What is The Gospel according to the Bible?
What is the Gospel? Unfortunately, we live in a world where the Gospel has been perverted and distorted. For example, many false teachers preach that the Gospel is about making money and seeking riches and possessions. Others teach their followers that the Gospel relates to achieving one’s personal ambitions through positive thinking and self-motivation. Still, others teach that the Gospel is about legalism and the need for people to work or earn their salvation.
However, how does the Bible really define the Gospel? What are the key elements of the Gospel? Why is the Gospel important?
The Bible defines the Gospel as the good news or the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Gospel message centres on God’s plan to redeem humanity from sin and restore a right relationship with Him through Christ’s death and resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says: Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, the apostle Paul gives a clear summary of the core message of the Gospel which is the following:
- Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (verse 3)
- Christ was buried and raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (verse 4)
- This Gospel of the death and resurrection of Christ leads to salvation (verse 2)
Romans 1:16 says: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
In Romans 1:16, Paul is stating that the message of the Gospel is God’s powerful way of saving all who believe or put their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The message of the Gospel communicates man’s problem of sin and God’s remedy for sin through Jesus Christ.
The Key Elements of the Gospel Message
1. Human sin – the Bible teaches that we have all sinned before a perfect, just and holy God (Romans 3:23). We have broken God’s commandments and we need God’s eternal forgiveness. Our sins have spiritually separated us from God and will ultimately lead us to eternal hell (Romans 6:23).
2. God’s Holiness – God is perfect, just and holy (Isaiah 6:3). There is an eternal consequence to sin and a just God cannot allow sin to remain unpunished.
3. Christ’s Sacrifice – Jesus lived the perfect and sinless life we were supposed live on our behalf. Jesus then took and experienced the punishment that we deserved on our behalf. Jesus died in our place (Romans 5:8) so that we would not experience God’s eternal punishment for sin. Christ’s sacrifice made it possible that we could be eternally forgiven of our sins and receive eternal life by simply trusting in Jesus as our Lord and Savior (John 3:16-17).
4. Salvation is through Jesus alone – Jesus is the only Person who can save us from eternal suffering because of our sin. Forgiveness of sin is only possible through trusting in Jesus Christ. God loves us and He seeks a right relationship with us. We can only be in right relationship with God by receiving Jesus Christ (John 1:12; John 14:6).
5. Salvation is a free gift – God is gracious towards humanity. Despite our sins, God is willing to freely save us. God offers salvation as a free gift to everyone. We do not have to earn or work for our salvation. Instead God freely gives us eternal life when we simply trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour because of His sacrifice for our sins on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9).
6. Believe in Christ – Salvation is through faith in Christ and not works. All who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved (Romans 10:9-11)
Conclusion
The Gospel is the good news that though humanity is separated from God by sin, salvation is freely available through Jesus Christ, by grace through faith, resulting in eternal life and reconciliation with God.
