Ryrie Got the Gospel Right

Dr. Charles Ryrie

In the article "The Full Gospel and Nothing More," Michael J. Svigel (now the director of the Creative Ministries department of Insight for Living and Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary) shares how Dr. Ryrie would open his class on soteriology—by getting the gospel right! Svigel writes:

In Bible college I sat under Dr. Charles Ryrie for a course in soteriology—the doctrine of salvation. He opened the first lecture with this instruction: "Take out a piece of paper. You have less than one minute to share the gospel with a stranger, or he'll be lost for eternity. Write down what that person needs to believe to be saved. Start now!"

By the way, what would you write down on a piece of paper if you were asked that same question? I would write down what the Bible says the gospel is in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5.

Ryrie gives the same answer in the 1st edition of his book So Great Salvation. In response to the question: "WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?" Ryrie promptly quotes 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, noting Christ's burial and appearances.[1] Here's the full quote from the 1st edition of Ryrie's book:

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? 

And the angel said to them, "Fear not: for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all people."  Luke 2:10 

For I passed on 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 rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen....  1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Reference:

[1] Charles Ryrie, So Great Salvation (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1989), pp. 35-36. Note: See my blog post "The Historical Credibility of the Gospel" (FGFS, May 5, 2022) for more quotes by Ryrie to the same effect.