[UntoHim]

1 Corinthians 15:3,4 (emphasis mine)
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures

I agree with Mike that the gospel should be acted upon, not just accepted and believed, but this is not really where I was going with this thread. Neither did I want to go off in the direction that Scribe seemed to be taking us. Nobody has to agree with what I wrote in the first note, but can I ask that we limit our comments to the matter at hand? There are many other boards on the forum to cover just about any topic.

I would say “Paul's gospel” was the very same gospel as we see presented in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and I have presented the verse above to bolster this contention. In checking with the original Greek, and in accordance with the context, the apostle Paul is stating rather plainly what the gospel is to him, and what he received. While Paul was not a personal witness to Christ's death and resurrection (as Mt, Mk, Lk and Jn) he did receive this very same gospel directly from the Lord Jesus (remember that "who art thou Lord" experience). Paul apparently went on to receive many other "visions and revelations of the Lord" (2 Cor 12) but told the Corinthians that he could not boast in these further visions and revelations, but would rather boast in his weakness: "Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong". Weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions and difficulties? Now who else went through these things for our sake? This is another integral part of THE Gospel, that Christ suffered these things for our sake and for our salvation.

Witness Lee claimed that Paul's epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians were “the heart of the divine revelation”. While Paul related many high and deep revelations in these epistles, only THE Gospel should be considered “of first importance”. Again I would submit that “Paul’s gospel” was nothing more and nothing less than the gospel that is presented by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. All further doctrines, teachings and revelations are of lesser importance. Doctrines, teachings and revelations cannot save a soul. And if our Local Church experience proved anything, it is that teachings, practices and even revelations cannot change or transform a person. Only The Gospel can do this. The New Testament links all the major attributes of God to the gospel – power, love, holiness, righteousness, grace, mercy and so much more.

As I was writing here I was reminded of the last verse in the wonderful hymn “Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him” –
‘Tis the look that melted Peter
‘Tis the face that Stephen saw
‘Tis the heart that wept with Mary
Can alone from idols draw

Those of us oldies but goodies out there can surely testify that teachings, practices and revelations (even biblical ones) can become an idol of sorts. But the gospel, The Gospel preached by the Lord Jesus and then by his chosen witnesses, can and should be an idol to us, for it takes us to the very One who is to be idolized, worshiped and adored. I think the apostle Paul was getting at this when he proclaimed: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14) We know Paul and the other apostles taught and wrote about more than just the cross, but what did they “glory” in? What was the foundation of their lives? From where did they draw their strength to suffer and endure and become the first pillars in the church and the original champions of the Christian faith? Was it from their wonderful and advanced teachings and revelations, or was it from The Gospel?

So what about us today? What is the foundation of our lives – both personal and corporate? Do we preach this gospel without ceasing? (owch) Do we glory only in the cross? (owch) Do we live out this gospel to the world around us? (double owch) Yeah I'm pointing a finger at ya'll - but when I'm pointing a finger at someone there are three fingers pointing right back at me. (triple owch)