WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

It’s the glorious good news about God’s Son Jesus. This news is the good news of what God had done in Christ for His glory. The coming of God’s Son to the world was an eternal plan within the Godhead (John 10:17-18, Ephesians 1:13-14). 

Scripture revealed that it was the Father’s will to send His Son into the world. In which, the Son was willing to come to do the work on the Cross. And the Holy Spirit came from the Father and Son to apply the work of the Son (John 17:1-5, John 14:26). Therefore, the gospel is God and from God. It begins and ends with God. 

The big question is, why do we need the Gospel? Long ago, It was dark and void then God in His good pleasure and will, spoke to the darkness and it was light and life. He displayed His glory and created a beautiful world (Genesis 1&2).

After a while, the most unspeakable thing happened, man rebelled against his maker, as a result, it destroyed there perfect relationship. Then came death and darkness (Genesis 3). Sadly, It was the beginning of a downward spiral of despair and destruction.

But in His great mercy and grace, God revealed His eternal plan in the garden of Eden promising the redemption of a people through His Son (Genesis 3:15).

Therefore those in a bad state and situation need the good news of the gospel. According to the Bible, all of humanity have sinned against God and guilty of eternal punishment (Romans 3:23).

THE GRACE OF GOD IN CHRIST

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV 

God so loved in that when we were enemies of God, He took the initiative to send His Son (Romans 5:10). All sinners are under God’s judgment but also dead in their sinful way of life.

They are unable to deliver themselves from the power of sin and death. In addition, there’s a payment for sin which is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Nonetheless, the riches and kindness of God was displayed on Christ, to those who face death and destruction. Through Adam, all were made sinners but through Christ many will be saved (Romans 5:19).

Jesus who is the perfect God-man, came into a dark and dying world. He left His glory and majesty in heaven and was born as a child into a poor family. He lived a perfect life and obeyed every letter of the law of God. Yet still in His perfection

He was accused of treason yet they found no fault in Him (Isaiah 53). He willingly laid down His life for sinners. Jesus was shamed, beaten and crushed. He died a criminal’s death and was buried in a tomb.

On the third day, God raised Him from the dead and was alive. This was the substitutionary atoning work of Christ. His death and resurrection grants guilty sinners, forgiveness and the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

The gospel of Christ destroyed and abolished death and gives eternal life (2 Timothy 1:10). The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ in the life of a sinner. Firstly, He calls and changed the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh.

Hence, they receive the new birth and become a child of God (John 3:7-8). They are adopted into God’s eternal family and the Spirit indwells and confirm this in their hearts (Romans 8:15, Ephesians 1:5).

The Holy Spirit is the guarantee and deposit of a Christian standing and adoption as a child of God. The ultimate hope and blessings of their salvation is future glorification (Romans 8:30).

HOW CAN ONE RECEIVE THE GOSPEL?

Most importantly, the gospel is the gracious work of God towards sinners. The announcement of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an offer to make or a choice but a command to be obeyed. It’s a command to repent and believe in Jesus Christ (Acts 2: 38, Acts 3:19-21, Romans 10:9-11).

If rejected, then the result is eternal death. Importantly, it’s by the grace of God, through the gift of faith one can be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). The gospel is not only for salvation but also for sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30).

The gospel is not a ticket to heaven in order to escape hell but a life to be lived and should produce the fruit of a transformed heart (Galatians 5:22-23). Without true repentance and faith there’s no salvation. Ultimately, the good news of the gospel is that there is a living God who loves, saves and will judge the wicked.

Amazingly, the hope and reality of the gospel is joy and peace (Luke 2:10). It gives the peace of God and peace with God (John 14:26, Romans 5:1). If you don’t know Christ, I urge you today to obey God’s command, repent of your sins and trust in Jesus.