Our Executive Director of Cultural Engagement, Darell Bock, offers 10 things every believer should know about the Gospel.

1. The word gospel refers not to a kind of music; it meant “good news” in the Roman world.

The word gospel was originally about a kind of public announcement that was seen as good news. When the church took up the term, they were declaring that the message of salvation in Jesus Christ was good news. They were calling on people to repent and join the kingdom of God.

In Greek, repent means to change your mind about something. In asking people to repent, the early Christians were saying, “Change your mind about the way your life and God work.” That need was met by the story of what Jesus had done. So they tell the story of Jesus’ work in order to share the gospel. (See Mark 1:15.)

2. The gospel is not primarily about sin.

Often, when people hear about the gospel, they think the emphasis is on sin, or more particularly, forgiving sin. That is actually only part of the story. More important is what happens as a result of sin being forgiven. There is a permanently restored relationship with God that is the key result. The gospel is more about reconciliation than about the forgiveness that leads to it (See Ephesians 2:11-22)

3. The gospel does not mean automatic salvation.

Some people think that their salvation is a given unless they do really bad things. That is not what Scripture teaches. Rather, we all stand in need of salvation, but need to exercise faith in what God has done to receive it. Salvation, therefore, is received by faith by the one who turns to God seeking forgiveness. (See Romans 3:21-25a.)

4. The gospel is about grace, not works.

The salvation that comes through Jesus comes not as something we earn, but something God gives that we acknowledge we need. So, when I ask God to forgive my sin and seek his forgiveness and salvation, I am recognizing that I cannot save myself and I cannot earn salvation.

GRACE has been said to mean God’s riches at Christ’s expense. The point here is that his work on the cross pays the penalty for my sin and opens the door for God to forgive me and brings me back into a reconciled relationship with him. Works cannot earn salvation. Works result from salvation out of divine design and a grateful responsive heart. (See Ephesians 2:8-10.)

5. The gospel has a goal beyond heaven.

The point of the gospel is not about going to heaven, as nice as that prospect is. It is about being engaged with God forever. I like to joke that living forever is a good thing depending on whom it’s with. The good news of the gospel is that it opens the door to a restored relationship with God that he enables. So, the exciting thing is that reconciliation results with benefits starting now, not just in the future. (See 2 Corinthians 5:16-20.)

6. The gospel is about the giving of the Spirit.

Another often under-appreciated element of the gospel is that with forgiveness comes God sending his Spirit to indwell, enable, and direct us. Here is the key to the renewed relationship the gospel brings. We are not left to ourselves in our walk with God. This gift comes from the raised Jesus, who receives the Spirit from the Father and passes it on to all who call out in his name and seek deliverance from God. (See Romans 6–8; Acts 2:16-39; 1 Corinthians 15:1-19.)

7. The gospel connects us to others.

When we believe in the gospel, we become part of a large community known as the body of Christ. That body is made up of many members all of whom have been equipped to help minister to one another and a needy world. (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-13.)

8. The gospel connects us to a cloud of witnesses over the centuries.

We walk with and trod a path of faith many have undertaken before us. The Hall of Faith of Hebrews 11 walks through the cloud of witnesses whose trek of faith set the stage for the gospel as they hoped for what was promised. Since then, many saints have followed and joined the ranks. Those who believe are not alone, but are part of a family that spans the centuries and will one day be united before God. (See Hebrews 11.)

9. The gospel is something Moses, David, Isaiah and many others longed to experience.

We participate in a precious promise when we embrace the gospel. Jesus taught that the righteous and the prophets longed to look into what the disciples were experiencing. The promise of Abraham (preached in the Old Testament time and not just in the New Testament) is the Gospel, God’s promise realized. (See Matthew 13:17.)

10. The gospel is so great that it is worth everything.

Jesus taught that the gospel of the kingdom was like a treasure hidden in a field or a pearl of great price. There is joy in finding it, like a treasure discovered. Upon discovering what it is, there should be no hesitation to sell all you have to buy it — only, in this case, it is free. (See Matthew 13:44-46.)

Bonus: the gospel is for the world — an equal opportunity provider.

This gospel is offered to anyone in the world. It is a gift that can be received by anyone. All you have to do to receive the pearl is acknowledge your need of forgiveness and a restored relationship to God, understand Jesus took your place and paid your penalty, and accept the offer of life and the Spirit God gives to those who come to him for their spiritual wellbeing. When anyone does that, they become a child of God. (See Acts 1:8; John 1:12.)

This article is taken from FaithStreet’s onFaith blog.

About the Contributors

Darrell L. Bock

Dr. Bock has earned recognition as a Humboldt Scholar (Tübingen University in Germany), is the author of over 40 books, including well-regarded commentaries on Luke and Acts and studies of the historical Jesus, and work in cultural engagement as host of the seminary’s Table Podcasts. He was president of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) from 2000–2001, served as a consulting editor for Christianity Today, and serves on the boards of Wheaton College and Chosen People Ministries. His articles appear in leading publications. He is often an expert for the media on NT issues. Dr. Bock has been a New York Times best-selling author in nonfiction and is elder emeritus at Trinity Fellowship Church in Dallas. When traveling overseas, he will tune into the current game involving his favorite teams from Houston—live—even in the wee hours of the morning. Married for over 40 years to Sally, he is a proud father of two daughters and a son and is also a grandfather.