What is the Gospel?
The Gospel is the good message and announcement that Jesus Christ, God's only-begotten Son made flesh, suffered and died and made atonement for the sins of the world, and then rose again in victory. It is God's good news to you and to me that, because of what Jesus did for us when He shed His blood and died upon the cross for the sins of all, our sins are paid for in full and forgiven. It is God's word of forgiveness and life everlasting by which he reaches out to us in mercy and with pardon and forgiveness in His heart toward us.
The Bible tells us: "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:19); "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:16,17); "In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Eph. 1:13); and "And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh" (Eph. 2:17).
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel to the paralytic when He said, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee" (Matt. 9:2); and to the woman who anointed Jesus' feet, when He said, "Thy sins are forgiven" (Luke 7:48).
And so, the Gospel is the means whereby God offers, gives and assures to you and to me the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting which Jesus won for all by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross in our stead. The Holy Spirit, working through the Gospel, creates and sustains faith in our hearts whereby we believe and trust that God forgives us, accepts us as His own dear children and gives to us the everlasting joys of heaven.
Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 10/29/2014