What is the Gospel?

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Posted on: September 1, 2009
10 comments so far (is that a lot?)
In the Beginning

The Bible teaches that God is one being in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – that live in perfect, loving, joyful community, lacking absolutely nothing (Gen 1:1-2, John 1:1). And out an overflow of this perfect, joyous love, God created the entire world and everything in it, including mankind (Gen 1:1-2:3). But the man and the woman were unique among all of creation. They were created in the image and likeness of God Himself (Gen 1:26-27). They were created for perfect, loving community, both with each other and with God.

The Fall of Humanity

Then, sin entered the world when the first man and woman disobeyed God, choosing to do what seemed right in their own eyes, rather than what was right in God’s (Gen 3:1-7). Ever since, all because of one man’s failure, humanity has become spiritually dead (Eph 2:1), with no ability or desire to please God, living under a curse of judgment (Gen 3:14-19). Our once perfect relationship with God and with each other was shattered, seemingly beyond repair. We choose what we want, rather than what God wants for us; we follow the desires of our hearts into ruin (Jer 17:9, Rom 1:18-32). We are all, because of this, children of wrath and sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:2-3).

The Mercy of God

But God, being rich in mercy, has taken children of wrath, dead in their trespasses, and made them alive in Christ (Eph 2:4-5). In Christ, we are no longer cursed, no longer under the wrathful judgment of God, but we are new creations (2 Cor 5:17). When Jesus Christ – the second person of the Trinity – was crucified, all our sins, our nature as children of wrath, were given to Him (Gal 2:20). And in its place, we were given His righteous standing with God.

New Life in Jesus Christ

Because of his great mercy, we have been saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8) from our sins into the ministry of reconciliation, serving us as ambassadors of Christ, to reconcile the world to Himself (2 Cor 5:18-19, c.f. Eph 2:10). We share the great love that God has shown us – Christ crucified – with the entire world, in anticipation of the day of Christ’s return. On that day, He will restore creation to it’s original perfection (Rev 21), where sin and death will no longer reign (c.f. Rev 22:3), and all God’s people will rejoice forever – living once again in perfect, loving community with God and with each other (Rev 22:3-5).

10 Responses to “What is the Gospel?”

  1. Canayjun Says:
    September 1st, 2009 at 1:10 PM

    Thanks for that wonderful presentation of the gospel. Good news isn’t it! And it has it’s own power to change – (Rom 1:16) I just wish we would more often see a plain language declaration of Jesus’ good news. Scriptural without quoting scriptures. Spiritual without seeming mystical or complicated – without resorting to language that requires further translation – like: What is grace? What is sin? What is the trinity? What is trespass and wrath? What is righteousness and salvation? Why was Jesus called the Christ? Let’s trust in God to reveal truth through sharing simple good news that people will understand and may even be interested in hearing for the first time. Blessings < canayjun

  2. Aaron Says:
    September 2nd, 2009 at 11:15 AM

    Thanks for your feedback, Canayjun. God bless!

  3. Francis Paquette Says:
    October 7th, 2009 at 9:26 PM

    Dear you
    thank you so much
    this is a message of hope–and it will touch many people
    i pray for your ministry
    this testimony is well done
    take care

  4. ASHLEIGH Says:
    November 3rd, 2009 at 2:46 PM

    HELP THE WORLD NOW JESUS..

  5. “What’s the difference?” by Teresa « The Loop-Compassion Advocate Network Says:
    November 18th, 2009 at 11:27 AM

    [...] make a difference in the life of a child and help nations escape from poverty. It’s only by the gospel of Jesus Christ that poverty can end, and lives be forever [...]

  6. tammy Says:
    February 10th, 2010 at 9:02 AM

    omg!

  7. Brad Says:
    April 6th, 2010 at 1:30 PM

    Shall we all sing praises to the All Mighty God. Without Jesus, where would we be ?? = no hope.

  8. Kylie Batt Says:
    May 4th, 2010 at 4:03 PM

    качество класное качать можна…

    And out an overflow of this perfect, joyous love, God created the entire world and everything in it, including mankind (Gen […….

  9. Kylie Batt Says:
    May 18th, 2010 at 6:44 PM

    Ни в коем случае…

    And out an overflow of this perfect, joyous love, God created the entire world and everything in it, including mankind (Gen […….

  10. Greg White Says:
    May 29th, 2010 at 9:25 AM

    Locate a reference in one book of the Gospels and see the comparable referencs in the other three books.

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