Clearly, I think, 1 Cor 15:1-11 is a sufficient description of the gospel:
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… so we preach and so you believed.
- the gospel is communicated/declared/preached
- the gospel must be received/believed
- Jesus died to pay for the penalty of our sins
- He really died and was burried
- He really did, physically, come out of the grave on the third day
- All of this is in accordance with the OT (this is the earliest Christian tradition recorded)
There is an infinite, almighty, all-knowing God who created everything for his glory.
We have all belittled his glory by believing our way is better than his, even though everything we have is from him.
God is just and cannot allow such an affront to his name without wrath/punishment (and remain just).
So God sends Jesus, as a perfect human being who never belittles God’s glory, and CRUSHES him.
God pours out his wrath for those who deserve justice onto his perfect son, killing him for us.
God raises him from the dead to show the sacrifice was accepted.
That same power, demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, is now at work in those who believe.
We can have a right standing before God, not by our own abilities/efforts, but because of what God has done through Jesus on the Cross.
You and I, in our own power and efforts, cannot fix the broken things in us, but Christ can.
You can’t resurrect anything, but God will.
And so we praise him, day and night, until he returns, glory be to God through Jesus Christ.
