What is the Gospel?

What is the gospel? It’s a different question than, “What does the word, gospel, mean?” The answer to the latter question is that the word gospel means good news. In this sense, any news you receive which is good could be denotatively described as gospel. Problems arise when connotation, or ascribed meaning, of the word gospel is viewed differently by different people, specifically in a Christian context. It is that Christian context which will be the subject here. Note that this is different than Gospel, which is the proper name for the first four books, or categories of those books, of the New Testament.

Contemporary Protestant Christianity has taught that the proper answer to the question, “What is the gospel?” is to respond with a message of evangelistic salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works.” That is certainly good news! It is gospel. Christians are taught to believe (not mere intellectual assent) in the facts of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that in so doing, salvation is received. That is certainly good news! It is gospel. Is that all the gospel is?

The word which is translated from Greek to English as gospel is used many times in those first three Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It is written that Jesus preached the gospel and the chief priests, scribes, and elders challenged Christ’s message (Luke 20). The gospel, as described in context in the New Testament Gospels, refers not just to the message of salvation, but to the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. That kingdom is characterized by the beatitudes (Matthew 5 ff.) and by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It was a message that challenged the religious authorities who sought to retain their power. It was and is a message which communicates that the kingdom of God is not of this world, but operates within it, unseen by ordinary means. It is a message which ought to compel those who have taken hold of the salvation offered freely by God to put their faith into action.

There is little, if any, debate in the Christian community about the Great Commission: Christ’s command to go forth, share the gospel, and make disciples. How that often plays out is in a going forth and sharing of foot-in-the-door-of-heaven salvation, and not the full gospel, and not of discipleship. The message of salvation is shared. Since everything beyond that salvation message requires effort to complete, nothing beyond the message of salvation is shared. Implementing the kingdom of God in your life and teaching others to do the same, requires a holy offering of effort.

The Apostle Paul chided the Corinthians for being able to tolerate only the milk of the gospel message, when they should have been consuming the meal – the full gospel message (1 Corinthians 3 ff). Contemporary Christianity all too often focuses on the salvation message as gospel. It is. There is more that is good news. There is more to being a Christian than being “saved.” There is action being asked of you. So many are taking their talent and treasure (Matthew 25) and burying it, holding it close, not using it for good, using it for selfish means.

My encouragement to my Christian sisters and brothers is this:

• Think of the gospel in larger terms, beyond mere salvation. (Matthew 4:23 ff)

• Follow Christ, not as you’d follow someone on social media. Take efforted steps in the direction He has directed. (Luke 9:23)

• Worship with your whole life, not just in song on Sunday morning. (Hebrews 12:28-13:5)

• Live out the kingdom of God as ambassadors thereof. (2 Corinthians 5:20)