WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

Romans 1:16-17

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

If you are tuned into Christianity at all, you know the word “Gospel” is a word used all the time.

Pastors are to preach the “Gospel” message.

Christian believers are expected to share the “Gospel” with others.

And there is even a special category of “Gospel” music that Jesus followers can listen to.

But what IS the Gospel, exactly? How would you answer the question if it was posted to you?

Well, I suspect if you asked 10 people to define the Gospel, you may end up getting ten different answers, even though the scriptures clearly tell us what the Gospel is. Look at our two verses for today where we find Apostle Paul providing us an exact explanation of this word (Gospel) that we throw around so liberally in Christian channels. He wrote this:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”  Romans 1:16-17

Through these words, we see how the Gospel is best described through its three primary qualities.

First, it is not a man-made construct but rather the very “power of God”. There is might behind the Gospel message and that might comes from God.

The second thing that defines the Gospel is that it “brings salvation to everyone who believes” in Jesus as Savior. Jesus proclaimed that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so whosoever would believe in His Son wouldn’t perish but live forever.

Note that this salvation is not reserved for any one population over another. Rather, this power of God that brings salvation is available to anyone who believes in Jesus. In Paul’s day, he made this point by saying salvation was freely given to the Jew and the Gentile equally even though the sequencing of Gospel sharing started with the Jews before heading to the rest of the world (to the Gentiles).

The third and final quality of the Gospel we learn from these two verses is that it is reveals “the righteousness of God” which is received through living by faith. Paul makes his point by directly quoting these words from the prophet Habbakuk:

“The righteous will live by faith.”

One only lives right in God’s eyes by believing in Him by faith and trusting He will guide through His holy, divine Word and Holy Spirit.

The Gospel was and is the power of God that saves all who believe in Jesus as Savior and then leads those believers to live righteously through their faith in Him. This is the message we are to tell others and like Paul, do so unashamedly.

Our Lord would have it no other way.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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