First let me start off with what the Gospel isn’t. Often times, by defining what something isn’t, you get a clearer, richer picture of what it actually is.
The Gospel is not simply a get out of Hell card. It’s true you will not go to Hell if you genuinely give your life to Christ, but it’s so much more than that; it’s about being united with Christ, and learning to live like Jesus.
The Gospel is not sage advice from a by-gone era; it is real news, of a real event that has shaped human history. The profound news of the gospel is that God has become a part of his own creation. He has become human and defeated evil and death.
The Gospel is not about what you can get from Jesus. A lot of people think that if they accept the Gospel, they will get all these earthly blessings. In essence, they see Jesus as a Pinata, and Christianity as the stick, and they want to see what they can get out of Jesus! People think, “If I pray, than I get that big flat-screen TV, or that new house, or a better job, or a better spouse, that fulfills all my sexual desires…” That’s not the Gospel. The Glory of the Gospel, the riches of the Gospel is that you get Jesus! He’s the reward!
Well, what’s the Gospel? Good question, I’m glad you asked.
There is One God; He is the creator of the Heavens and Earth. He created us in His image both male and female, and gave us dignity, value and purpose. He made us to worship Him in a perfect relationship, and we choose to rebel against Him, and choose to put ourselves in His place, and as a result we are separated from God. God then sent His Son, Jesus Christ on a rescue mission, to come to earth to rescue the very people that rejected Him. Jesus thus was born of a virgin, fully God, fully man, the God-man. He lived a perfect life, without sin. He lived the life we were supposed to, in obedience to the Father, in step with the Spirit. He then went to the Cross to take our place, and die the death we deserved. When Jesus went to the Cross, He willingly took upon Himself the sins of humanity, all of them, past, present, and future. Jesus Christ then died on the Cross, in my place, for my sins, and purchasing my salvation. Jesus’ dead body was then laid in a tomb, and for 3 days He was buried, and on the 3rd day, God raised Him from the dead, and in so doing defeated, Satan, sin and death, and those who put their faith in Him will also. He then commissioned us by the Holy Spirit to be missionaries of this amazing news that there is a God who loves us, and pursues us, and willingly died for us. Jesus then ascended to Heaven where He is alive and at-large; calling people into repentance and genuine faith. This is the Gospel!
The good news of the Gospel is the moment you repent of your sins, and put genuine faith in Christ; He forgives you of your sins, and gives you His righteousness! He gives you this new life, a life of learning to think and feel, and live and love, and treat people like Jesus!
Pastor Travis
Thanks for posting this. Clarifying what the gospel is and is not is so important. After all, it is in believing the good news that we’re saved! I would like to underline this sentence a bunch of times: “God raised Him from the dead, and in so doing defeated, Satan, sin and death, and those who put their faith in Him will also.” (see Romans 8:11) We will be RAISED to LIFE! You point out that Jesus defeated evil and death, but that can be hard to grasp when we still live with those things every day. The reality of his victory is not fully upon us, but that does NOT mean that we won’t get to see the day when Death is thrown into the lake of fire and will be no more. It is so important to hang on to the hope that the Apostles held when they taught that they didn’t have their hope yet, but were waiting for the resurrection. They purified themselves in anticipation of the redemption of their bodies. Having the Holy Spirit is GOOD, and the community of believers is an awesome asset. But they are just a foretaste of the reality that we will enjoy at the return of Christ. On that day, we will actually be able to say to a mountain “move” and it will, in more than a spiritual sense. Our motives will be pure, our fellowship unstained by sin, fear of loss will be done away with, and we will see the blossoming of the New Earth under the reign of the King of Kings. The good news of the Kingdom of God is excellent and worth celebrating, describing, and reveling in! May we be found faithful on that day!
Thanks Tammy,
Good word!