The Gospel That We Are To Obey
In order to “obey the gospel,” we must know the gospel that we are to obey. In I Corinthians 15:1-4 our Apostle Paul tells us the gospel that we are to obey.
I Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
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;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
In these four verses we see that the gospel that we are to obey is the gospel that “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
If We Do Not Obey The Gospel
In II Thessalonians 1:7-9 we are told what happens if we do not obey the gospel. Those who have had the opportunity to obey the gospel and have not obeyed the gospel will be punished with everlasting destruction. These verses refer to the “second coming” of Jesus Christ when He will fight at the end of the Tribulation.
II Thessalonians 1:7-9
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
We see in II Thessalonians 1:7 that Paul tells those who are troubled to “rest with us.” Paul is referencing the fact that the “body of Christ” will have no need to fear the “second coming” of Christ. This is because the “body of Christ” will have been raptured or “caught up” before Christ’s second coming to as seen in I Thessalonians 4:13-17.
I Thessalonians 4:13-17
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
I Thessalonians 1:10 tells us that the “rapture” will precede the Tribulation and the “second coming” of Christ.
I Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
How We Obey The Gospel
We are told in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith it is impossible to please God, so we know that we must have faith. In this verse we are told that God rewards those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Ephesians 1:13-14 speaks of trusting Christ. These verses also speak of the gospel being the word of truth and being sealed by the Holy Spirit after we believe the gospel. The sealing by the Holy Spirit is the earnest (pledge from God) of our inheritance until Christ redeems us.
Ephesians 1:13-14
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
In Ephesians 2:8-9 we are told that we have been given grace. Grace allows us to be saved at the exact moment that we believe the gospel, since there is no work that we must do to be saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
In the verses above, we see that faith, trust and belief of the gospel are associated with salvation.
In the Book of Galatians we see Paul telling the Galatians that salvation is through faith alone. These Galatians were tempted to add works such as circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses as justification for their salvation.
In Galatians 3:1 Paul speaks of obeying the truth of the gospel.
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
To “obey the gospel” means to believe the gospel. We are to put our faith and trust in what Christ accomplished on the cross.
In I Corinthians 12:13 we are told that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the “body of Christ.”
I Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
In Colossians 2:12-13 we are told that we are buried with Christ in baptism and that we are risen with Christ through our faith in the resurrection. We are also told that all of our sins have been forgiven.
Colossians 2:12-13
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
In Romans 6:3-5 our Apostle Paul speaks of our spiritual baptism, our new life in Christ and our future resurrection and compares it to Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.
Romans 6:3-5
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.
Verse 3 tells us that when the Holy Spirit baptized us into the “body of Christ,” that we were baptized into Christ’s death. Verse 4 tells us that after our spiritual baptism that we are to “walk in newness of life.” Verse 5 speaks of our resurrection as compared to Christ’s resurrection.