What Is The Gospel?
The Gospel
The gospel is the good news of the finished work (John 19:30) of the Lord Jesus Christ to save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Sins are the manifold instances wherein man breaks God's moral law (Exodus 20) which prove that he is both a sinner by nature (Ps 51:5), as a result of Adam's transgression (Romans 5:12), as well as by practice (Romans 3:10-18, 5:12) since all have sinned (Romans 3:23). As a result of Adam's fall, man is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). He is therefore utterly incapable of doing anything to merit, obtain, or effectuate his own salvation (Romans 3:10-18) because he is ungodly and without strength (Romans 5:6). Moreover, because God is Holy (Isaiah 6:3) he shall and must punish sin. Since man can do nothing to fix his sin problem (Romans 3:20), the salvation of God's chosen people is an intercessory work performed by their substitute (John 10:11) who by himself purged our sins (Hebrews 1:3), perfected his people by his one offering (Hebrews 10:14), redeemed them by his blood (Hebrews 9:12), and made them legally righteous by his obedience alone (Romans 5:19). The gospel is liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1) in that it proclaims the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of his people as the sole means whereby men are eternally saved (Acts 4:12) and whereby they find rest (Matthew 11:28) and comfort (Isaiah 61:2). It is the declaration that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures; that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures. (I Corinthians 15:3-4)
What Assurances Accompany the Gospel?
It is accompanied by the assurance that those who believe this account have everlasting life (John 3:16) and have passed from death unto life (John 5:24) as a result of the grace of God alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) and not by their works (Titus 3:5, Romans 9:16). Those who believe are admonished to repent of their sins (Acts 2:40) and be baptized into the the Lord's New Testament Church (Acts 2:41) and to walk in obedient discipleship under the precepts of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:42, John 14:15).
To Whom is the Gospel Good News?
The gospel can ever and only be received by a man who has been born again (John 8:47) who was chosen in Christ from eternity past (Ephesians 1:4) to be a son (Ephesians 1:5) and for which reason he was regenerated in time (Galatians 4:6) by the working of the same mighty power of God which resurrected the Lord Jesus Christ from the grave (Ephesians 1:19-20). Such men are described as thirsty (Isaiah 55:1, Revelation 22:17, Matthew 5:6), hungry (Matthew 5:6), blessed (Matthew 5:6) and willing (Psalm 110:3, Revelation 22:17) in the scriptures.
Who Cannot Receive the Gospel?
Conversely, the gospel cannot be received by a man who has not been born again (John 8:47) because he lacks the spiritual eyes to see (John 3:3), lacks the capacity to receive or understand spiritual truth (I Corinthians 2:11-14, Romans 3:12), lacks any fear of God (Romans 3:18) and has absolutely no desire for spiritual things (Psalm 10:4).
What Do We Conclude From All of This?
Salvation is all by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9) and any spiritual capacity you ever see in a man is never anything more than an evidence of a salvation wrought entirely by God beforehand on his behalf (Ephesians 2:10, Galatians 5:22, Hebrews 11:1).
- Elder Daniel Samons
SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
John 19:30 - When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Matthew 1:21 - And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Ephesians 2:1 - And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Romans 3:10-18 - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Romans 5:6 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Isaiah 6:3 - And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:20 - Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Hebrews 1:3 - Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Hebrews 10:14 - For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Hebrews 9:12 - Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Romans 5:19 - For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Isaiah 61:1-2 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Matthew 11:28 - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
I Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Ephesians 2:8-10 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost
Romans 9:16 - So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Acts 2:40-42 - And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers
John 14:15 - If ye love me keep my commandments.
John 8:47 - He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Ephesians 1:4-5 - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
Galatians 4:6 - And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Ephesians 1:19-20 - And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Isaiah 55:1 - Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Revelation 22:17 - And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Psalm 110:3 - Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
I Corinthians 2:14 - But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Romans 3:12 - They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Psalm 10:4 - The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.