What is the Gospel?
The gospel is the good news of what Jesus Christ did in His life, death and
resurrection for us. The gospel is not a new plan of salvation, it is the fulfillment of
God’s plan of salvation that was begun in Israel, was completed in Jesus Christ,
and is made known by the church. The gospel is the saving work of God in His
Son Jesus Christ and a call to faith in Him.
Jesus is more than a messenger of the gospel; He is the gospel. The good news
of God was present in His life, teaching, and atoning death. The joyous good
news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
The gospel is everything that Christ completed for us (II Corinthians 5:17-21)
“therefore is any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed
away; behold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation. To say, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be you reconciled to God. For
He (God the Father) has made Him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. The curse started after the fall
of mankind; God declared in (Genesis 3:17-19) “and to Adam He said, because
you have hearkened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which
I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat of it; cursed is the ground for your
sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns also and thistles
shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of
your face shall you eat bread; till you return to the ground; for out of it were you
taken; for dust you are and to dust shall you return”.
The curse was reversed by Jesus (Galatians 3:13-14) “Christ has redeemed us
from the curse of the law; being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is
every one that hangs on a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith”. The apostle Paul in Colossians 1:19-23 says “for it pleased the
Father; that in Him (Jesus) should all fullness dwell. And having made peace
through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself; by Him I
say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He
reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. If you continue in the faith grounded
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have
heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof
I Paul am made a minister”.
The Bible is a book of good news. For Christians, the good news is that Jesus
came to this world. He brought a message of hope to all people; He died on the
cross to save people from their sins. The gospel brought us salvation, and
salvation includes forgiveness of our sins, but there is must more we accomplished
by trusting in Jesus Christ.
The prophet Isaiah, who lived more than seven hundred years before Jesus was
born, gives us a preview of the good news Jesus would bring (Isaiah 53:3-6) “He
(Jesus) is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief; and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed
Him not. Surely He has borne our grief (sickness), and carried our sorrows (pain);
yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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 Yahweh has
laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all”. God revealed that he would save His
people by His grace.
Jesus began one of His first messages by telling listeners in the synagogue in
Nazareth what the good news really meant. He first read scripture from the book of
Isaiah, chapter 61 in Luke 4:15-19, “and He taught in their synagogues, being
glorified of all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and, as
His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for
to read. And there was delivered to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when
He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written. The Spirit of
the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the
poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives; and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are
bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And He closed the book, and
He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were
in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say to them. This day
is this scripture fulfilled in your ears”.
Matthew 4:23 says “and Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of
sickness and all manner of disease among the people”. Also Matthew 9:35 says
“and Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every
disease among the people”.
Jesus sent out His disciples (Luke 9:1-2,6) “then He called His twelve disciples
together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure
diseases. And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and
healing everywhere”.
Jesus then sent out seventy others (Luke 10:1,9) “after these things the Lord
appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face, into
every city and place, where He Himself would come. And heal the sick that are
therein, and say to them; the kingdom of God is come near to you”. The results of
the seventy is recorded in verses 17-19 “and the seventy returned again with joy,
saying; Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Your name. And He said to
them, I beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give to you power to
tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and
nothing shall by any means hurt you”.
Jesus commands us to preach the gospel also (Mark 16:15-18) “and He said to
them, go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out
devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if they
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and
they shall recover”.
The apostle Paul tells us that the gospel was a blessing promised in the Old
Testament, but it was revealed when Jesus came (Romans 1:1-5) “Paul, a servant
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God. Which He
had promised before by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Concerning His Son
Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. By whom we have received grace and
apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name”.
The apostle Paul and Barnabas, went out on their journey, and in Acts 14:7-10 it
says “and there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra,
impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had
walked. The same heard Paul speak; who steadfastly beholding him, and
perceiving that he had faith to be healed. Said with a loud voice, stand upright on
your feet, and he leaped and walked”. When we preach the gospel, God confirms
it with signs and wonders.
The apostle Paul warns us not to receive another gospel, one that is not founded
on Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 11:3-4) “but I fear, less by any means, as the
serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, who
we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not
received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear
with him”. In Galatians 1:6-13 the apostle Paul warns “I marvel that you are so
soon removed from Him that called you in the grace of Christ to another gospel.
Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the
gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As
we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel to you
than that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or
God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the
servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but
by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my conversation in time
past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of
God and wasted it”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 27, 2011
The gospel is the good news of what Jesus Christ did in His life, death and
resurrection for us. The gospel is not a new plan of salvation, it is the fulfillment of
God’s plan of salvation that was begun in Israel, was completed in Jesus Christ,
and is made known by the church. The gospel is the saving work of God in His
Son Jesus Christ and a call to faith in Him.
Jesus is more than a messenger of the gospel; He is the gospel. The good news
of God was present in His life, teaching, and atoning death. The joyous good
news of salvation in Jesus Christ.
The gospel is everything that Christ completed for us (II Corinthians 5:17-21)
“therefore is any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed
away; behold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation. To say, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not
imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be you reconciled to God. For
He (God the Father) has made Him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no
sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. The curse started after the fall
of mankind; God declared in (Genesis 3:17-19) “and to Adam He said, because
you have hearkened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which
I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat of it; cursed is the ground for your
sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns also and thistles
shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of
your face shall you eat bread; till you return to the ground; for out of it were you
taken; for dust you are and to dust shall you return”.
The curse was reversed by Jesus (Galatians 3:13-14) “Christ has redeemed us
from the curse of the law; being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is
every one that hangs on a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith”. The apostle Paul in Colossians 1:19-23 says “for it pleased the
Father; that in Him (Jesus) should all fullness dwell. And having made peace
through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself; by Him I
say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He
reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreproveable in His sight. If you continue in the faith grounded
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have
heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof
I Paul am made a minister”.
The Bible is a book of good news. For Christians, the good news is that Jesus
came to this world. He brought a message of hope to all people; He died on the
cross to save people from their sins. The gospel brought us salvation, and
salvation includes forgiveness of our sins, but there is must more we accomplished
by trusting in Jesus Christ.
The prophet Isaiah, who lived more than seven hundred years before Jesus was
born, gives us a preview of the good news Jesus would bring (Isaiah 53:3-6) “He
(Jesus) is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief; and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed
Him not. Surely He has borne our grief (sickness), and carried our sorrows (pain);
yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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 Yahweh has
laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all”. God revealed that he would save His
people by His grace.
Jesus began one of His first messages by telling listeners in the synagogue in
Nazareth what the good news really meant. He first read scripture from the book of
Isaiah, chapter 61 in Luke 4:15-19, “and He taught in their synagogues, being
glorified of all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and, as
His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for
to read. And there was delivered to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when
He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written. The Spirit of
the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the
poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives; and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are
bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And He closed the book, and
He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were
in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say to them. This day
is this scripture fulfilled in your ears”.
Matthew 4:23 says “and Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of
sickness and all manner of disease among the people”. Also Matthew 9:35 says
“and Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every
disease among the people”.
Jesus sent out His disciples (Luke 9:1-2,6) “then He called His twelve disciples
together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure
diseases. And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and
healing everywhere”.
Jesus then sent out seventy others (Luke 10:1,9) “after these things the Lord
appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face, into
every city and place, where He Himself would come. And heal the sick that are
therein, and say to them; the kingdom of God is come near to you”. The results of
the seventy is recorded in verses 17-19 “and the seventy returned again with joy,
saying; Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Your name. And He said to
them, I beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give to you power to
tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and
nothing shall by any means hurt you”.
Jesus commands us to preach the gospel also (Mark 16:15-18) “and He said to
them, go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out
devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if they
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and
they shall recover”.
The apostle Paul tells us that the gospel was a blessing promised in the Old
Testament, but it was revealed when Jesus came (Romans 1:1-5) “Paul, a servant
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God. Which He
had promised before by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Concerning His Son
Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. By whom we have received grace and
apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name”.
The apostle Paul and Barnabas, went out on their journey, and in Acts 14:7-10 it
says “and there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra,
impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had
walked. The same heard Paul speak; who steadfastly beholding him, and
perceiving that he had faith to be healed. Said with a loud voice, stand upright on
your feet, and he leaped and walked”. When we preach the gospel, God confirms
it with signs and wonders.
The apostle Paul warns us not to receive another gospel, one that is not founded
on Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 11:3-4) “but I fear, less by any means, as the
serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, who
we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not
received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear
with him”. In Galatians 1:6-13 the apostle Paul warns “I marvel that you are so
soon removed from Him that called you in the grace of Christ to another gospel.
Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the
gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As
we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel to you
than that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or
God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the
servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but
by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my conversation in time
past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of
God and wasted it”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 27, 2011
