The word “gospel” is a familiar word to most people in the Western world. Christians use this term frequently, yet when asked to explain it, few have a satisfactory explanation. It means that people wrongly assume they believe in the gospel without actually taking the time to comprehend it. It is worth looking into and reminding all of us of what we, the Christians, believe as the gospel.
The word “gospel,” when Christians use it, means “good news” from the Bible. The English word gospel is derived from the old English gōdspel, made up of gōd meaning ‘good’ and spel ‘tidings or news’, which originated from the Greek word euangelion. It simply means glad tidings or good news. The Bible explains the good news, the gospel, in such a way that even children can grasp what it is. The gospel is remarkable that adults cannot fully comprehend all the complexities and implications it offers. What is the message of the gospel and why is it the good news?
In a broad sense, the gospel encompasses four parts of the truth that reveal God’s plan of salvation for humanity. First, it reveals that God the Creator exists and reigns. Second, man has sinned and fallen and is unworthy of God’s eternal kingdom. Third, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior, to save the world from sin. Fourth, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, one can receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit through the obedience of repentance and faith. It is good news that the merciful God sent Jesus to die on the cross for the sin of the world, so whoever believes in Him will not perish but receive eternal life (John 3:16).
The gospel tells us that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to become the propitiation for our sins to redeem the fallen humanity. Jesus gave Himself up to bear the guilt and punishment of God for our sins, thus saving us from the law of sin and of death. It points to Jesus as Christ, the Anointed One and the promised Messiah, who is the Door to Salvation and the only Author and Perfecter of genuine faith in God. The gospel explains that through the obedience of repentance, which means being sorry and turning from sin, and faith in the atoning death and resurrection of Christ, one can receive the gift of eternal life. The gospel tells us where we go after we die. The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Corinth that our hope in Christ is not just for this life here on earth, but for the eternity of peace and joy in God’s presence (1 Cor. 15:17–19).
At its heart, the gospel is all about Jesus Christ, saving sinners through His death and resurrection. It’s all about Jesus – why He came, and what He’s achieved and that He is the good news for humanity. Hence, the gospel centers on the Person of Jesus and exalts the work of Christ. Its message is that the kingdom of God has arrived and through Jesus’ perfect sacrifice and payment for sin, man can now have a reconciled relationship with God in His everlasting kingdom. When the gospel is proclaimed in its pure, truthful, and faithful form, it should convict people to turn to God in repentance and glorify the work of Christ, so that His presence can manifest in our lives, all for the glory of God. What a glorious message it is to humanity!
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).
James Kim currently serves as a pastor/elder at House to House Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. He holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MABS) from Bob Jones University Seminary and is a doctoral student (DMIN in Theology and Apologetics) at Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. He is married to his amazing wife Mina and is the father of five wonderful children.
