What is the Gospel?
Good News
The word “gospel” simply means “good news.” This good news is not just something pleasant to hear, like a bedtime story or encouragement from a friend. It’s the greatest news the world has ever known. The good news is about God’s amazing love toward mankind where He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place, granting salvation and eternal life to all who believe in Him.
God
God is perfect. The Bible teaches that God is holy, sovereign, and good. He created the whole universe and everything in it, including you and I. The world was good and there was no sorrow, pain, or death in it (Gen. 1:1, 31). As creatures of God, He requires perfect obedience from every human (Gen. 2:16-27; Matt. 5:48; Jas. 2:20).
Mankind
Mankind has a problem. Although we are God’s special creatures made in His image (Gen. 1:26-27), we freely chose to rebel against Him ushering brokenness, sin, and death into God’s good world (Gen. 3:23-24). Everyone has sinned against God and deserves eternal judgement (Rom. 3:10, 23). And there are no amount of good things we can do to make up for it (Rom. 3:20). The first half Romans 6:23 describes our bleak situation, “For the wages of sin is death.” This death is both physical and spiritual. Apart from saving faith in Jesus, we all will experience the “second death” of Hell, shut out from God’s good presence forever (Gen. 3:23-24; Rev. 20:11-15).
Christ
Jesus Christ is the solution to our sin. The second half of Romans 6:23 describes the hope we have in Jesus, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus is God in the flesh (Matt. 16:15-16; Col. 2:9). He was sent from Heaven to earth by the Father to live a sinless life when no one else could (1 Pet. 1:18-21). Having never sinned, Jesus did not deserve to die (Rom. 6:23), but He chose to die on the cross taking the penalty of our sins upon Himself (2 Cor. 5:21). This penalty wasn’t merely a physical death. As Jesus hung upon the cross, He suffered the punishment of Hell that we all rightly deserve (Matt. 27:45-46). Jesus’ death demonstrated the perfect love and justice of God.
Three days after He was buried, Jesus rose from the grave conquering sin and death (1 Cor. 15:4, 54-57). He appeared to over five hundred people and then ascended into Heaven where He now reigns as King of kings, and Lord of lords (1 Cor. 15:6; Phil. 2:9-11).
Response
The Bible describes this “trust” as repentance and faith. Repentance and faith are like two sides of the same coin. Repentance is turning from sin. Before someone becomes a Christian, their life is characterized by a pursuit of sin (Eph. 2:1-4). When they change their mind about the way they see the holiness of God and their own sinfulness, they will reject their old ways of life (Acts 2:38; 3:19, 26:20).
Faith is turning toward God. Once we recognize that we are by nature unrighteous and cannot do good things to make up for it, we must believe that Jesus paid for the penalty our sin by living a perfect life and dying in our place. Our salvation depends on Jesus alone. It’s not a 1% work on our part and a 99% work on God’s part. Salvation is 100% of God from beginning to end (Jn. 19:30; Rom. 4:24-25, 10:9-10).
Mankind must respond urgently. Jesus will return in His full glory to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1). He now commands all people everywhere to believe in Him before that great and terrible day. You can escape judgement and receive forgiveness of sin and the free gift of eternal life by trusting in Jesus alone for your salvation.
Eternal Life
God promises good things to all believers. If you have trusted in Him fully for your salvation, God has guaranteed your eternal life through Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16, 10:10). Eternal life is marked by a perfect relationship with God forevermore (Jn. 17:3; Rom. 5:1). There will be no more brokenness, sin, and death. God will wipe away all of our tears and we will never again experience sorrow and pain (Rev. 21:4). The good world He made will be whole again. Revelation 21:5 states it best, “And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
“Behold, I am making all things new.”
Revelation 21:5
