Daily Devotional for Sunday, December 1

The Complete Gospel

"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;' I Corinthians 15:3, 4.

We have gotten far enough into Paul's letter to the Galatians that we know there were some who were distorting the gospel which he had delivered to them (Galatians 1:7). If we are not careful, we could be in danger of thinking this problem only affected those churches in Galatia about two thousand years ago. The truth is that there are many churches today that have distorted the simple gospel which Paul taught. There are even whole denominations preaching that individuals must dress, look or act a certain way in order to be truly sanctified. So what is this gospel to which Paul is referring?

If we go over to the letter Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, we find another group of people who were struggling to live out what Paul had already taught them; we see that he reminded them of the true gospel or good news, as well. In our key verses today, Paul wrote that Christ died for our sins, and this is the gospel by which we were saved (1 Corinthians 15:2). We are unworthy and incapable of saving ourselves. There is no number of good deeds or a certain wardrobe that will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Baptism does not save you. Keeping the whole Law does not save you. It is only through the sacrifice of Christ that one can be justified. What good news it is indeed. The Scriptures and prophesies were fulfilled in Jesus and His death, burial and resurrection (verse 4), and all we must do is believe.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Let us not believe in vain.Every child of God has the responsibility to share the gospel.

Take every opportunity to deliver the good news to those around you!

Ashley Ridings