What the Gospel Is
Before asking how to be saved, we must understand the message God calls the gospel. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ—who He is, what He accomplished for sinners, and the salvation God gives to the one who believes on Him.
- Define the gospel from Scripture.
- Identify the historical events at the center of the gospel.
- See the connection between the gospel and believing.
- Distinguish the gospel from general religious advice.
The gospel is God's saving message
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Paul calls it the gospel of Christ and says it is the power of God unto salvation. Salvation is promised to every one that believeth. The gospel announces what God has done in Christ and calls the sinner to believe.
Accuracy matters because the gospel carries God's saving message. A clear gospel keeps the focus on Christ and His finished work. Confusion enters when human performance is added as part of the basis for receiving eternal life.
Paul gives a direct summary of the gospel
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
These verses give us the backbone of the message. The gospel is rooted in real events: Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. Jesus Christ truly died, truly was buried, and truly rose from the dead.
The words for our sins matter. Christ died in relation to our guilt. The gospel is good news because sinners who cannot remove their own guilt have a Savior who acted for them.
The gospel announces forgiveness and justification through Christ
Acts 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Again the focus is on this man—Jesus Christ—and on what is received through Him. Forgiveness of sins is preached through Christ, and all that believe are justified. To be justified is to be declared righteous before God. The law could expose guilt, but it could not make the guilty sinner righteous by his own performance. Christ is the answer.
The gospel is received by believing the Son
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:16 is famous, but its words should not become familiar enough that we stop noticing them. God gave his only begotten Son. The promised result is that the one who believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Verse 18 repeats the dividing line: the believer is not condemned; the unbeliever is condemned already.
Keep the gospel centered on Christ
The gospel begins with God's diagnosis of our need, announces the person and work of Jesus Christ, and offers eternal life to the one who believes. Moral improvement, church attendance, religious activity, and Christian service belong to discipleship and obedience; Christ and His finished work remain the basis of salvation.
Christian growth, baptism, church faithfulness, good works, prayer, and service have an important place after salvation. The gospel keeps the saving condition clear: eternal life is received by believing on Jesus Christ.
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Scripture trail: Romans 1:16 • Romans 1:17 • 1 Corinthians 15:1 • 1 Corinthians 15:2 • 1 Corinthians 15:3 • 1 Corinthians 15:4 • Acts 13:38 • Acts 13:39 • John 3:16
Do not rush past the references. Open them, read the surrounding verses, and make the Bible carry the weight of the conclusion.
Think it through
- Which words in these passages state what God has done, and which words state what the sinner must believe?
- Where does the text place works, religious rituals, or human merit in relation to receiving eternal life?
- Could you use these passages to explain the gospel clearly without adding another saving condition?
Teach it back
Without looking at the lesson explanation, summarize What the Gospel Is in two or three sentences and support your explanation from Scripture. If you cannot explain it simply yet, return to the passages and work through them again.
Slow down and work the text
Reopen Romans 1:16, Romans 1:17, 1 Corinthians 15:1, 1 Corinthians 15:2. Read enough before and after each verse to see the setting. Do not settle for remembering a slogan when you can inspect the wording for yourself.
- Write the main claim of What the Gospel Is in one sentence.
- Underline or write down the exact words in the passages that support that claim.
- Compare at least two of the passages. What truth becomes clearer when they are read together?
- Ask what could be misunderstood if one phrase were isolated from its context.
- State clearly what a sinner must believe to be saved, and keep works or religious rituals out of the saving condition.
The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ: He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Through Him forgiveness and justification are preached, and everlasting life is given to the one who believes on Him.
Read the message in the right order
As the rest of this course unfolds, we will follow a simple order. First, we will see why we need salvation. Then we will study who Jesus Christ is and what He did. After that we will examine how salvation is received, the distinction between faith and religious works, why eternal life is secure, and how to know that you have it. Finally, we will bring everything together into a complete gospel presentation.
- According to Romans 1:16, to whom is the gospel the power of God unto salvation?
- What three central historical events are named in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4?
- According to Acts 13:39, who is justified?
- What does John 3:16 promise to the person who believes in Christ?
- Can you explain in one or two sentences why the gospel is about Christ's work rather than our religious performance?
Our Problem: All Have Sinned
21 min