Gospel
What does the Bible say about the gospel?
The gospel is not an invitation to a better life. It is the announcement of what God has done in Christ for sinners who deserve judgment. Paul defines it precisely in 1 Corinthians 15: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” The gospel is a declaration of historical events with eternal consequences.
The word “gospel” means good news, and the news is specific: God the Son became man, lived a perfect life under the Law, died as a substitute for sinners, bearing the judgment they deserved, and rose bodily from the dead, defeating death and securing the redemption of all who trust in him. This is not a message that flatters mankind; it presupposes that mankind is guilty, under God’s judgment, and incapable of saving itself.
The gospel is not a New Testament novelty. Paul argues in Romans 1 that it was announced beforehand to Abraham. The whole Old Testament is moving toward the cross and resurrection as its necessary destination.
How do I share the gospel?
Paul reduces the gospel response to something plain and repeatable when he writes to the Romans: “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Sharing the gospel is not a matter of persuading someone toward a better lifestyle. It is telling them what God has done in raising Christ from the dead and calling them to confess and believe it.
Why is the gospel good news?
The gospel is good news precisely because it does not depend on the hearer’s own record. Paul tells the Romans why he can preach it without embarrassment: “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” (Romans 1:16). The gospel is not advice for self-improvement that only helps the already-capable. It is power for salvation, effective for anyone who believes regardless of background. Follow how this theme develops through the Bible.
