What is the Gospel?

What is the gospel? Well, the word gospel means “good news.”

Good news about what?

The good news that:

God so loved the world He gave His only Son, and whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

  • The good news that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13)
  • The good news that Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
  • The good news that by God’s grace we are saved through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 2:8)
  • The good news that God is reconciling all things to Himself. (Ephesians 1:10, Colossians 1:20)
  • The good news that Jesus bore our sins on the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)
  • The good news that Jesus reigns forever. (Revelation 11:15, 22:5)

Now, if that doesn’t sound like good news, that’s because you don’t understand the bad news.

You have sinned against a holy God and He will destroy you in His righteous judgment.

Because of your hard and impenitent heart, you’re storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. (Romans 2:5)

But God shows His love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.

By faith in Jesus, you are forgiven. You’re no longer the object of God’s wrath but the object of His mercy. (Romans 5:8-9)

And that’s good news.

The gospel is not doing nice things for people, but a believer will show the love of Jesus. The gospel is not miraculous healings, but a believer who was dead in their sins has been raised to life in Christ. The gospel is not worldly prosperity, but a believer will inherit the heavenly kingdom of God.

The gospel is a message. Therefore, it must be spoken. Only those who believe the gospel, who repent of their sin and follow Jesus, will be saved from the judgment of God.

But how will they know unless they are told?

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…

H0w then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Romans 1:16, 10:14-15)

You must believe the gospel, then go and share the good news.

…when we understand the text.

(Many of the Bible stories and verses we think we know, we don’t! When We Understand the Text is an internet-based video ministry committed to righting some of the wrong understanding of scripture, all while advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Check out more at WWUTT.com!)