The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins and rose again, and eternally conquered sin, death, hell, and the grave.
Religion cannot save anyone. Good works cannot save anyone. No one can save anyone. Only Jesus Christ can, because this was the express purpose for which He came into the world.
The gospel means that we are all sinners before God, who is holy, just, and righteous and under the sentence of eternal separation from God. Because of God’s unfathomable love for us, He sent the Son into the world to become a man, yet without a sin nature, and be crucified, bearing all our sins. God who knew our sins, laid them on Jesus and believing in Him we are forgiven. “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”
There is no better news today than the good news of the gospel. We are bombarded with bad and depressing news 24/7. Good news is hard to come by these days. When we refer to the “Gospel” we are referring to the fact that Jesus Christ came, suffered, bled and died to pay the penalty for our sin so that we might be saved through faith in Him. The truth is, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. In His love, mercy, and grace, God has provided the way of salvation for us through the sacrificial death of His son Jesus Christ. He suffered as a sacrifice for sin, overcame death, and now offers salvation freely to all who will accept it. The gospel is good news because it is a gift of God, not something that can be earned. I cannot work for my salvation. The Bible says, “God demonstrates His own love to us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Dr Charles Stanley put it this was, “Knowing we could do nothing for ourselves, the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross to declare us no longer guilty of our sin. He chose to forgive us and save us from the penalty of our transgressions.” God forgives our sins out of His compassionate and unconditional love for us.
The gospel is the only thing that will transform hearts and lives from the inside out and to deliver us from the penalty and power of sin. Little wonder, Jesus told Nicodemus: “You must be born again” (John 3:7) The Apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). That’s the good news our self-centered world desperately needs today — the life-changing power of the Gospel., “because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The gospel tells how God by His power saves everyone who believes on His Son Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself His own special people zealous for good deeds.” This means that salvation is available to everyone because of Jesus’ sacrifice. However, not everyone will accept the offer of salvation. Some will reject the provision for their forgiveness to their own peril.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bring salvation.” God saves us by His grace. What is grace? Grace is the “free unmerited favor of God manifested in our salvation.” This is the glorious message of the gospel in Titus 2:11-14 which sets Christianity apart from all other claims and cults and religions. We must remember and make clear when we are explaining the gospel to others. Salvation is all of God, by God, for God, and through God. Religion is man’s search for God, whereas christianity is God reaching down to man. And this is substantiated in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave is only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. This is one of the most widely quoted verses from the Bible,and has been called “the most famous Bible verse.” It has also been called the “Gospel in a nutshell”, because it is considered a summary of the central theme of Christianity.
Repentance involves man’s response to the gospel and begins when we follow Jesus Christ, and continues throughout the Christian life. Repentance is the changing of sinful ways and thoughts, turning from our sins to follow after godliness.
One of the great purposes of salvation is to produce lives of holiness. Jesus Christ appeared for the salvation of mankind. He gave Himself for our sins. A bona fide offer of pardon and forgiveness is made to all. But only those who truly receive Him as Lord and Savior will be saved.
The gospel is not only for the salvation of sinners — first and foremost, yes! However, Christians must live out the implications of the gospel. Christians need the gospel as much as non-christians. Problems arise because we forget the gospel. Progress in the christian life can be overcome when we apply the gospel to everyday living.
How else can we delight in Christ who has saved us. Hebrews 12:1 “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame…” Essentially, the gospel must be uppermost in our minds if we are to worship and serve God wholeheartedly.
The Apostle Peter wrote, “According to [God’s] divine power, has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge Him who called us to His own glory and excellence by which He has granted to us His precious and great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.” Then Peter continues, “Who lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind having forgotten he was cleansed from his former sins” (2 Peter 1). This emphasizes the need for us to life the gospel every day.
Paul addressed this need in his letter to the Galatians christians who were experiencing disunity in their church. He called on them to “live out the implications of the gospel.” He did not give them a simple exhortation to be better christians.