What is the Gospel?

 

The gospel is good news—the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ.

The Bible depicts human beings, all human beings everywhere, as in revolt against God, and therefore under his judgment. But although God stands over against us in judgment because of our sin, quite amazingly he stands over against us in love, because he is that kind of God—and the gospel is the good news of what God, in love, has done in Jesus Christ, especially in Jesus’s cross and resurrection, to deal with our sin and to reconcile us to himself.

Christ bore our sin on the cross. He bore the penalty, turned aside God’s judgment, God’s wrath, from us, and cancelled sin. The brokenness of our lives he restores; the shattered relationships he rebuilds in the context of the church; the new life that we human beings find in Christ is granted out of the sheer grace of God. It is received by faith as we repent of our sins and turn to Jesus. We confess him as Lord, and bow to him joyfully.

 

The gospel is good news—the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ. 

 

One day he will make all things new. The good news culminates in a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness, where neither sin nor any of its effects can survive, and where we enjoy the presence of God forever in the context of resurrection existence.

And we announce this good news to people everywhere, entreating them with the words, “Be reconciled to God!” by repenting of sin, asking God for his mercy, and trusting Jesus Christ.

The Gospel in Six Truths

 

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures... (1 Corinthians 15:1–4)

 

John Piper here explains that he sees 6 elements in this text on the gospel. If any one of these six is missing, we have no gospel.

Two Ways To Live

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. (Revelation 4:11)

The foundation of the Christian message is that God is the one true and living ruler of all things. He is the lord and king of everything that exists. Unlike many human rulers, God is not corrupt or self-serving. He is a thoroughly good and loving ruler, who continues to provide for his world generously, and to rule it with justice.

God is the ruler of everything because he created everything. God is the source and maker of all that exists, including the good and beautiful world that we live in. This is his world. He made it, and he is in charge of it.

He also made us.

God created humanity, and gave us a unique place in his good world. He commissioned us to rule over the world, to care for it, and to be responsible for it—all the while honouring and obeying him as our ruler, and thanking him for his generosity.