FAQs Mondays: What Is the Gospel?

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4, NIV).

What is the gospel?

The gospel is good news. Of course, that definition doesn't really answer our question. The gospel is the message concerning Jesus Christ. It is a message that touches on who he is, what he did, and why it matters. The good news about Jesus only makes sense if we understand why it is considered good news.

Every story has a beginning. Our story begins with God. The Scriptures state, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). God, the sovereign Creator, called the universe into existence out of nothing, and then proceeded to fill it. The crown of his creation was the image bearers, man and woman. They bore the image and likeness of God, and they were designed to display his glorious dominion to their offspring. God placed this first couple, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. He gave them dominion over the earth, and blessed them.

However, Adam and Eve's dominion did not last. The Creator had told them that could eat from every tree in the garden except one: the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The command came with a warning--if you eat of it you will surely die. The serpent crept in and tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit. The serpent's lies poisoned her heart, and she disobeyed God's command. Having taken a bite, she gave it to her husband, and he ate also. In Adam's rebellion the whole human race was condemned.

Paul states, "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" (Rom. 5:12). As Adam's decedents we share in his unrighteousness. Paul explains, "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understand, not one who seeks God. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:10, 23). He explains further, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23a).

If the story ended there it would be tragic. Although, God's righteous anger burned at sinners, he was unwilling to destroy all of them. He does not delight in the death of the wicked. Paul said, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23, NIV). Humanity had a problem, sin. God sent the solution, Jesus. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh, was born of a virgin, lived under the law, perfectly pleasing the Father in heaven, and laid down his life as an substitute to make atonement for the sins of God's people.

Because we are in Adam, humanity lacks the righteousness we need to please God. We are bent away from God, and toward sin. We do not naturally desire the things of God. We all deserve death and hell, because he have rebelled against a holy God. Jesus, the Righteous One, took our unrighteousness upon himself at the cross. He was killed in our place. The death he died should have been ours. He not only took our unrighteousness upon himself, but he places his righteousness upon those who trust him. When God looks upon followers of Christ, he sees the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.

If we will turn from our sin (repent), and place our trust in Christ, God is gracious to forgive us and cleanse us. Repentance is a change of mind and heart in which we come to see sin as God sees it. Faith is a continually trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Summary

When we speak of the "gospel" we need to make certain that people understand the whole story. God, our sovereign Creator, made humanity to reflect his glory. The head of our race, Adam, rejected God's rule, and brought all humanity into a rebellious state. Every human being is born at war with God. Because of our sin nature, we are the rightful objects of God's wrath. We are incapable of pleasing God in our natural state. However, God was not will to let humanity perish. He had a plan to rescue humanity from the power of sin, and the death it brought. God sent his Son, Jesus, who lived a perfect life, was crucified, buried, and raised to life on the third day. All who repent of their sins, and trust in Jesus' atoning sacrifice are given the right to be called children of God.