WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
The Gospel is just a fancy term for ‘good news’.
So the Gospel’s a good thing. But what is it that distinguishes the New
Testament Gospel from any other type of good news that we might receive i.e.
passed exams, the birth of a new born baby, a promotion at work, etc.?
The differentiating factor regarding the
Christian Gospel is that it is focused upon the person and work of the Lord
Jesus Christ. In fact, the name of Jesus is the simplest definition of the
Gospel. Sometimes when people ask me, “How do you define the Gospel?” I just
reply, “Jesus. He is the Gospel.”
So what is it about the person and work of Jesus
that makes Him so synonymous with good news? Well, that must be understood
against the backdrop of man’s (woman’s) rebellion against God. After all, Jesus
came to earth for theological reasons. His mission on earth was a divine one.
Men (women) sinned. They preferred darkness to
light and revolted against their Creator in the Garden of Eden. Such wickedness
entailed the death penalty upon all of Adam’s descendants (and yes, that
includes you and me). Condemned to suffer mercilessly throughout all eternity,
man (woman) was left with no hope in the world. Yet God- the offended party-
prophesized of coming redemption through One who would crush the serpent’s head
(Genesis 3:15). That conqueror was His very own Son.
Jesus came to give His life for sin. This is the
cornerstone of the apostolic Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3). He died for Adam’s
accursed race so that the punishment soon to devour them would fall squarely upon
Him. And in that way, Christ delivered His people from eternal wrath via the
sacrifice of Himself to God.
That- in brief terms- constitutes the biblical
Gospel. And that’s what makes it such exceedingly good news. It means that it
is possible to be at peace with God through faith in what Jesus did (Romans
5:1). And for everyone who trusts Jesus, the wrath of God is past tense (and no
longer future). The Gospel signifies that Jesus saves, that Jesus forgives and
that Jesus grants eternal life to hell-deserving sinners. Not a bit of wonder
then that it’s called good news!
