Does 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Really Explain the Gospel Message?

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says: “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:”

Many errantly claim that these four verses alone proclaim the Gospel of Christ in its totality.

If someone understands the need to reference the entire counsel of God due to what is said in 1 Corinthians 15:2, then it would not be wrong to say that these verses indeed provide a brief summary of the Gospel.

Yet those who claim that 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 shows the totality of the Gospel message typically don’t even account for verse 2: “By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” If they account for verse 2 at all, they wrongly conclude that it is only a reference to remembering that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. However, it means much more than this.

Paul even testified in Acts 20:26-27: “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.”

Besides overlooking verse 2, the same people who claim that 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 shows the entire Gospel message also typically add to what these verses actually say and claim that people just need to “trust Jesus” as their Savior as a one time transaction in order to be saved.

Note that the first four verses of 1 Corinthians 15 do not say anything about just needing to trust Jesus as your Savior nor anything about a sinner’s prayer.

The Bible does not teach that anyone is saved just because they believe that Jesus died for their sins, was buried, and rose again. The instructions in the rest of 1 Corinthians 15, in 1 Corinthians as a whole, and in the rest of the Bible must be regarded (that is, they must be practically applied and continued in).

Stopping at verse 4 and setting aside the rest of the chapter results in the omission of key information which elaborates on the first four verses of the chapter.

1 Corinthians chapter 15 goes on to teach that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection provides a chance to get in line with His reign. These events will not save anyone who does not respond accordingly with repentance from sin, works meet for repentance, and endurance in a living faith under the authority of Christ the King.

It is only logical that this response to God’s mercy in Christ is necessary for an individual to actually be saved by Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Prior to chapter 15, 1 Corinthians also confronts believers in Jesus Christ with straightforward warnings about falling from God’s grace in Him.

Paul gives one such warning by citing how he was diligent to run in line with Jesus’ authority due to the very real possibility of being rejected in the end.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Paul then turns around and immediately warns the Corinthians directly about how they (and any real Christian for that matter), could fall from God’s grace. He gave this warning by directly applying the examples of the disobedient Israelites who fell in the wilderness and never entered into the Promised Land to how Christians can indeed fall from grace as well.

1 Corinthians 10:1-12: “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat (food); And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play (my note- that’s obviously a reference to lascivious revelry). Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

It is evident that 1 Corinthians chapter 15 as a whole is directly dealing with rebuking the lie that there is no resurrection of the dead. This lie had obviously had some influence among the Church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 15:12: “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?”

The topic has still not changed as we come to 1 Corinthians 15:19-23: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept (i.e. those who have died). For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”

Paul is dealing with the righteous dead at this point who have died in Christ.

Then 1 Corinthians 15:24 says: “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.”

What is said in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 leads to Christ the King coming back and ruling a kingdom based on His righteous principles. Since Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and since He loves righteousness and hates lawlessness (see Hebrews 1:8-9), all who continue in sin and oppose His righteous reign will be damned in the end. This is taught over and over again in the Bible- especially in the New Testament.

Look at these direct exhortations which the things spoken of in this chapter lead to.

1 Corinthians 15:33-34: “ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”

1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are the means whereby we can submit to the authority of Christ and be justified. No one can enter into His grace aside from His shed blood. No one can effectively plead for His blood to wash their sins away who is not repentant and surrendered to His supreme authority. He is Lord as well as Savior. His entire person must be received. The faith required to enter His grace must be continued in. Those who don’t endure fall from His grace. He seeks faithful subjects who are, by His grace, actually fitting for His kingdom. One must diligently choose to reject sin and keep His Word to comply with the terms of His grace in order to obtain redemption in the end and be spared from His wrath.

Those who say 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is the entirety of the Gospel message do not account for these things. It is only with these things accounted for that the following passage is consistent with 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. The Bible is indeed consistent and does not contradict itself.

Revelation 14:6-7: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

This is so different from the common “Just trust Jesus, it will only take a moment, and you’re all set” gospel of Easy-believe-ism, Antinomianism, and unconditional security which is preached everywhere and has deceived countless people into thinking they are washed in the blood of Christ as they oppose His authority and practice sin.