What is the Gospel?
The word "Gospel" has often been hijacked in Christian culture. It is basically a buzz word that churches and ministries often use but in such a fuzzy or undefined way that it is virtually meaningless. This is a tragedy because the "Gospel" is priceless and powerful. Indeed, Paul writes, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Rom. 1:16-17) The Gospel stands as the center of Jesus's ministry (Mark 1:15) and of His Word. It is not something that is fuzzy, foggy, or sentimental. It is good news of great joy!
In my preaching, you will hear about the gospel repeatedly because I believe that is the most important message ever given. I believe that it is the only message that brings spiritual transformation. I believe that it is the only way for sinners to become saints, for dead people to made alive, for enemies of God to become his Children, for the hopeless to gain hope, and for slaves to be redeemed. You will often hear me say that we must preach the gospel to our selves and learn to live out the gospel in our daily lives.
That may seem like a strange thing to say because we often think of the gospel as a message for people who aren't Christians. We have a tendency to think that the gospel is something we hear, then believe for salvation and then move on from. But the gospel is not something we move on from, but something we move deeper into. The gospel is God's message of life, hope, forgiveness, and redemption for everyone. It is a call to faith to those who aren't Christians and a call to transformation to those who are.
Of course, all of this leads to the question, "What is the gospel?" Several passages of the Bible help us to understand its basic contents. For instance, consider what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5:
““Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered 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 was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.””
Or look at Peter's words in Acts 10:39-43:
““We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.””
These passages show the basic contours of the gospel message and can helpfully be summarized by four key words: God. Man. Christ. Response. Greg Gilbert provides this helpful structure and summarizes the gospel this way: "We are accountable to the God who created us. We have sinned against that God and will be judged. But God has acted in Jesus Christ to save us, and we take hold of that salvation by repentance from sin and faith in Jesus."
We are accountable to God who is our Creator.
Man has sinned against a holy God and deserves judgment.
God has acted by sending His own Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins.
We are called to respond to this message of salvation by turning from our sin (repentance) and embracing Christ alone (faith).
We might elaborate this way: God rules. He created everything that exists and has made mankind in His image to have a relationship with Him. Unfortunately, man sinned when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden. This sinful bent passes to all people because we are all descendants of Adam and Eve. Our sin is a problem because not only does God rule over all, He is also holy and just and cannot allow sin to go unpunished. We are accountable to Him and cannot escape God's justice by our own works or merit. As sinners, we deserve God's punishment for sin which is death. However, out of God's great love and mercy He has provided for us a sacrifice which is own Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is both God and man united in one person and has come into the world to live a sinless life and die a sacrificial death as our substitute. He is the solution to our sin problem and rescues us from the punishment that we deserve by dying on the cross in our place. Jesus rose again on the third day to show His power of death and sin and to grant eternal life to all who believe in Him. We are called to respond in repentance and receive the forgiveness for our sins by putting faith in Christ alone.
How should we respond to this message that Jesus Christ came to save sinners like you and me? Consider this:
Do you believe that you have rebelled against God and deserve his wrath? That Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died the death that you deserve for your sins? That he rose from the grave and lives to stand in your place as your Substitute and Savior? If that is your heartfelt conviction, you can tell Him in words like these...
“Jesus, I know I can’t save myself, and I know you have promised to save those who repent and put their faith in you alone. I trust you to forgive my sins and give me eternal life. Thank you for dying in my place to make my salvation possible!”
If you’ve done that, then a whole life of getting to know Jesus lies ahead, beginning right now! There’s much more to learn from the Spirit of God who comes to live in all those who put their trust in King Jesus!
If the above message has pierced your heart and you would like to embrace Christ through genuine repentance and faith, simply speak to God through prayer. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and deserve judgment. Express that you believe that Jesus came to die in your place to pay your debt. Ask Him to forgive your sin. Tell Him that you trust in Christ alone to reconcile you to Him. Contact me for next steps.
