This is the first article in the “Gospel of Salvation” series.

• 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….”

What did Christ die for? Our sins. You see, mankind has a problem. That problem is sin. Romans 3:23 and Romans 5:12 both state, “all have sinned.” If you do not know what sin is, I John 3:4 states, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” “Transgression” is breaking God’s Law. The Bible, God’s Word, includes God’s laws that all mankind must abide by. We should not lie, kill, steal, lust, covet, envy, commit adultery, disobey/dishonor parents or any authorities, etc…. If you are honest (“Thou shalt not lie.”), you would agree with God that you have sinned.

• Eccl. 7:20, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”
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No matter how moral you try to be or how many “good works” you try to perform, you cannot escape the fact that you are still a sinner. Even if you do a LOT of good, one sin makes you guilty.

• Jms. 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
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For more on this crucial subject, read “The Penalty of Sin.”