What is the Gospel?

This is such an important question that it is surprising that many evangelicals are confused about the answer. Ask any professing Christian what is the gospel and you will end up with a wide variety of answers. For example, a Christian musician was asked this question recently in an interview and this was his response:

"What a great question. I guess I’d probably…my instinct is to say that it’s Jesus coming, living, dying, and being resurrected and his inaugurating the already and not yet of all things being restored to himself…and that happening by way of himself…the being made right of all things…that process both beginning and being a reality in the lives and hearts of believers and yet a day coming when it will be more fully realized. But the good news, the gospel, the speaking of the good news, I would say is the news of his coming kingdom, the inaugurating of his kingdom coming…that’s my instinct."

Unfortunately, an unbeliever would be confused about the gospel after hearing an explanation like this. As Christians, this is one theological question we must be equipped to answer. We should be able to quickly and clearly explain the gospel as easily as we could quote John 3:16.

My first sermon series at Liberty Baptist Church was on the gospel because it is the message of “first importance” (1 Cor. 15:3). I want to ensure that all of us can share the gospel in a succinct and precise manner as it is revealed in the Bible. In order to do this each message of the series focused on a different component of the gospel. These four components are: God, Man, Christ, Response. Below is a brief explanation of each of these parts. My prayer is that all of us would commit this outline and the content to memory so that we are able to explain the gospel concisely and coherently.

God

There are many things we could say about God, but we must never neglect the fact that he is our Creator and he is holy. Since he created us he has authority to tell us what to do and has the right to hold us accountable for our behavior.

Man

Although we should be grateful to our Creator and reverence his holiness we have all rejected him and sinned against him. Our sin separates us from a loving relationship with God and condemns us eternally in hell.

Christ

The good news is that God has not left us alone. He has taken the initiative and sent his Son to become a man, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was the only man to perfectly obey the Father. Jesus died on a cross as a substitute receiving the spiritual punishment that humans deserve for their sin. Jesus was resurrected proving that his sacrifice for sins was accepted by the Father and that this gospel message is true.

Response

God commands all people to respond to the gospel. Men and women can only receive forgiveness of sins and experience a reconciled relationship with God through repentance and belief. Repentance is turning from our sins toward Christ. Believing is trusting in Jesus alone for our salvation.

Conclusion

There is so much more that could be said about the gospel. In fact, our whole lives should be devoted to better understanding this message. As David Prior correctly states, “We never move on from the cross, only into a more profound understanding of the cross. The cross and its meaning aren't something we ever master.” My hope and prayer is that as a church we would have a clear understanding of the gospel as well as go deeper in our understanding of it. 

God, Forgiveness, and the Old Testament

Several years ago I had a conversation with an unbeliever. One of her objections to Christianity and the Bible was that the God of the Old Testament was quite different that the God of the New Testament. She asserted that God in the Old Testament was unforgiving, merciless, and vengeful, while the God depicted in the New Testament was not. I did a very quick survey of the Old Testament to see if her statements were true. Here is what I found:

Exodus 

When the Lord proclaimed his name to Moses in the book of Exodus he said, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin…” (Exodus 34:6-7). The very essence of the Lord’s name is that he is a merciful, gracious, and forgiving God.

Leviticus 

In the book of Leviticus, the phrase “they will be forgiven” or a similar statement occurs ten times in this book.  Although his people were guilty of sin, the Lord provides a means of forgiveness through the sacrificial system.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that this sacrificial system was instituted in order to point forward to Jesus Christ. The truth is God cannot simply forgive us, without atoning for our sin; doing so would violate his own standard of justice. So in order to be just and forgiving God has punished his innocent Son in our place so that those who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus can experience his forgiveness.

Judges 

In the book of Judges, God’s people continually rebel against him and thus incur the consequences of their sin. But, every time they turn from their disobedience and call on the Lord he delivers them from their punishment. This occurs twelve times in this book. Thus, here is another example that God is forgiving, even in the Old Testament.

Psalms 

The book of Psalms is replete with verses about God’s forgiveness. “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.” (Psalm 86:5). “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- who forgives all your sins…”(Psalm 103:2-3). “If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4)

Prophets

The prophets of the Old Testament record God’s perpetual forgiveness. “Let [the wicked] turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7). “I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.” (Jeremiah 33:8). “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him” (Daniel 9:9). “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18-19)

Conclusion 

It is fair to say after surveying these verses that the God depicted in the Old Testament is indeed a very forgiving and compassionate God, much like the God described in the New Testament. Therefore we can safely conclude that the Bible describes one, united, holy, and forgiving God, who “does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17).