What is the Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ?

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The Apostle Paul was concerned the church in Corinth was moving away from the simple gospel of Jesus Christ.

He was concerned it was being replaced with an over emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and an emphasis on grace that excused sinful lifestyles.

Sounds a lot like the church of the 21st century, does it not?

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:1-8 NKJV).

What is the Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ?

The simple gospel of Jesus Christ that saves a soul is simply:

1) “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10, 23 NKJV).

2) “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Death is eternal separation from God in hell.

3) The iniquity and sins of mankind were placed upon Jesus Christ who was sinless.

4) Jesus Christ, the Son of God was crucified for our sins.

5) Jesus Christ was buried and our sins were buried with Him to live no more.

6) Jesus Christ arose from the dead on the third day and all who believe and receive Him as Lord arose to new life with Him.

7) New life in Jesus Christ is received through faith in His death burial and resurrection, when the person repents of their sin and asks Jesus Christ to forgive their sin and wash their heart.

I am deeply concerned that we have moved away from the simple gospel of Christ with an over-emphasis on miracles and signs and wonders.

I do believe in miracles. I know God heals today. I have medically documented healing from an incurable disease.

Miracles do not save souls. Miracles, signs and wonders do not deliver a soul from hell. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ saves a soul.

I am appalled by the “gospel” being preached in many churches that emphasize the goodness and love of God but fail to teach the heart of every person is “desperately wicked” and sinful.

God “commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31 NKJV).

This easy believe-ism and over emphasis upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit does is not the gospel of the New Testament and it does not deliver one’s soul from hell.

It simply inoculates the soul into false conversion.

The true gospel of Jesus Christ; the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ, will convict the soul of sin and reveal the goodness of God’s love, mercy and grace that calls the person to confess their sin and to repent of their sin “that times of refreshing may come from the Lord into their life.

God will forgive their sin, wash their heart, and give them new life by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

Why are we turning away from the simple gospel?

Have we become ashamed of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.