Jms. 1:15) But praise the Lord, when the Savior “was finished,” He brought life! You may have heard or read something like this: “All religious systems can be spelled with just two letters – DO. The gospel of Christ is spelled with four letters – DONE.”

Be aware, too, that Jesus’ death was for all sinners.

• I John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
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Even if you think you are the worst sinner ever, you are still a part of “the whole world”, and Jesus died for all sins; your sins included.

Now all you need to do is accept (our text, I Cor. 15:1 – “ye have received”) by faith Jesus’ death on the cross for your sins. If you do, Jesus can save you from hell, and you can enter heaven when you die.

For more on this crucial subject, read “The Power over Sin.”