The gospel is often described as something we are to believe.
And that is certainly true.
Paul wrote:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…”
(Romans 1:16, KJV)
But the New Testament also uses another expression that deserves careful attention:
OBEY THE GOSPEL.
If the gospel consists of the good news concerning Jesus Christ, what does it mean to obey it?
And why does Scripture warn about those who do not?
THE GOSPEL CONTAINS FACTS
Paul reminded the Corinthians of the gospel he had preached:
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;”
(1 Corinthians 15:1, KJV)
He then summarized its central facts:
“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:”
(1 Corinthians 15:3–4, KJV)
Notice the pattern:
CHRIST DIED
↓
CHRIST WAS BURIED
↓
CHRIST ROSE AGAIN
These are facts of the gospel.
We cannot repeat Christ’s literal death, burial, and resurrection.
So how do we obey a gospel built upon those events?
PAUL SHOWS US THE PATTERN
Romans 6 provides an important answer.
Paul wrote:
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”
(Romans 6:3, KJV)
Notice:
CHRIST DIED
↓
WE ARE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH
Paul continues:
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…”
(Romans 6:4, KJV)
Notice again:
CHRIST WAS BURIED
↓
WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM
But the pattern does not end in the grave.
Paul continues:
“…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.”
(Romans 6:4, KJV)
Therefore:
CHRIST DIED
↓
CHRIST WAS BURIED
↓
CHRIST ROSE
And in our response:
WE DIE TO SIN
↓
WE ARE BURIED WITH CHRIST IN BAPTISM
↓
WE RISE TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE
The gospel is not merely something to acknowledge intellectually.
It is a message to which we respond.
ROMANS ACTUALLY SPEAKS OF OBEDIENCE
Later in the same chapter Paul wrote:
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”
(Romans 6:17, KJV)
Notice the words:
“OBEYED FROM THE HEART.”
Then:
“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
(Romans 6:18, KJV)
Look carefully at the sequence:
SERVANTS OF SIN
↓
OBEYED FROM THE HEART
↓
MADE FREE FROM SIN
↓
SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Paul does not describe obedience as something opposed to faith.
Their obedience came “from the heart.”
PENTECOST SHOWS US WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE
Peter preached the crucified and risen Christ in Acts 2.
Those who heard him:
“…were pricked in their heart…”
(Acts 2:37, KJV)
They asked:
“…Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
(Acts 2:37, KJV)
Peter answered:
“…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…”
(Acts 2:38, KJV)
What happened next?
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized…”
(Acts 2:41, KJV)
They did not merely hear the gospel.
They received it.
They responded to it.
They obeyed it.
THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH OBEYED THE GOSPEL
Philip:
“…preached unto him Jesus.”
(Acts 8:35, KJV)
As they continued on their way, the eunuch said:
“…See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?”
(Acts 8:36, KJV)
After confessing his faith in Christ, they:
“…went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”
(Acts 8:38, KJV)
Philip preached Jesus.
↓
The eunuch believed.
↓
The eunuch confessed Christ.
↓
The eunuch was baptized.
That was not salvation by human merit.
It was faith responding to the gospel.
THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER OBEYED THE GOSPEL
The jailer asked Paul and Silas:
“…Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
(Acts 16:30, KJV)
They answered:
“…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
(Acts 16:31, KJV)
Did the account stop there?
No.
“And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.”
(Acts 16:32, KJV)
Then:
“…and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.”
(Acts 16:33, KJV)
And afterward:
“…rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”
(Acts 16:34, KJV)
Again:
THE WORD WAS PREACHED
↓
THE WORD WAS BELIEVED
↓
THE GOSPEL WAS OBEYED
↓
THEY WERE BAPTIZED
WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY THE GOSPEL?
This question becomes especially serious when we read Paul’s warning concerning Christ:
“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”
(2 Thessalonians 1:8, KJV)
Paul did not merely speak of those who do not know the gospel.
He spoke of those who:
“OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL.”
Peter asked:
“…what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
(1 Peter 4:17, KJV)
If the gospel cannot be obeyed, these warnings make little sense.
BELIEF AND OBEDIENCE ARE NOT ENEMIES
Modern religious discussions sometimes place faith on one side and obedience on the other.
Scripture does not.
Paul spoke of:
“…obedience to the faith…”
(Romans 1:5, KJV)
And at the conclusion of Romans:
“…made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:”
(Romans 16:26, KJV)
Biblical faith listens to God.
Biblical faith trusts God.
Biblical faith responds to God.
Biblical faith obeys God.
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED
↓
CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS
↓
CHRIST WAS BURIED
↓
CHRIST ROSE AGAIN
↓
THE SINNER HEARS THE GOSPEL
↓
THE SINNER BELIEVES IN CHRIST
↓
THE SINNER REPENTS
↓
THE SINNER CONFESSES CHRIST
↓
THE SINNER DIES TO SIN
↓
THE SINNER IS BURIED WITH CHRIST IN BAPTISM
↓
THE SINNER RISES TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE
↓
THE CHRISTIAN CONTINUES FAITHFULLY IN CHRIST
That is how the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus become more than historical facts we acknowledge.
We respond to them.
We obey the gospel.
The question is therefore not merely:
“DO I BELIEVE THE GOSPEL?”
We should also ask:
“HAVE I OBEYED THE GOSPEL?”
Don’t accept that conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read 1 Corinthians 15.
Read Romans 6.
Read the conversion accounts in Acts.
Read 2 Thessalonians 1.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Then determine whether your response to the gospel matches the pattern revealed in God’s Word.
“…ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”
(Romans 6:17, KJV)
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 