What is the gospel?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ: God’s Power unto Salvation
The gospel represents the pinnacle of Christianity, offering humanity the only path to reconciliation with God and eternal salvation. This comprehensive examination reveals the gospel according to the word of God, presents its significance for every soul, and guides readers through understanding and responding appropriately. The gospel stands as more than theological doctrine; it is the power of God capable of redeeming man from sin’s devastating consequences and restoring his relationship with the Creator.
Understanding the Gospel’s Significance
The term “gospel” is typically understood to mean “good news” or “glad tidings.” In Christianity, it represents the most important message humanity has ever received. The Apostle Paul emphasized this importance in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” This verse reveals the gospel is more than informational; it is God’s power that accomplishes salvation for those who believe—regardless of ethnic, financial, or religious background.
It is critical to understand the gospel, in 2 Corinthians 4:3, the Bible warns, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” This sobering declaration indicates that without proper knowledge and comprehension of the gospel, individuals remain in darkness, separated from God without hope. Since this message constitutes the only means God has provided for salvation, failing to grasp or respond to it places one’s eternal soul in eternal danger.
The exclusive nature of the gospel’s saving power warrants particular attention. Unlike philosophical systems offering alternative paths to divine connection, the Bible presents the finished work of Jesus Christ as the singular means of salvation. Acts 4:12 affirms this exclusivity: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved“. This foundational truth underscores why Paul considered gospel proclamation his paramount obligation, stating in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!“
The Human Condition: The Universal Problem of Sin
Before appreciating the gospel’s good news, we must understand the bad news—the problem necessitating God’s intervention. According to the Bible, sin constitutes humanity’s fundamental predicament. This condition affects every aspect of human nature and creates an insurmountable barrier between man and God.
The Universal Nature and Origin of Sin
Romans 3:23 establishes the universal nature of sin: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God“. This verse informs us that sin affects every human being without exception. The comprehensive scope of this condition is further explained in Romans 3:10, which states, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one“. The repetition “no, not one” reinforces the absolute universality of human sinfulness—not a single person meets God’s standards of righteousness.
Scripture traces this sinful condition to man’s fall in Eden. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command, sin entered the human experience, and Adam’s fallen nature passed to all men. Romans 5:12 explains, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” This helps us understand why sinfulness pervades humanity—we inherit a sinful nature from birth. This inherited condition manifests through our thoughts, desires, words, and actions, all of which naturally transgress God’s word.
The Devastating Consequences of Sin
The consequences of sin extend far beyond mere moral imperfection. Romans 6:23 reveals sin’s ultimate penalty: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The term “wages” signifies that death represents our earnings through sin—the just payment for transgression. Just as employers compensate workers for labor performed, sin compensates with death—encompassing both physical mortality and spiritual separation from God. This death is further described in Ephesians 2:1 as being “dead in trespasses and sins.”
Humanity’s Inability to Resolve the Sin Problem
Perhaps most critically, man cannot solve the sin problem through their own efforts. No combination of good works, religious adherence, or moral living can bridge the gulf between man and God. Isaiah 64:6 portrays this reality starkly: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Even our most impressive attempts at righteousness fall woefully short of God’s requirements.
This understanding proves crucial because it highlights the necessity of a Mediator—precisely what the gospel provides. Unlike religious systems prescribing human works as the path to God’s favor, the gospel reveals God’s grace toward man through Christ. It centers not on human achievement but rather on the finished work of Jesus—not what we do for God but what God has done for us in Christ.
God’s Solution: Christ’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection
Having established sin’s universal problem and its consequences, we now examine God’s solution. The Apostle Paul provides the clearest, most concise definition of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4:
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
This passage identifies three essential components of the gospel: Christ’s death for sins, His burial, and His resurrection on the third day. Each element is critical to understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Christ Died for Our Sins
The first element—”Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures“—contains several profound truths. First, Christ Himself died. Not merely a man but the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, God incarnate.
Second, He died “for our sins.” The preposition “for” indicates substitution—Christ died in our place, taking upon Himself the punishment we deserved. Romans 5:8 beautifully expresses this substitutionary aspect: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” In this demonstration of love, Christ voluntarily bore our punishment, satisfying God’s justice while making way for His mercy.
Third, His death was “according to the scriptures,” fulfilling numerous Old Testament prophecies and types that foretold a suffering Messiah who would offer Himself as the sin sacrifice. Isaiah 53:5-6 prophesied, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The entire Old Testament sacrificial system itself foreshadowed Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.
