I am writing a book on the gospel, and want your input.
Specifically, I would love your definition of “the gospel.”
In the comment section for this post, answer the following question:
What is the gospel?
Ready? Go! (And along with the comment section check out the course below to see how others have defined the gospel.)
Want to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."
The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!
The hardships of this life are God’s training ground for raising beings like Himself. If we allow Him to, we shall be conformed into His likeness, having his gracious, creative, and long suffering character, to spread this eternal goodness to others, and create with Him a glorious future. (John 16:33 -17:26).
The Gospel is CHRIST. God didn’t wrote a book, He wrote His Son!
I love it. Just before I came here to post, I was thinking that the gospel in a word is Jesus.
Good news.
The Gospel is that Jesus Christ became man like me and came to die for ne for my sins, He had done to die for, thank you lord,
The Gospel is the proclamation that there is a new King in town, it encompasses everything that His kingdom touches.
What is good? Only God is good. So any news from God needs yo be seen as good even if it doings bad to our ears.
The Good news of the coming Kingdom of God. But that “good news” means we were wrong about just about everything about God and His plan and His love for us all. We still are unless we follow Jesus. . .which means we don’t have the answers to a whole lot of questions we want to answer, but instead have a directive to love where we don’t want to love. In my opinion.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
(1 Cor 15:1-8)
My answer to ‘what is the gospel’ would also be 1 Corin 15:3-4 What I love about it is how Paul mentions ” according to the Scriptures”. Y’shua IS….. cover to cover…. Old Testament and New.
What Grant posted. Apart from that, nothing else is “good.”
I liked your chart and your paper from GES2006/2007. You specified 50 different things the word euangellion and euangelizomai could refer to in Scripture. So my answer would be all 50 things, in the individual contexts.
Yes. Glad you remember it. I am incorporating much of that into this project.
The good news that no matter how far you feel or actually are from God, a way has been made to come close through the sacrifice of the cross and the power of resurrection.
Which gospel. ?
L-O-V- E God is love, Jesus represents that love and the gospel is about him. By getting to know him truly we learn what that love really means
Agree. God’s LOVE.
“Gospel” seems to be a broad term. Paul wished to “preach the gospel” to the Romans, who, it seems from the letter, are already believers. he then goes on to teach about sin, justification, sanctification, Israel, service. Gospel means, of course, “good news.”
So, gospel, in it’s narrow sense is “the message leading to eternal life,” the content of which is defined in 1 Cor. 15, as Grant mentioned and I affirmed above. Doing a quick search through the NT (using the NASB), the following words follow the phrase “gospel of”:
the kingdom
Jesus Christ
God
the grace of God
His Son
Christ
the glory of Christ
your salvation
peace
In addition, Paul calls it “my gospel” and says he “does all things for the sake of the gospel so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”
So, are this synonymous terms, or are they different dimensions of the big picture, more generic, “good news”?
I started by simply saying, “is the gospel of the kingdom” the same as “the gospel” in 1 Cor. 15 that leads to eternal life. Ended up with all this other stuff. So, to answer your OP, “what is the gospel?” Good news! “Good news about what?” See the list above – at a minimum the good news that we receive eternal life by faith alone in Christ alone!
God, in human flesh, came and lived, died, and rose again-so we can live, die, and rise again…in newness
The gospel means Good News, it has to be good and it has to be news if it is neither of these things then its not the gospel.
That’s right! The word “gospel” literally means “good news.” You are ahead of me on this. 😉
😉
Also I know it’s simple but actually a lot of people use the word gospel to make it sound and say what they think and not actually good news.
The gospel is an ancient book initially developed by frightened bronze age tribesmen with little knowledge of the world. By the power of their mythical God, they could have greater hope they would be guarded throughout life, and if killed, life would not be over as a paradise called heaven awaited. Later it served the extreme greed of proponents (religious leaders) who claimed it must be followed and tithing was essential. Thus the mental (and occasionally physical) enslavement developed to control those who were too frightened or mentally unable to think logically and consider alternatives.
If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, his disciples new it. His disciples said that He did rise from the dead. In so promoting this idea, they traded lives of relative comfort, for lives of extreme persecuting usually resulting in death. Why would they die for a lie, KNOWING it was a lie? You can find many examples of people dying for lies, but not while they knew it was a lie. If there was no resurrection, it makes more sense to me that at least ONE of them(if not all) would have broken down while tortured and said, ‘Ok, sorry, I made it up.’ That didn’t happen.
The mythist position is that the entire NT was fabricated. If you don’t object to bad math, there is statistical proof that Jesus did not exist. (The statistical proof is also bad, but that is a given.)
Secondly, the primary/sole use of torture is to terrorise the locals. As such, everything confessed to under torture is automatically suspect. (IOW, recanting would have also resulted in their death.)
To answer Jeremy’s question: The Gospel is the axiom that there is a supreme diety, who goes by the moniker יהרה, and whose son is Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 spells it out pretty clearly.
Good news <3
It’s the laughter of the Father over the planet. It’s the release of His joyous pleasure and sheer delight; His triumphant embrace of all created order.
