The Gospel Presentation By Paul

Someone asked recently how I Cor 15:1-8 could be the "full" presentation of the Gospel. To them it seemed it didn't contain all the requirements. So as a good exercise for myself I have gone through the verses to see if it does or not.

I Cor 15:1-8
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

In Verses 1 & 2 we see Paul declare that the Gospel he preached to them is the Gospel by which we are saved and they received it. It talks about how if this is not kept in mind and believed that they would have believed in vain (they would have been the Apostate, or false converts). This is a strong statement, Paul is saying - this is IT. If you don't believe this then you're not saved.

The beginning of Verse 3 is leading into explanation of what he had taught them.

Now we get the actual Gospel starting in Verse 3b "how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." How Christ IS the fulfillment of promises made in, and legal requirements of the OT. He died for our sins - our sins required death, and He did the dying.

Verse 4 That He was buried and rose again in accordance with Prophecy.

Verse 5 - 7 The witnesses who can confirm these events to be so.

Verse 8 Paul's apostleship confirmed, therefore he has authority to declare the above to be the Gospel.

So in these 8 verses we get the complete full council of the Gospel. It's authority and accuracy is confirmed by Scripture, Witness and Apostleship (Paul had already had the signs of an Apostle confirm him before them - and us by record). This is complete verification and complete council. The whole of the Good News.

That we need to explain elements of this such as what the OT did foretell, and what it did have as legal requirements to be fulfilled is clear. So there ya have it.