In actuality, the word “gospel” means “good news.” However, there was terrible news first—that is, that God had been disobeyed by Adam and Eve—before the good news (Genesis 3:1-24). Any act, attitude, or nature that deviates from God’s moral rule is considered sin. Since Adam and Eve are the representatives of the entire human species, it follows that all people have inherited their sinful character. Furthermore, we all sin, just like Adam and Eve did (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1–3).
Sin has to be punished
Since God is just, sin must be punished. God is holy and righteous, thus He can have nothing to do with sin. Therefore, as a result of sin, we are doomed to an endless period of torment in hell that starts with the sting of death, in addition to being forever separated from God (Romans 6:23a).
Sinners need to be rescued
Only someone who is sinless can rescue the whole human race that is drowning in the sea of sin. The good news is that there is someone who can do it and has done it. His name is Jesus Christ. The reason God sent Jesus to save us from our sin is because of His love for us (John 3:16). However, since God is a God of justice, the sin that separates us from Him has to be dealt with for us to be forgiven and reconciled to Him. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. Jesus, who is both God (Colossians 2:9) and man (John 1:14) and who lived a sinless life (1 Peter 2:22) is the only one who could die in our place for our sins to be forgiven.
Forgiveness of sins and victory over death
Jesus promised that His followers would likewise rise from the dead and inherit the kingdom as God’s children (John 1:12), but His resurrection from the dead also validates His victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). Jesus’ death on the cross provides forgiveness of sins. They are already born again in this life, [sanctified and purified by the Holy Spirit]. They now live as God’s children and eagerly await Jesus’ second coming, when he will judge humanity and establish new earth and heavens. Following the establishment of God’s Kingdom, believers will have an eternally loving relationship with their Creator. Jesus has given us a preview of this life in the Kingdom through his teachings and miracles.
A free gift
We are offered this salvation as a free gift, which Jesus has secured for us (Romans 5:16, 6:23). Either we accept it or we reject it. According to Ephesians 2:8–9, we are unable to earn it and can only receive it via faith. According to the apostle Paul, “you will be saved if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and declare with your mouth that he is Lord” (Romans 10:9).
The essential elements of the gospel
To summarize, the essential elements of the gospel are:
- All of humankind has sinned and deserves God’s punishment
- For such sins, Jesus Christ died on the cross.
- In order to grant those who believe in Jesus Christ eternal life, He resurrected from the grave.
- All people are given the free gift of salvation and eternal life.
How to respond
In what way should this good news be greeted? We are commanded by the New Testament to “repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). This implies that we must trust that Christ has supplied the necessary deliverance from sin and that we must repent from our rebellion against God and submit to him (1 Thessalonians 1:9–10).
If this describes you, you will find yourself agreeing with the prayer that follows, which is a beautiful way to react to the gospel’s good news:
“Jesus, Lord. I come to you, admitting my own sinfulness. Pardon me, please. I believe in the work you accomplished on the cross. For my sins, I firmly believe that you perished on the cross, were buried, and rose again. Please forgive me of my transgressions and take control of my life. I’m grateful that you accepted me into your realm. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
