LESSON #1: GOD'S GOOD NEWS
What is the gospel of Jesus Christ? It is God's good news concerning His Son, Jesus Christ. He is God’s only begotten Son who was sent into the world. He was God in the flesh. He died on the cross for our sins and He rose from the dead for our righteousness. Paul the apostle wrote, "who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:25) The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God that saves everyone who believes because it is the revelation of the righteousness of God.
LESSON #2: THE DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news about His death and His resurrection. He died on the cross to destroy the power of sin. John the apostle wrote, "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8) He rose from the dead and destroyed the power of death.
The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil." (Hebrews 2:14)
LESSON #3: THE POWER OF SIN AND DEATH
What is sin? What is death? Paul the apostle wrote, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Romans 7:19) Sin is the evil thing that we do whereas death is the good thing that we do not do. Sin is lawlessness whereas death is utter weakness. The consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Every time we sin, we become weaker spiritually. The sting of death is sin (1 Corinthians 15:56). When we are spiritually weak, it will hurt us every time we sin.
LESSON #4: FREEDOM FROM THE POWER OF SIN AND DEATH
Paul the apostle wrote, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2) Salvation in Jesus Christ is deliverance from the power of sin and death through His life. The laying down of His life on the cross set us free from the power of sin while the raising of His life from the dead set us free from the power of death. Paul the apostle wrote, “Sin has no longer dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) and, “Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)
LESSON #5: WORKING OUT OUR OWN SALVATION
Paul the apostle wrote, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1) Before we believe in Jesus Christ, our spirit is dead and we are slaves of sin. After we believe in Jesus Christ, our spirit is made alive and we are set free from the bondage of sin. We are saved. But then, we must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). How? Jesus Christ said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23). We must learn to put to death the sinful deeds of our body (Romans 8:13).
LESSON #6: THE SALVATION OF OUR SOUL
The end of our faith in Jesus Christ is the salvation of our souls. Peter the apostle wrote, “receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:9) What is the salvation of our souls? Before we believe in Jesus Christ, God is not in our lives. So, our soul becomes independent. After we believe in Jesus Christ, we have God in our lives. Our soul can be dependent on God. How can we make our soul dependent on God? By constant self-denial and cross-bearing. Jesus Christ said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:24) Thus, our soul is saved when we are absolutely dependent on God.
LESSON #7: THE FULL POWER OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
We will experience the full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ when our body is totally brought in subjection (1 Corinthians 9:27). It will only take place when our soul is absolutely dependent on God. When we have suffered in the flesh just as Christ suffered for us in the flesh (1 Peter 4:1), God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal body through His Spirit who dwells in us (Romans 8:11). Both the power of sin and the power of death in our body will be destroyed completely. Our corruptible body will put on incorruption, and our mortal body will put on immortality, and what is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” will be fulfilled.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
LESSON #8: THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST AS THE GOSPEL
The life of Jesus Christ is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He lived a sinless life as Man because He was completely dependent on God. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote that He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) He Himself said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) He suffered in the flesh and brought His body in total subjection (1 Peter 4:1). Therefore, His body could be offered as sacrifice for sin, holy, and acceptable to God. He died on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day with a new body and lived forever. Likewise, when we have experienced the fullness of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our body will be presented as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1) and then will be conformed into His glorious body at His coming (Philippians 3:21).
LESSON #9: THE BLOOD AND THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to salvation through the complete transformation of those who believe. It transforms them from the devil’s slaves into the Lord’s freemen, then from the Lord’s freemen into the Lord’s overcomers. The blood of Jesus Christ redeemed them and set them free. Peter the apostle wrote, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19) Jesus Christ said, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36) The name of Jesus Christ gave them power and authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus Christ said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” (John 16:23) and, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)
