Yes — Christ's death, burial, and resurrection are the gospel itself, and the resurrection is essential to the believer's salvation.
Paul defines the gospel as Christ dying for our sins, being buried, and rising again, all according to the Scriptures. Les Feldick stresses that this is the one gospel, that the resurrection is the basis of salvation, and that without faith in the risen Christ there is no valid gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — Paul directly defines the gospel here as Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Romans 10:9 — This verse connects belief that God raised Jesus from the dead with salvation.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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." This is the message by which believers stand and are saved. Romans 10:9 also ties salvation to the resurrection: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." And 2 Corinthians 5:15 says Christ died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, "but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
Les Feldick repeatedly points to 1 Corinthians 15 as where the gospel is "so simply put" that "there is only one gospel." He emphasizes that Paul always wrote to believers and that the core message is that Christ died for our sins, was literally dead three days and three nights in the tomb, and rose again. The death, burial, and resurrection are "what makes all the difference in the world," and the resurrection stands at the heart of the gospel because it rests on the power of God. Les also teaches that during Christ's earthly ministry He was almost exclusively to Israel, but after experiencing the death, burial, and resurrection, He becomes the object of faith for the whole human race. This is why the gospel can go to Jew and Gentile alike. He notes that Paul may refer to only part of the picture at times, but the complete picture of death, burial, and resurrection is always the gospel.
Les Feldick teaches from 1 Corinthians 15 that there is only one gospel, not many. Paul writes to believers and declares the gospel: "how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and He rose again according to the Scriptures." Les stresses that Christ was literally dead three days and three nights in the tomb, and that this death, burial, and resurrection is the complete gospel.
Les says the resurrection stands at the heart of the gospel because it is the power of God that raised Christ from the dead and declares Him to be the only begotten Son of God. He says if someone has a problem with the resurrection, he has a problem understanding that they are saved, because everything rests on the fact that God raised Him from the dead. The resurrection also implies that death occurred first, so the full picture of death, burial, and resurrection remains central.
Les explains that during His earthly ministry Christ was almost exclusively to the nation of Israel, but after His death, burial, and resurrection He becomes the object of faith for the whole human race. This is why the gospel of the cross can go to Jews and Gentiles alike, fulfilling the eternal purposes of God.
Les points out that Paul says Christ died and rose again "according to the Scriptures." He explains that this refers to the Old Testament — it was prophesied there. The crucifixion was not merely Israel rejecting her King but the fulfillment of God's eternal purposes, culminating in the resurrection.
Les emphasizes that it was the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. This declares Him to be the only begotten Son of God. Without the power of the resurrection as the basis of salvation, Les says there is no real salvation, because the entire gospel rests on the fact that God raised Him from the dead.
There Is Only One Gospel
Les Feldick shows from 1 Corinthians 15 that there is one gospel — the death, burial, and resurrection — and that Paul wrote this to believers.
Death, Burial, and Resurrection Defined
Les defines the gospel as Christ dying for our sins, being literally dead three days and three nights, and rising again according to the Scriptures.
According to the Old Testament
Les explains that 'according to the Scriptures' means the death and resurrection were prophesied in the Old Testament.
Paul Always Shows the Complete Picture
Les notes that Paul continually brings in the complete picture of death, burial, and resurrection as the gospel.
The Gospel Makes All the Difference
Les says the death, burial, and resurrection are what make all the difference in the world for our relationship to God.
Resurrection at the Heart of the Gospel
Les says the resurrection is the heart of the gospel; if someone lacks the power of the resurrection as the basis of salvation, they have no real salvation.
The Core of the Gospel
Les explains that the core of our gospel is believing that Christ died for sin, was buried, and rose from the dead.
Gospel Opens to All Nations
Les shows that after experiencing death, burial, and resurrection, Christ becomes the object of faith for the whole human race, not just Israel.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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:
Paul explicitly defines the gospel as Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Salvation is connected with believing in the resurrection.
2 Corinthians 5:15: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Christ's death and resurrection call believers to live for Him.
Les teaches that the gospel is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. He says there is only one gospel, and this death, burial, and resurrection is its complete message.
Les says the resurrection stands at the heart of the gospel because it is the power of God that raised Christ from the dead. If someone denies the resurrection, he questions whether they have the basis of salvation at all, since salvation rests on God raising Him from the dead.
Yes. Les explains that after Christ experienced the death, burial, and resurrection, He becomes the object of faith for the whole human race, not just the nation of Israel.
Les emphasizes that this means the death and resurrection were prophesied in the Old Testament. The cross fulfilled the eternal purposes of God, and the resurrection was the culmination of that work.
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