The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message so central to our faith that it can sometimes get tangled up with all the things that come with it. It’s easy for us to blur the lines between what the Gospel is and what it does in our lives. But let’s take a moment to cut through the noise and focus on what the Gospel truly is—because it’s crucial to keep it distinct from our response to it or the changes it brings about in us. For instance, our faith is our response to the Gospel, but faith itself isn’t the Gospel. It might sound odd but think about it: calling people to have faith in faith would be like telling them to trust in their ability to trust. That’s not what saves us. Similarly, the new birth—being born again—is closely tied to our faith in Christ, but it isn’t the Gospel itself either. Trusting in the experience of being born again, rather than in Jesus, won’t save us. This is why it’s so important to know what the Gospel actually is, so we’re clear about what we need to believe for salvation and don’t end up adding extra requirements that aren’t necessary.
So, what is the Gospel? One of the clearest summaries we find in the Bible is in Romans 1:1–4. Paul lays out four key points about the Gospel that we need to understand.
First, the Gospel is God’s message. He’s the one who came up with it, He’s the one who made it happen, and it’s all about dealing with His own problem of how a holy and just God can justify and accept sinners like us. The Gospel isn’t primarily about our personal issues—like how to live a better life or make sense of our existence—although those things do come into play. It’s about God’s solution to the biggest problem of all: our sin and His holiness. Only God’s wisdom could come up with a plan that both satisfies His justice and extends His mercy.
It’s His Gospel, and it achieves what He intends in the way He intends.
Next, the Gospel is deeply rooted in the Old Testament. It’s not something that suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the New Testament; rather, it’s the fulfillment of promises made long before Jesus was born. As Christians, we’re called to see the Old Testament through the lens of Christ because the entire narrative points to Him. Jesus Himself, along with the apostles, used the Old Testament to preach the Gospel. This shows us that the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus, and through Him, they reach us. So, when we read the Old Testament, it’s not just ancient history; it’s a part of the bigger story that finds its climax in Christ. This connection helps us understand the Gospel in a richer, more complete way because it shows us how God’s plan of salvation has been unfolding from the very beginning.
The third point is about the subject of the Gospel—Jesus. The Gospel is specifically about Jesus in a way that it isn’t about the Father, the Holy Spirit, or even us as believers. While the Trinity is involved in our salvation, the Gospel focuses on the Son, Jesus of Nazareth. This isn’t just any Jesus; this is the Jesus who is both fully God and fully man, descended from King David.
The Gospel is tied to the historical Jesus, to His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. This means that when we talk about the Gospel, we have to be talking about these specific events and what they mean for our salvation. It’s not enough to just mention God or spirituality in general; we must speak directly about Jesus and His work on our behalf.
It’s in these truths about Jesus that we find the heart of the Gospel.
Lastly, we come to the central fact of the Gospel: the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Paul makes it clear that the resurrection is what identifies Jesus as the Son of God in power. This is huge because, without the resurrection, the whole foundation of our faith would crumble. In the Old Testament, the resurrection wasn’t fully revealed, but there were hints of it, especially when it comes to the title “Son of God.” Jesus’ resurrection shows that He is indeed the Son of God, fulfilling the role that was hinted at in the Old Testament. The resurrection proves that Jesus is who He says He is and that His victory over death is real. This is the cornerstone of the Gospel because it confirms that Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient and that through Him, we have eternal life.
Challenge
So, what does all this mean for us? The Gospel isn’t just a set of facts to believe—it’s the power of God for salvation. It’s God’s message, rooted in His wisdom, revealed in Jesus, and confirmed by the resurrection. This Gospel calls us to respond, not by adding anything to it, but by placing our faith in Jesus and what He has done. As we live out our faith, let’s keep the Gospel at the center, always pointing back to Jesus and His finished work. I challenge you to examine your own understanding of the Gospel. Are you trusting in the simplicity and sufficiency of what Jesus has done? Or have you added other requirements that aren’t necessary for salvation? Remember, the Gospel is all about Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection—and what that means for us. Let’s keep our focus on Him and let the truth of the Gospel shape every part of our lives.
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