You are probably aware that the word “gospel” literally means “good news”. The word is used 94 times in the New Testament with the vast majority referring to the gospel of Jesus Christ, specifically the report of his death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

In what ways is the gospel of Christ good news?

It is good news because, outside of Christ, you and I are guilty sinners before God. The Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). We earn nothing good from God by the things we do. Since we have all sinned that puts us at enmity with the one, true, holy God. But his holiness which calls for the punishment of sin is matched by his love which calls for the provision for forgiveness. That’s why Paul went on to write, “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 6:23). When Jesus hung on the cross he took our sin on himself, intercepted our punishment and took it with him to the tomb.

It is good news because Jesus’ resurrection proves he is who he said. The Bible says that he “was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 1:4). If Jesus wasn’t raised from the dead he was no more than a misguided moralist with a messiah complex and illusions of grandeur, or worse an outright fraud. But since he was raised he was “declared to be the Son of God with power”. His resurrection verifies his authority to forgive our sins, direct our lives and one day call us into judgment. “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

It is good news because it is for everyone. There is a terrible false teaching which says that God has only chosen a few people to be saved. This doctrine teaches that your desire has nothing to do with your eternal destiny. This is absolutely contrary to the teaching of the New Testament. The Bible says that God, “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4) and that “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). It is true that the large majority of humanity will be eternally lost (Matthew 7:13,14). But not because that’s what God wants. Regardless of who you are, what you’ve done or how much you’ve done it God wants to save you. The gospel is, as Paul says, “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). God is not content to leave you where you are. He wants to take you where you are and bring you to where you can be. “Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

It is good news because God’s required response so simple. Jesus said to his apostles “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15,16).

God wants you to be saved. He’s made the way for you to be saved. What could be better news than that?

God bless you,

Brad Fry