The Gospel

IMPORTANT SCRIPTURES TO CONSIDER

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." (1 Corinthians 1:17)

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid, to those who are lost, in which the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:3,4)

"But the Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (1 Peter 1:25)

"Now I remind you brethren, of the gospel that I preached unto you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the Word I preached unto 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)

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

Knowing the answer to this question is absolutely essential if one is to receive salvation and be transformed by Jesus Christ. Belief in the wrong gospel will not save anyone.

There is no greater message to be heard in all the world than that which we call "The Gospel". The word "gospel" simply means "good news". The central message of the gospel is good news because it is about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ; His death, burial, and resurrection. In reality, the gospel is a person - Jesus Christ. He alone is God's good news to a lost and dying world.

Jesus Christ is called "the good news" because it addresses the most serious problem that any of us have as human beings, and that is this: God is absolutely holy; God is absolutely righteous, God is absolutely just, and we are not. After this life is over, all of us will stand before this holy, righteous, and just God to be judged on the basis of our own righteousness or the righteous of another. The "good news" of the gospel is that Jesus Christ has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. He, being perfect and living a perfect life offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice so that we would not have to stand before God on our own merits. That is truly good news!

The problem of our day is that we have basically belittled the great atoning sacrifice that God made on our behalf for the remission of our sin. We belittle it by not valuing it. God did not just wave a wand of forgiveness over the whole world and declare that everyone is now forgiven. As Christians, we must understand and value the fact that for God to forgive us is a very costly matter. It cost God the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He valued His Son so much that He was willing for Him to die in our place to redeem us from our sin. Then, to demonstrate the worth of His Son, He raised Him from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of His Father in heaven.

In summary, the gospel is news; the best news and most important news that any person could ever hear. All those who trust in Christ and His Gospel becomes sons and daughters of God through His amazing grace and will spent eternity with Him. Thank God for the saving power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
www.ligonier.org/thegospel_affirmations.php
www.ligonier.org/thegospel_whyineed.php
www.ligonier.org/thegospel_jeremiahburroughs.php