What a beautiful description of our Abba.
Jesus and His Kingdom.
It really depends on the context. Augustus Caesar had a “gospel,” that he brought peace to the world. Thus peace was the end of military strife fought over years of bloody civil wars. Then, you have the Hebrew and Aramaic word for gospel, which means victory. Then, you have the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the gospels about Jesus. This term, used with both the peace from the Roman context and the Hebrew of victory, then you see a God who brought peace without war and victory, which was achieved without a war as well. More could be said of the word eugellion, but I think that is a good start.
Obviously, the term gospel means “good news”. But we are the bearers of that good news. That good news resides within us. So the definition of the Gospel? It’s us. We are the gospel.
Maybe you this is a good definition?
The baptized,”reform, the kingdom of heaven is near. ” Matt 3:2, mark 1:5 put it this way, “gospel:The time is is near. The kingdom of God is near, reform” even labeling it as the gospel of God. In Matt 10:7, Jesus repeats it as a challenger to the D’s to proclaimed as they go out.
I heard John ortberg in a recent sermon on the ver question and these passages, that if it was today, and a tweet of the gospel it would be, ” Up there is available down here”. He goes on to say, it’s not a later, fire insurance thing, but a now, be with God now thing. In heaven, what makes heaven, heaven, is the unadulterated, full access to God. And apaently, thru Jesus, that’s nearer now, possible, available. Up there available down here.
Sure is hard to cooperate with that gospel message.
Link to ortberg’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoCo46QLzjE
The good news, the truth about Jesus leading the way to eternal life in Heaven.
Eternal Life begins here and now. We don’t have to wait to die to experience it… John 17:3
The content of the Gospel is the working of God to restore his original perfect creation. This working had various forms, eg. the old covenant, but also involves the sending of Jesus who through his person, life, death and resurrection brought the new creation in seed form, is now working to expand that kingdom and which he will bring to perfection with his second coming. The invitation of the Gospel is that God invites us to be part of the new creation today through faith in Jesus Christ.
I would add that becoming a Christian is more about moving into and accepting the reality of the new kingdom Jesus brought to earth and following Him than about a prayer or confession. Jesus simply said “Come follow me” and people suddenly came into his atmosphere and zone. As they did the kingdom, in all its forms, began to take root in them.
Sadly, there are those who believe the gospel, the good news, is for a select few, the predestined, those who God has chosen from the beginning to receive salvation and eternal life. All else are in hopeless situations, incapable of making a decision for Christ, due to their total depravity. The God of love and mercy created the majority of people to face His wrath.
To me, the good news is that they are wrong.
Yes, this 🙂
Amen to that.
God news- good word- truth story.
“We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). If there was a verse that summed up the Gospel, for me that would be it. God is love and is in the process of renewing all things with his love. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is the forerunner to the final completion of this renewal. We now have the privilege in this life of contributing to that renewal through the power of the Spirit in us.
As per Ga. 2:7 which gospel?
I believe The Gospel is The Restoration of the Holy Spirit to humanity that was lost in Adam. Adam brought sin and death, Jesus came to offer forgiveness and life. In Adam we are all born spiritually dead (bad news) In Christ we are spiritually made alive (Good news). Since Christ died for all of our sins, once we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit we can never lose the Holy Spirit again (eternal life). The Gospel is also about Man escaping hell and getting into heaven; but the crux of the Gospel is God getting out of heaven and into us.
That we (imperfect, flawed, broken as we are) can have a personal relationship with the Father (Lord, Creator, Almighty, Magnificent, Beautiful God), through Jesus, and be loved just as we are. It is the gospel of Grace.
John 3:16 (with amplifications)
God so loved the world ( everyone)
that He gave His only Son ( knowing what would happen to Him. Not to satisfy His need for a ransom for sin but to show us the truth about ourselves and Himself and therefore to make us change our minds from thinking He holds a grudge to believing He loves like a perfect father)
That whoever believes in Him (accepts this and changes their mind accordingly)
will not die ( remain seperate from Him)
but (starting now and forever)
have Eternal life ( experience life united with Him, free from fear for ever).
The good news is that God made a way to bring me back to Him, Jesus came to conquer sin and death and give new life! I am only required to believe and receive! After I die with Him, l live in Him and He in me! I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, highly favored, blessed, healed, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The only gospel, the gospel of grace, Sounds like good news to me!
The Gospel is the Kingdom of God (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:15; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 16:16; Acts 8:12). It has arrived and is among us (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20; 17:20-21). It is approaching and accessible (Matthew 3:2; Luke 10:9;). It is still coming (Luke 22:16-18).
The Gospel is the declaration that there is a King who is ushering in a different Kingdom. Thus, the rest of the Gospels are the story of this King, the teachings of this King about His Kingdom (for example, the kingdom parables and sermon on the mount), and how this King ascends to His throne (Philippians 2). As such, we are called to enter and be a part of it. Salvation then marks the transferal from one kingdom to His kingdom (Colossians 1:13).
