Paul's gospel is the one and only saving gospel: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul declares 'the gospel' he preached — not 'a gospel' — which believers received and stand in, and by which they are saved if they keep in memory what he preached. Les Feldick emphasizes this passage as the clearest, most complete statement of the gospel in all of Scripture and the only plan of salvation for today.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — Paul directly identifies his preaching as 'the gospel' — the message by which believers are saved and which consists of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection according to the Scriptures.
Galatians 1:6-8 — Paul underscores the uniqueness and seriousness of the one gospel by warning that anyone who preaches another gospel is accursed.
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul writes: '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 gospel Paul preached, and it is the message by which believers are saved. In Galatians 1:6-7, Paul marvels that believers were 'so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel,' and he clarifies that this is 'not another' but a perversion of the gospel of Christ. Verse 8 then pronounces a curse on anyone who preaches any other gospel: 'But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.' Scripture therefore presents the gospel as one message, with serious consequences for altering it.
Les Feldick teaches that 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is the clearest and most complete place in the whole Bible where the gospel is laid out. He even says it 'beats John 3:16, 100 miles' and that every time Paul refers to 'the gospel' in his epistles, this is the gospel he is referring to. Paul writes 'the gospel,' not 'a gospel,' and Les emphasizes that this shows there is only one gospel, not many roads to God. Les describes this gospel as the only plan of salvation for today. Its content is a three-pronged fact: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. It can be called 'my gospel,' the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of God, the gospel of grace, or the gospel of Christ — all are titles for this same message. There is no other plan and no other way. Les also stresses that the gospel must be received as given. Believers stand positionally in this gospel, and they are saved by it if they keep in memory what Paul preached. Salvation is not glib; a person must know and understand what he believes. Paul warns against those who pervert, add to, or take away from the gospel, and Les applies that warning to our day, where people both add to and take away from the gospel.
Paul defines his gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. He declares 'the gospel which I preached unto you,' which the Corinthians had received and in which they stood. He says they are saved by it if they keep in memory what he preached. The message itself is 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.' Les Feldick calls this the clearest place in Scripture where the gospel is laid out in full, and he says every time Paul uses the word 'gospel,' this is the message in view.
Les repeatedly draws attention to the definite article: Paul says 'the gospel,' not 'a gospel.' This shows the gospel is singular — there is only one. Les says this is the one and only plan of salvation in the Bible for today, and it is by believing this gospel that a person is saved. The moment it becomes 'another gospel' (Galatians 1:6-7), it is not another gospel at all but a perversion of the gospel of Christ.
The gospel that saves is the message Paul delivered: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, all according to the Scriptures. Les Feldick stresses that this is not optional or negotiable — there is no other gospel and no other way. At the same time, he emphasizes that a person must know what he believes. Paul says believers are saved 'if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.' Les applies this by saying salvation is not something glib; you have to understand what the book says and what God requires.
Paul marvels that the Galatians were 'so soon removed' from the grace of Christ to 'another gospel.' He says those who trouble them 'would pervert the gospel of Christ,' and in today's world, Les says, people do both — they add to the gospel and take away from it. The warning is strong: even if Paul himself or an angel from heaven preaches another gospel, let him be accursed. Les calls this 'strong language' — a sign of how seriously the one true gospel must be guarded.
Another Gospel Warning
Les reads Galatians and shows Paul's alarm that believers were moved to 'another' gospel and that the gospel can be perverted by adding to it or taking away from it — a strong warning about the uniqueness Paul's gospel demands.
Gospel Basis of Salvation
Les anchors salvation in the gospel and identifies 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 as the portion of Scripture that lays out the gospel completely, clearly, and simply; when Paul says 'the gospel,' this is what he means.
Clearest Gospel Passage
Les says no passage in the whole Bible lays out the gospel in full as clearly as 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; it surpasses John 3:16, and every gospel reference in Paul's epistles points back to this definition.
One Gospel, Not Many
Les highlights that Paul writes 'the gospel,' not 'a gospel,' to show there is only one gospel, and it is laid out in 1 Corinthians 15.
Singular Gospel and Saving Faith
Les teaches that 'the gospel' is singular — there is only one — and it is by this gospel that believers are saved; they are to know and understand what they believe.
One and Only Gospel Defined
Les reads the passage carefully to show the gospel is one and only; its saving content is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and believers must know what they believe.
No Other Plan, No Other Gospel
Les says the gospel Paul preached among the Gentiles is the gospel we must adhere to today; titles like 'gospel of grace' and 'gospel of Christ' all point to the same three-pronged fact: Christ died, was buried, and rose again — no other gospel exists.
One Plan of Salvation
Les demonstrates from the text that there is only one plan of salvation for today — believing the gospel — and that believers stand positionally in it, but must keep in memory what Paul preached.
1 Corinthians 15:1: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
Paul introduces the actual message he calls 'the gospel.'
1 Corinthians 15:2: By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Shows that salvation comes through this gospel when it is remembered and kept.
1 Corinthians 15:3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
States the first part of the gospel message — Christ's death for sins according to the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Completes the gospel with the burial and resurrection.
Galatians 1:6: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Paul marvels that believers were quickly removed to another gospel.
Galatians 1:7: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Explains that 'another gospel' is not really another, but a perversion of the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:8: But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Sets the serious consequence for preaching any other gospel — accursed.
Paul's gospel is the message that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. It is the gospel which Paul preached, which believers received, and by which they are saved if they keep it in memory (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Because Paul writes 'the gospel,' not 'a gospel.' Les Feldick explains that the definite article shows there is only one gospel, and it is the only plan of salvation for today. Any other message is a perversion of the gospel of Christ and is accursed (Galatians 1:6-8).
According to Les Feldick, yes — a person must know and understand what he believes. Paul says believers are saved by the gospel 'if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain,' so salvation is not glib or without understanding.
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