What is the Gospel message? The word gospel has roots in many languages: Greek, Latin, Middle English and more. Yet they all come down to the hope and promise of Christ. The literal meaning of the word gospel is good message or good news. So the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ.

The Four Gospels

The first four books of the New Testament are called the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In those books, the authors tell the story of Jesus. And that is perhaps the best short definition of the word gospel—the story of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel Message Is The Story of Jesus

My Definition of the Gospel Message

God sent his Son to live among us. As the Son of God, Jesus lived a perfect life. Out of obedience to his Father, he shed his blood on the Cross, sacrificing his life that we might be restored to a loving and holy relationship with God. Though he died for us, death could not hold Jesus because his Father raised him from the dead.

We receive salvation and eternal life by declaring Jesus as our Lord and Savior and by believing that God raised him from the dead. For it is through faith alone that we receive the gift of salvation, not by the work of our own hands.

The Gospel message proclaims that redemption from sin and eternal life with God have been made possible for us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Kurtbrouwer.com

The Gospel Has No Meaning Without Jesus

The gospel message lives in the person of Jesus Christ himself. In fact, the word gospel has no Christian meaning without Jesus.

Now let’s look at a description of the gospel message from Paul:

The Gospel Message That Paul Taught

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NIV

The Gospel Message & The Gift Of Salvation

Christianity is unique among all religions. The great preacher and author, Max Lucado, made this point in a sermon at our church here in Hawaii several years ago. He pointed out that all other religions operate under the premise that you have to work your way to enlightenment or to nirvana or to heaven. But Lucado stressed that Christianity is different because Jesus did the work and paid the price. All we have to do is accept the gift of salvation and be saved.

And now let’s see what Paul wrote to answer the question–how can I be saved?

How Can I Be Saved?

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Romans 10:9-10 NIV

the Gospel Message

Build your faith and your life on Jesus.

Yours in Christ, Kurt

If you want more posts about Jesus and the gospel message, click on these links:

The First Christian Convert in Europe