The good news that are almost too good to be true
What a great question . There are so many answers that i honestly cant give a succient one
What i will say is that in a very broad sense the gospel must be the good news of God becoming one of us in order to save us from us so that we can ultimately be what we were created to be to the glory of God ..The Gospel is God for us God with us God in us so that we may be about God rather than be about us ,
Everything Jesus “began” to do and teach announcing the Kingdom (Reign) of God. He claimed that it was “within” his followers. So he announced it like a town crier. Those looking for something different, some real life, lasting life, pure and true, left theirs and followed Him.
The Gospel is the great news that God is Jesus, that He loves you and that He’s not who you’ve been taught He is.
The word Gospel means Good News. The Good News is this – God, Himself, paid our way to heaven. Because He did everything to secure heaven for us, we do nothing but believe in the One who did it all. No works, no turning from sin or asking for forgiveness. What we do after we trust Christ alone to save us is for the purpose of establishing a friendship with God. If we choose to walk contrary to Him we will incur discipline and loss of reward in heaven, but not loss of salvation.
Please read Romans chapters 3 and 4 and you’ll see we are saved exactly the same way Abraham and David were. And if you’ll read Acts 10:43-44, you’ll see that the moment you do believe in Christ alone, God Himself will indwell you. There is no such thing as “Asking Christ into your heart.” That was made up a couple hundred years ago by a lady for a song. The Gospel in a nutshell is John 3:16.
God’s Kingdom (as it is in Heaven) is breaking ground (on earth), and the Light of His Word and that Life that He brings (Yeshua of course) is making Himself known… providing for all of our needs, offering comfort in all of our sufferings, assistance in all of our trials, and reminding us to be humble in all of our triumphs. The good news is that despite our lostness, our brokenness, or even our exorbitant pride, through Christ we have been given a way to restore the image of God in ourselves and this world, despite any and all obstacles that may abound. And the best news of all… this news is for ALL of us!
God is not who we thought he was…he is love…period.
Love all the input here.
I also love how much the answers vary… Such diversity of definitions!
The Gospel ( Good News) keeps increasing from what I have tasted. Yes it began in ones life as the Good news in regards to our failures being dealt with by what Jesus did on the cross for us all. Now it increases daily as Jesus reveals to us more and more of just what the Father is like. ” If you have seen me you have seen the Father” says Jesus today!. The Good news just keeps getting better and I believe the best is most likely still to come! Great News.
Go—spel
It is what it says it is.
Go is a command to action.
Spel is a form of magic.
The gospel is a form of magical thinking that seeks to direct people’s energy and control their actions. It’s the go-spell. That’s not difficult to understand is it?
Specifically, the Christian gospel is based on the concept of debt. Yep.
The idea is that God created you, rules over you, and expects you to live a life in accordance with His rules. No apples, etc. Seems logical, seems fair.
The rules: ah, you’ll find them explained in detail by the religion… see it’s scriptures, traditions, historical interpretations and various presentations: doctrines and confessions of faith, etc.
So, scenario 1: you are following the rules of the religion, “given by God,” right? Well, that’s okay then.
No? You’re not? Not exactly!
The good news is there’s a scenario 2. Plan B. Yep, yep.
So, you’re a rule breaker, huh. we have a special word for that … guilty. YOU have failed to live the life God gave you the way God commands you to live it, so … do the maths.
Yep. You now owe God a life. Hey, in the old days they used to sacrifice virgins, then goats, relax … this is going to be okay.
Ah, yep. The magical thinking is that Jesus (God incarnate) chose to pay the debt for you: dah dah, debt paid, hallelujah.
Sounds really good if you’re a virgin or a goat.
But before you start celebrating … there’s one tiny condition … you have to devote the rest of your life to God, starting with following the rules as explained in the scriptures, religion, blah, blah… and, yep, there’s an and … become a disciple … that is a fisher of men, whose job is to make more adherents for the religion … I mean God. God and the religion are … well, He’s the Bride and … it’s like a marriage.
So there you go. The good news is you’re either following scenario 1, obeying the rules as explained by the religion, or your following scenario 2, and your saved, and your following the rules as explained by the religion, at least kind of.
Not many people, it has to be said are following scenario 1. Yep, 7 billion people walking around right now, and … zero are in this category … strangely.
Oh, I forgot, scenario 3. You don’t want to know about scenario 3. That’s God’s special surprise for all those people who aren’t followers of the religion. We call it judgement day, and boy, is that going to be a party.
Okay, we all on the same page?
Wrong on all three counts. Actually, it’s all about Jesus, and relationship, and this thing called grace. Oh yeah, and freedom. But nice synopsis of the stereotype.
I used to be a virgin once. Now I’m a goat. Your scenarios would never have appealed to me in either case. Fortunately, there’s another, better one.
Who or what is your god? Each of us has at least one.
What really drives your life? Which side of your mind are you listening to?
Wow, three really great questions.
Can’t answer the first. Words like The Infinite, the Creator, etc. but beyond that …
The second … values I hope. Things like self-sufficiency and generosity, humility and creativity.
The third question … oh you’re tough. Too often it’s the negative side, the critical side, the fearful side, the hurt and wounded side, the angry side. You got me there. But I’m trying to spend more time listening to the positive side. The more I do, the more I’m able to live according to my last answer.
Can you answer your own questions. Wold like to hear your reply.
Your answers are probably better than any I could give, and I think many or even most visitors to this site would agree with you. I’ll try to add my own slant, which from my personal perspective is confirmed for me by what I understand of current scientific knowledge.
God is probably the hardest concept in the English language to define. My limited knowledge of a few other languages makes me suspect that it’s a universally difficult problem. A lot of the arguments are over what is the nature of “God-consciousness.” Mystics over the ages have tried to tell us that it is the same as our own consciousness, but unbounded by space and time. Words like ‘greater’, superior and infinite are meaningless outside of spacetime, and insufficient inside it. It’s impossible to figure out using only the logical side of the brain, but the intuitive, “spiritual” side keeps confirming that for me through one experience after another.
The left side of the brain, which produces the logical mind, has become dominant in our world. The right side, which I believe is the “spiritual” side, the side meant to connect to “the mind of God”, has been suppressed and greatly devalued by civilization as we now have it.
My own belief is that both mind and spirit are important. Inspiration comes first, through the spiritual side, in the form of feelings and intuition. Our thought and logical processes are meant to act upon inspiration to begin understanding, but the spiritual side needs to monitor that to prevent the ego produced by the logical side from turning that to misunderstanding and downright error, for its own purposes. The mind is fearful of the spirit because the mind wants to be in control of itself and rejects authority. That may be because the authority of the spirit, known as conscience or the voice of God, has been externalized in the current worldview into a fearful deity that is just looking for the chance to inflict punishment and vengeance. That image is used by the powers-that-be to retain control over our own spirits. But the fearsome powers-that-be always melt away into insignificance when they come up against the loving Power that Is.
I hope that at least some of that makes sense to you.
Hi Lutek,
Very interesting reply.
I wouldn’t quite share your thinking about the left/right brain. I see it more as a dialogue:
The whole brain is spiritual.
The will bridges between the left and right brain.
The left brain governs our perceptions and formulates our intentions.
The right brain governs our receptivity (openness and empathy) and selects our choices.
Not all intentions will be chosen and acted upon, but our choices will be selected from the intentions we form.
There is communication between the two sides of the brain, so that both perception and receptivity, and intention and choice can hopefully be brought into harmony. Quite often there is confusion.
Neglecting the spiritual development of either side of the brain would be a mistake.
If we neglect the left side, we will lack curiosity, commitment, motivation and constructiveness; if we neglect the right brain we will lack acceptance, playfulness, creativity, non-attachment, trust and awe. Spiritual development requires working with all these qualities.
Your link between spirituality and fear is very interesting. Fear closes down openness, empathy, playfulness and creativity, but also curiosity, motivation, engagement and trust. It seems much of modern culture is designed to keep us in a state of fear. How can people surrounded by real and perceived dangers develop spiritually? Certainly, we would need sanctuary’s, places of rest and recovery. But something interesting to think more about.
Hi M.N,
How can people develop spiritually? The simplest yet by far the best answer I’ve ever found to that question is by trying to love more. Even when surrounded by danger. Perhaps especially then.
Rest and sanctuary are important too.
I don’t think the right brain selects choices, but rather informs them. The selection is done by the same will that formulates intentions – the thing you call “I.”
You haven’t used the word spirit as a noun yet, so I wonder what you mean when you write that the whole brain is spiritual?
Who are the participants in the brain’s dialogue? Where did they come from?
What exactly is the will that bridges between the left and right brain? that seems to conflict with your next assertion that the left brain formulates our intentions.
Lutek, yes, I agree with your answer concerning spiritual development. Try to live according to your highest values, that’s really what we bring into the world. I think the more we live our values the stronger and more stable our sense of self-worth can be. That in turns makes us more resilient to stress, anxiety, fear, and negative events. Unfortunately for most people self-worth is based on status, achievements and conformity, not values. We have to build carefully.
I don’t want to get too hung up about left/right brain. In the creative process both are necessary. In latin, creator (maker) is considered masculine, associated with the left brain, and creatio (choice) is connected to the feminine, right brain. A bridge has feet planted in both banks so there’s is no contradiction in my thoughts above. My point is that both intention, goal orientation, left brain, and openness, non-attachment, right brain are parts of the will. The will is a child, formed by how these combine. There are not two separate brains, but one brain form by multiple parts, just as you do not have two separate bodies, but yet a right hand and a left one.
The I …. The I is created by borders (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) that differentiate an organism from it’s surroundings. The I doesn’t exist independently from it’s environment of course, but it is a more or less coherent centre. There is a physical I, an emotional I etc, different aspects of the same I. There is no independent I, there is an autonomous I: both are correct.
I think cultivating appreciation is important to spiritual growth. It’s very easy to focus on the negative 10% and lose sight of the positive. I started keeping a gratitude journal a while back, and I was surprised by how many people did wonderful things for me, big and small. But I still get absorbed focusing on the troublesome, thoughtless few.
Anymore spiritual growth tips?
Yes, one more, if you need more than my best, but it’s only my second-best:
Reality itself is alive, and more conscious than any of us could ever hope to be. If that were not true, there would be nothing at all, and certainly no awareness of it.
The mind is not an epiphenomenon (does not arise out of) the brain. It’s the other way around.
I don’t want to get hung up in the brain at all, but you struck me as an agnostic scientist so I’ve been writing to you as one.
However, I see I’ve underestimated you. Either you are indeed a young master, or you’re an old fox. Most likely a bit of both.
This conversation could go on forever, but not on this website. Please feel free to contact me: lutek(at)wikispirit(dot)net. I look forward to hearing from you, as well as from anyone else who may be interested.
Here’s the Good News:
It has always been God’s intention from the beginning to create a Christ-shaped family, a renewed human race modeled on the Son, who are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Israel’s Messiah.
Jesus was sent by God to show us the way into God’s family. He said those who do the will of God are children of God. The will of God, Jesus said, is for people to love God by loving others. He taught that we are to love by doing to others whatever we would like others to do to us.
Finally, he taught (and demonstrated through his resurrection) that death is not the end for God’s children since the children of God would inherit eternal life.
The gospel is the good news that, through Jesus, God has restored our broken relationship with Him by sending Jesus to take our sins upon Himself and give us His righteousness.
Right on all counts. That’s what I said. I guess it’s the way you spin it.
Except it’s not about rules. It’s not about duty. It’s not about punishment. It’s about love. True, there are many within the church who see it as you describe, but they paint a warped picture of who God is, a caricature.
The gospel is God’s plan in leading us from disobedience in eating from the tree of knowledge to back into His presence to eat the fruit of the tree of life.
I could probably think of a thousand definitions if I really thought about it and each would be equally true. But the best and simplest way to put it is: Jesus.
The Gospel other than news is known, but there is something peculiar about. News are only news if you hear them for the first time, but the Gospel is those news that are good to the ear and soul. Paul in first Chorinstians 15 says that, you have already heard this Gospel… therefore there is something majestic that make this one “good every moment. That is why its called the Gospel
Interesting back and forth on ‘spiritual growth’ and other topics. When it comes to spiritual growth, first one must define what one means by spiritual, which some posters have done here, albeit in a somewhat nebulous fashion, or perhaps my senses are too dull to pick up your exact meaning as some of the words you use have such broad semantics in various contexts.
Normally, when I hear people talk about ‘spiritual growth’ if I examine what they’re really talking about, it comes down to ethics, as they’ll first mention love, and making sure you are loving your neighbor etc. Of course we all know that. And while it’s all true, when you try to get tangible, it comes down to ministry, and acts of service, and as I used to head down that road, burnout inevitably ensued. Doing, doing, doing, sacrificing….ultimately taking a toll on energy and well being, and not feeling any more ‘spiritual’ at the end.
For me, spirituality is inextricably connected to metaphysics…that which is behind physics, or the physical world. I try to focus not on that which is seen, but that which is unseen.
…the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Psalms 119:18
Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed [h]with longing
After Your ordinances at all times.
I prayed this prayer(in verse 18) a couple of years ago, and in very short order my eyes were opened to beautiful, wondrous things in the word. Things the church has ignored/forgotten. Things that are essential to understanding what the OT is all about. I felt connected to the source, if you will, in tune with the Father and that I was exactly where I should be, and with certitude that I was on the path that I should be on. As I type this now, I perplexed that it’s been so long since I’ve prayed that prayer. Why don’t I pray it more often? Why have I forgotten it for so long? Anyway, Obviously God is not a Genie in a bottle where we just go thru some ritual and get what we want. At the same time, the Word is living and active, has power. And the Father is good. Jesus(who is the exact representation of the nature of the Father) said:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
So what then is a good gift? I think the Psalmist under inspiration of the Holy Spirit has a good idea about that. So my counsel would be to pray the exact same prayer revealed in Psalm 119:18.
Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
Open our eyes Father, to see wondrous things in Your Law, Your Truth, Your Word. That those so illumined might praise You, That You may be glorified in the Son.
The Gospel is, and always was, including and loving to death. It’s about them and not me. By this the Universe revealed the nature of the creator.
I think that most simply, it is the story of marriage and redemption.
I like NT Wright’s explanation that the gospel is the good news that “Our God reigns…and Caesar does not” Means more and more to me each day!
In HIM
sharonlloyd
King Jesus—the heir of Israel, the son of David, God’s anointed one—has come in the flesh, lived the life that we are to emulate, entered into death, done battle with the forces of evil, and returned victorious. Therefore we confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. His kingdom has come, and it is spreading, and we can be a part of it.
In a word… “Jesus is the Gospel.”
You might find this, although somewhat lengthy, of interest: http://atdcross.blogspot.com/2014/03/jesus-is-gospel.html
The gospel is Redemption, the bible is Redemption, from beginning to end. Jesus’s work on Calvary is our redemption.
The Gospel is the ‘Good News’ that Jesus shared with people. The Gospel is a worldwide view of what Jesus is.
I think that the Gospel is the good news that Jesus came to bring: that we are all saved by faith alone. That, once we believe, there is nothing we or anyone else can do to separate us from our God who loves us.
That’s right! You got it! Hopefully the rest of this course will just reinforce and support this truth.
The gospel is the teachings of Jesus, the physical Word of God. The miracles and wisdom to proclaim who He is. The suffering,death, resurrection,and reassurance that we are not alone and we have a directions on how to achieve the promise that’s been givin.
Gospel… the good news that God is not angry with me and Jesus came to release me from the bondage of sin, so that I can live a life like Him.
The gospel is simply having faith in Jesus and knowing that he came to reveal what the Father is truly like to us. Also belief is the only requirement, not any good works and since salvation is a free gift to anyone who chooses to believe.
Yes, yes!
Grace and truth. is the first thing come to mind when hearing the word gospel, Jesus bring life ones again to all mankind to put himself in a harmful a deadly place in darkness to save us with a special love. That’s the gospel it’s all about the center point of Christ Jesus of the best love demonstrated for all.
The gospel is the good news that if I put my trust in Jesus I will not perish but have eternal life.
This means I become part of God’s family by believing Jesus.
Thanks, Pete! That is an excellent summary of the central gospel invitation. This course will continue to make that point.
Wow, the answer to this question depends on how deep you want to go!
On the surface level it means ‘a good message or good news’, but then you have to ask the question, “about what?”
I get so excited thinking about it I become speechlessly giddy!!!
The gospel, just below the surface, is the announcement of hope from the father to his kids who are (if you will allow the analogy) lost in space with no way to return home. Wow, wow, wow…
Ha! I love your excitement! The gospel truly is good, exciting news!
The Gospel is God’s Masterful plan of redemption for mankind. It is the word that calls his children out of darkness into light for whom “the creation waits in eager expectation for” (Romans 8:19). “It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
I like to think of it as a magnet. With Adam, the magnet was “broken” or “flipped” and we “repelled” or “rebelled” against God moving us away from him. The Gospel is the news that on the cross, Jesus payed the cost to fix or flip the magnet that then draws all who believe to himself. Love is the magnet that separates the weeds from the wheat. Solomons sword that determines the actual mother of the child. The blood of the lamb that the angel passed over.
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus offers his unconditional love free of charge.
The Gospel, or Good News, is that Jesus came to earth as a human being in order to reestablish the relationship between God and humankind. Jesus gave up his rights as God and became our servant. He died not only for our sins, but as the sacrificial lamb who reunites God and humans.
The gospel is this: Jesus Did It All! He Paid it All! And He Lives to tell about it! That’s good enough for me!
For me, the initial Gospel more than 20 years ago was that there is a God, He is good, and He loves me. His love changed everything. After meeting God, He encouraged me to hang out with Christians and to not be afraid of Jesus. After studying Jesus in the Gospels, He showed me many things, including that through His death and resurrection that there is life after death, and that I don’t have to be afraid of dying because the grave is not the end. And since, Jesus says that I’m returning with Him to the earth, I’m saving a few riskier bucket list items for when I’m in my renewed body… bungee jumping, para gliding, climbing mount Everest, etc. Lol.
For me, who started out my life as an evolutionary, nihilist, atheist… It is very good news that there is a God, He is good, He loves me, I am not alone, He will never leave me or forsake me, He loves being with me, I’m can be more myself with Him than without Him, He isn’t afraid of my doubts, I’m free to question anything, I’m safe, death is not the end, the earth will be restored, we will see righteous government, there will be an end to war, I will get to be a part of that restoration, I am a part of it now, all I do now that is of the kingdom shall remain, I will see the full fruit of that labor in the world to come… Wow. I could go on. So much good news, its hard to pick a place to begin or end. I’ll pause here. 🙂
Thanks for asking!
Thanks Marilyn you have clear thinking and an excellent word of encouragement.
The Gospel is the good news that Christ died for sinners–and He/she who has believed that Christ died for them has received forgiveness and a new life.
The Gospel is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, which includes many facts. The saving message is a part of that Gospel, which describes how we are born into God’s Forever family. This miraculous birth from above is a gift accomplished by God’s grace, received by faith, by believing in Jesus for that gift.
The GOSPEL is the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Good News is that God became man in Jesus Christ. He lived a life we should have lived. He died the death we should have died – in our place. After 3 days He rose from the dead – proving He is the… Son of God, God The Son, The 2nd person of the Holy Trinity, I am He – God eternal, Creator of the Universe, Savior of the World. Now He is offering the gift of Salvation (Jesus/Yeshua/Yehoshua is sal-va-tion in Hebrew) and forgiveness of sins to anyone who repents and believes in Him (His being the Lord God eternal and Savior including His complete and finished work on the cross, That He is a good Holy God that dispenses justice to the sinners and wicked but gives mercy to the humble and grace to the faithful).
the original Greek word “euaggelion” which first signified “a present given to one who brought good tidings”, or “a sacrifice offered in thanksgiving for such good tidings having come”. the original Hebrew word BASAR (or BESORAH), meaning tidings, message, report, or news.
