About — The Gospel
The Gospel
Since the word “gospel” means “good news,” when Christians talk about the gospel, they are telling the good news about Jesus — a message from God saying: “Here is how you can be saved from my judgment.”
“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
John 3:17
Four Questions the Gospel Answers
Who made us, and to whom are we accountable?
We are accountable to God, our Creator and King.
What is our problem?
Our problem is our sin and rebellion against Him.
What is God's solution to our problem?
Salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
How can I be included in His solution?
Through repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Part One
God
The first thing to know about the good news of Jesus is that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Because God created everything — including us — he has the right to tell us how to live.
God describes himself as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness…forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Then God adds, “but who will by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 34:6–7). This loving God does not leave the guilty unpunished. God is also holy and righteous. He is determined never to ignore or tolerate sin — including ours.
“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
Hebrews 9:27
Part Two
Mankind
When God created the first human beings — Adam and Eve — he intended for them to live under his righteous rule in perfect joy. When Adam disobeyed God, that fellowship with God was broken. Adam and Eve had declared rebellion against God.
The Bible says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…none is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:23, 10). Sin is not merely a violation of a heavenly traffic law. It is the rejection of God himself and his right to exercise authority over those to whom he gives life.
“The wages of sin is death.”
Romans 6:23
Part Three
But…
Jesus
Christ
The word “Christ” means “anointed one,” referring to anointing a king with oil when he is crowned. So, when we say “Jesus Christ,” we are saying that Jesus is a King.
God had promised that he would come as a great King to rescue his people from their sins. Jesus came to die in their place, to take the punishment they deserved for their rebellion against God. As Jesus died on a cross, the awful weight of all our sins fell on his shoulders. And Jesus died — for you and me.
But the story doesn’t end there. Jesus the Crucified is no longer dead. He rose from the grave. Jesus’ rising from the grave was God’s way of saying: “What Jesus claimed about who he is and what he came to do is true.”
Part Four
Our
Response
God expects us to respond with repentance and faith. To repent of our sins means to turn away from our rebellion against God. It means we will no longer live at peace with our sins.
Not only that, but we also turn to God in faith. Faith is reliance — a promise-founded trust in the risen Jesus to save you from your sins.
If God is ever to count us righteous, he will have to do it on the basis of someone else’s record. And that is what happens when a person is saved by Jesus: all our sins are credited to Jesus who took the punishment for them, and the perfect righteousness of Jesus is credited to us when we place our trust in what he has done for us.
Repentance
Turn away from sin and rebellion against God.
Faith
Trust in the risen Christ alone for your salvation.
A Prayer of Faith
“Jesus, I know I cannot 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.”
Adapted from What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert