Before returning to our series on 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 (post 1, post 2), I thought it would be best for us to pause and take a closer look at the Gospel of which Paul reminds the Corinthians.

Here we pause first and foremost because we don’t ever want to assume the gospel or move beyond the gospel. The gospel has been described as a pool of water that is small enough for a baby to wade but deep enough for an elephant to swim. Whether we are infants in the faith or mature believers, one can never exhaust the riches of God’s grace in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our aim over these next 5 posts is to develop a clear grasp of the content and significance of the Gospel. To do so I thought it would be best if we spent the next 2 weeks briefly unpacking the following 5 statements:

1) The Gospel is “not man’s gospel” (Galatians 1:11).
2) The Gospel is God’s Gospel about his Son (Galatians 1:6-7ff.; Romans 1:9).
3) The Gospel is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16).
4) The Gospel was given directly to Paul from the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:12).
5) The Gospel is an everlasting and unchanging Gospel (Revelation 14:6; Galatians 1:6-9)

1) The Gospel is “not man’s gospel” (Galatians 1:11).

The Gospel is God’s Gospel!

We should always remember the gospel is God’s gospel. God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, purposed from all eternity to magnify their mercy and grace in the salvation of fallen sinners (1 Peter 1:17-23 esp. 1 Peter 1:20).

And yet as fallen and yet redeemed sinners the gospel has very much to do with us, (i.e. getting our sins forgiven, having peace with God, etc.), but we must always remember that the gospel is not our invention. More importantly still, the Gospel is not something we do; nor does the gospel start or originate with us. The gospel starts and originates with God. And because the gospel starts with God, it is God’s Word to us.

This Word of God in the gospel is to us is a Word of grace and “good news” about his Son, Jesus Christ and what Christ has done for sinners (e.g., Titus 3:4-6; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:19-23).

In our next post we will briefly expound the beauty of God the Father FOR sinners in the Spirit through his incarnate Son Jesus Christ as we consider how “The Gospel is God’s Gospel about his Son (Galatians 1:6-7ff; Romans 1:9).

In the meantime, here is Dr. Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Theology and Apologetics as Westminster Seminary California, answering the question, “What is the Gospel?”

Click here: Horton's short answer to "What is the Gospel? 

Click here: John Piper's enthusiastic explanation of how the Gospel both saves AND strengthens us.

Click here: R.C. Sproul's clear message on the Gospel and its significance