By the way, if anyone is collecting all this series into a MS Word document, I’d be happy to give you a bundle of credit and repost the whole series in one document. One of these days I’ll learn the more elegant trick of writing my posts in MS Word and pasting them into Movable Type (ugh).

Here’s a crucial passage when it comes to “gospel” and “kerygming” in the New Testament:

5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’  ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That

if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How,
then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can
they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they
hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Paul’s gospel involves this:

1. Confessing verbally that Jesus is Lord.
2. Believing that God raised Jesus from the death (a bodily resurrection).
3. Anyone who believes this is saved.
4. God has chosen to proclaim this gospel through humans.