Christ Was Buried
The second gospel element—Christ “was buried“—confirms the reality of His death. Jesus did not merely fall unconscious on the cross; He truly died, and His body was placed in a tomb. This burial fulfilled Isaiah 53:9’s prophecy: “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.”
Christ’s burial also serves as a powerful symbol of believers’ identification with Him. Romans 6:4 states, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Christ Rose Again the Third Day
The third and culminating gospel element is Christ’s resurrection: “he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Without this resurrection, the gospel would remain incomplete, and faith would prove futile, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:14: “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”
The resurrection validates everything Jesus claimed about Himself and everything the Father declared concerning Him. It proves His deity, confirms His sacrifice’s acceptance, and guarantees the future resurrection of all believers. This resurrection occurred “according to the scriptures,” fulfilling divine prophecy. Psalm 16:10 foretold, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption,” indicating the Messiah would not remain entombed but would rise from the dead.
The historical verifiability of Christ’s resurrection receives further confirmation through multiple eyewitness accounts. In 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, Paul documents that the risen Christ appeared to Peter, the twelve disciples, over five hundred believers simultaneously, James, all the apostles, and finally to Paul himself. This abundance of witnesses establishes the resurrection as historical fact rather than religious mythology.
The Personal Response: Receiving Salvation Through Faith
The gospel requires not merely intellectual acknowledgment but personal appropriation through faith. The Bible clearly outlines how individuals should respond to the gospel to receive the salvation it offers.
Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ
The most fundamental response to the gospel is faith in Jesus Christ. When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” they replied simply, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved“. This belief transcends intellectual assent to facts; it constitutes wholehearted trust in Christ’s person and work. It requires trusting exclusively in His finished work for salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 explains: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation“. This personal response appropriates the salvation the gospel provides, involving both heart belief and verbal confession of Christ.
John 3:16, perhaps Scripture’s most recognized verse, emphasizes this response: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The word “whosoever” underscores salvation’s universal availability—offered to anyone who believes, regardless of background, nationality, or past sins.
Repenting of Sin
Inseparably connected to faith is repentance—a change of mind regarding sin that produces a change in life direction. Jesus began His public ministry proclaiming, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15), indicating that repentance and faith function as two sides of the same spiritual coin.
Repentance doesn’t require achieving sinless perfection but turning from sin as one’s master to embrace Christ as Lord. It represents a decisive break from the old life and the beginning of a new direction, following Jesus. Acts 3:19 instructs, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out“, connecting repentance directly with sin’s forgiveness and highlighting its necessity in salvation.
Receiving Salvation as God’s Gift
Salvation comes as a gift to believers, not as a reward for good works. Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast“. The term “grace” denotes God’s unmerited favor—giving us what we don’t deserve. Though we merit punishment for sins, God offers forgiveness and eternal life through Christ. This gift comes through faith, never through human effort or achievement.
This truth liberates us from the impossible burden of earning salvation. If salvation depended on our performance, none would attain it, for none can perfectly fulfill God’s righteous requirements. The gospel announces that what we could never accomplish, God has graciously provided through Christ. Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” While salvation comes through faith alone, genuine faith produces visible results in believers’ lives. These results constitute not salvation’s cause but its evidence—the natural manifestation of new life imparted by the Holy Spirit.
Embracing the Gospel’s Saving Power
The gospel—Christ’s death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection—remains God’s power unto salvation for everyone who believes. This message addresses man’s fundamental problem and offers the only solution: faith in Jesus Christ. It provides both simplicity a child can grasp and depth theologians contemplate for a lifetime.
The gospel’s transformative power lies in its ability to make man a new creature. It offers forgiveness for the past, new life in the present, and hope for the future. Through the gospel, sinners become saints, enemies become reconciled, and the dead receive eternal life. The gospel transcends all cultural, ethnic, and social boundaries, offering salvation to “whosoever will” come to Christ in faith.
The decision to embrace the gospel through faith represents the most consequential choice any individual makes, determining not only eternal destiny but also earthly life’s quality and purpose. Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way“. Those responding to the gospel in faith find themselves on a divinely guided path of purpose and blessing.
We at George County Baptist Church would be honored to assist you in better understanding the gospel and its implications for your life. Whether seeking to comprehend the gospel for the first time or desiring to deepen your grasp of its truths, we stand ready to help. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or needs you may have.
Pastor Thomas Irvin
George County Baptist Church
Lucedale, Mississippi
WWW.GEORGECOUNTYBAPTISTCHURCH.COM