You must know what the message is, to carry it to others.
Jesus read Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners,luke 4:19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” context does become something of a military victory, the day of the Lord’s vengeance. Jesus stops in mid verse because He is not there for a military victory at this time (that comes later)
This is important for two reasons. 1) basar is translated by euaggelion. 2) Jesus reads this verse at the commencement of his public ministry in Luke 4:18, 19.
The Gospel is the amazing news that by faith alone we are made unconditionally and irrevocably eternally secure.There are no buts or what ifs only a constant absolute our Lord Jesus.He is God and He guaranteed Eternal Life as a free gift if we believe Him for it.What a Gospel of amazing news!.We have a truly amazing gift to share with people.There is no bad news,no bill coming in the future nothing.Salvation is God once and for all restoring His realationship with His creation.He loves us no matter what!.He has totally and completely in every way forgiven us.And He likes us and enjoys us.Wow!,what a awesome God.Thankyou Jesus.
the gospel is good news, however I have struggled and stumbled my whole life..even causing others/ “little ones” to stumble….Is there hope for me? for the last 16 years I have doubted my salvation more on than off, and after the birth of my youngest son I was diagnosed with post partum psychosis losing touch with reality. I began having intrusive thoughts, and “voices” saying they were God, and to curse God and die…something I never wanted to do, or I would look my baby in his crib, and something or someone said…”this is the closest to heaven you are ever going to get!” I have struggled with fear and fear God ever since..no peace and fear of dying…i think how can a christian woman think or do the things I have done in my life. did I reject Him? is this why so many years of torment…? I feel the Lord has told me I am and have been a phoney…I don”t want to be that! I used to serve the Lord with gladness excitement and joy..Christian music has literally saved my life..I have been on every medication for depression/ocd/anxiety, and even shock treatments with little or no relief..I am afraid, and if I was truly saved this shouldnt be..right? I apologize for rambling, but there is so much..thank you for reading..I have asked Jesus into my heart and to be my Savior many, many times…thank you for your time.
sincerely,
mrs. melvin edge
The gospel is the “good news” that Jesus Christ has paid the penalties of our sins and graciously extended eternal life to all who believe in him.
The gospel is the good news that Jesus has done everything to secure and maintain my eternal security regardless of what I do or don’t do.
I used to think I knew what the Gospel was , I give up teach me..lol , my best answer is its going to be ok.
The Gospel is Good News about an amazing free gift.Believe in Jesus for Eternal Life and you will have it.
The gospel is true us that God loves us unconditionally period. Nothing is going to change that.
The good news is about God’s unconditional love for us.
The Gospel: Christ the Redeemer. Christ’s amazing love and sacrifice for us – laying His life down and rising from death. The gift of atonement once and for all. The debt is paid and Christ’s righteousness is imputed on a sin-full people in a fallen world. ……..and, this is just the beginning there is MUCH MORE (romans 5)……. good news.
The Gospel is Jesus Himself. The Good news is found when Jesus’ people share with each other according to 1 Cor:14. The thing is: Jesus is alive. Where do I find Him? Inside of me and in the rest of His body.
This and much more.
The gospel is the good news of what Jesus has already accomplished to ensure that everyone on this earth can spend eternity with him. As opposed to good advice – of what we must do to obtain salvation through some transaction where if I do this God will do that.
The word gospel means good news. The Biblical Gospel includes everything related to the incarnation, life, teaching (including teaching about the offer and future acceptance of the Kingdom of God) death, resurrection, ascension, finished work and continuing advocacy of Jesus Christ. The Biblical Gospel includes all of the beneficial results and implications of the above described information. “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord”. Luke 10-11. The Washburn College Bible. Oxford Edition. King James Text. Modern Phrased Version. Page 1395. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. John 1:1. Id. at page 1449. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us….” John 1:14. Id at Page 1449.
The message of justification and eternal life is a part of the gospel. And the very best news that anyone will ever hear is that we have eternal when we believe Jesus for justification and eternal life: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17. NKJV.
The Gospel is : God becoming flesh to show us that we have been reconciled to Him.
The Gospel is the Kingdom of God.
To the most basic answer to want is the gospel, “the good news” goes back to the simple scripture in John 3:16-18…
John 3:16-18
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
For me it’s just that basic…
I love that. Very simple, very biblical. And best of all, it is what Jesus said!
The great news !!!
Opportunity, an invitation by God Himself.
A new way to God through His son Jesus.
God Proves his love and power through the death and resurrection of His son.
He says “Come to me”
The Gospel is the Good News of Jesus Christ. But, look second course and I’m using the word But. But I’m seeing maybe it should say the Great news of the Gospel
I guess I’m not the only one here, but I was also going to just quote 1 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:
We can really experience God through Jesus, His love is enough, I will continuing on with God and I can’t get away from it……
The Gospel quite simply is the “too good to be true news..
The Gospel is the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom and placing your faith in Him and believing that he died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead and His kingdom is available to us now.
The Gospel is the good news from God; for God so loved us that he gave His Son Jesus Christ, and that if we have faith in this Jesus as our savior, God will give us eternal life. It is a free gift and we can never lose it.
Is the good news! Jesus bring his kingdom here for us. Receive his message ad agree with the 8 beatitudes is the New Way, and when you follow it you became son of God. Jesus showed us the Way of Love, and he gave his life to show us how to love like him.
The gospel is the good news that sin can no longer keep us from a deep satisfying relationship to God almighty. Jesus is the good news.. He is the Gospel
The “too good to be true “ News
The Gospel is the Good News of Jesus and the free gift of eternal life for all those who believe in Him (to put it simply).
The Gospel is the Good News that if we believe that Christ (God) came to earth in the form of a man and willingly died for sinners (that includes everyone ever born or to be born), and that He resurrected on the third day and He is preparing a place in Heaven for those who believe. There is no more striving to be a “better” person, Christ completed the work that needed to be done for sinners. We have been set free from sin.
In the beginning, God had a loving relationship with humankind. But Adam’s sin meant that God and Man now became separated. That was until Jesus Christ came and lived a sinless life. He then died on the cross, for our sins, so that we could be reconciled to God. Now those who believe Jesus Christ for salvation will have eternal life, which begins the moment they accept what Jesus did for them on the cross.
To me the gospel is simply that I was a sinner, Jesus paid for my sins by His death and Resurrection, I believed in Him as my Savior and Lord.
My understanding of the gospel (meaning “how to get saved”) has traditionally been: repent of your sins and trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross to save you.
Gospel- Gods good news that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life.
The gospel is simply every single person on this planet has the life and presence of Christ in them, He loves each one unconditionally and Jesus came to show ALL people ALL time that there is nothing that separates us from God the Father and eternal abundant life. The lie of the enemy has been that we are separate from God, we never have been. Yes I am more a Universalist than not. I believe Rob Bells interpretation that we will have limitless opportunities in this life and the next to believe in Jesus, Gods will is that ALL come to the knowledge of Him and nothing and no one will be able to thwart that will, even ourselves, His love is that high, that wide, that deep etc etc. No one will perish, this is good news.
Sorry, Daniel, I’m a bit confused by your answer. Can you answer a couple questions?a I ask these questions out of confusion, not being critical or anything:
1. Where biblically do you see that every person on the planet has the life and presence of Christ in them.
2. Even though something is God’s “will”, is his “will” accomplished in all things? For example, God’s “will” is that all would turn to Him and be saved. But not all people turn to Him and get saved, biblically. Can you explain your comment on this?
3. You mention Rob Bell’s interpretation that we have “limitless opportunities in this life and the next to believe in Jesus”…this is confusing to me, where in the Bible does it say we have these ‘limitless opportunities’? Hebrews 9:27 says that “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”. Might you please help me understand your view and where you are coming from?
The Gospel is the Good News that in Christ alone, through faith alone, and by grace alone I may be saved. Jesus died for my sins, they were forgiven when Jesus died on the cross, so sin no longer separates me from having a relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Gospel is that I can be saved, “born-again” ONLY through the finished work of Jesus at the cross, and by receiving His free gift of salvation.
To me ..the gospel is the release and freedom that Jesus gives….and the acceptance and new relationship with the Father..the potential of renewal and overcoming our sin with him and learning how to live as he changes us.
gospel is good news that God sent Jesus to save us. If we believe in Jesus we are saved and will go to heaven.
The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ
The gospel means Good news.
faith that jesus died for the penalty of my sin and arose on the third day
Good news that God truly loves us unconditionally 💖 God gave his most precious Gift His only Son Christ Jesus 💝 We can truly know by believing, receiving this gift of eternal life in Him that we are eternally sealed in Him forever✨ Good news is truly good news 📣
The Gospel is the first 4 books of the New Testament – Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.
I was raised believing the gospel was the message was Jesus dying on the cross to cover our sins and make us blameless before God. As a result, we can have a direct connection to God through Jesus and have the confidence of eternal life with God… as long as we believe in Jesus… that he did this for us and the he is the only way to salvation and eternal life with Him.
Now… I’m questioning all of that. Jeremy, I’ve heard you say that we don’t need to do anything at all for eternal life. I’ve also heard you say that we can have that eternal life with Him if we believe in Jesus. That seems contradictory to me and I’m looking for some clarity.
I’m realizing that hell isn’t what I thought it was and I’m not afraid of it anymore. I don’t think I believe in a fairy-tale heaven anymore either. I’m not sure what to believe about where we go when we die, other than I believe that we’ll be with our creator, God… whoever God is and wherever God is.
Maybe now… the gospel is that we can have real freedom of religion and rules, freedom from shame and guilt and so many other things that bring us down mentally. In place, we can recognize that we are loved by God and that we are called for greatness, however that may appear in our lives. Our eternity should not be in question.
But… it is in question when I think back to the Bible and scripture. I’m looking forward to learning your perspective with scripture so I can feel more confident in that freedom.