What is the basic premise of the gospel that cannot be ignored?
The basic premise is that Christ died, was in the grave three days and three nights, and rose from the dead. Ignoring this leaves no gospel. Faith in this gospel means those three days and nights in the tomb separate the believer from the old life of sin and bondage.
Les explains that this truth is pictured as far back as Exodus, where God shows that Israel could not be set free from Egypt unless three days separated them from their place of captivity. In the same way, salvation cannot ignore the basic premise of the gospel: Christ died, was in the grave three days and three nights, and rose from the dead. If that is ignored, there is no gospel. But when we put our faith in that gospel, those three days and three nights in the tomb separate us from the old life of sin and bondage.