You can spend years around Christians and still wonder what they mean by the word gospel.
Churches say they preach it. Christians say they believe it. But if someone asked you to explain the gospel over a cup of coffee, where would you begin?
The word means “good news.” And the Christian gospel announces something God has done for people who desperately need his help.
The apostle Paul gives us a clear starting point.
“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”
—1 Corinthians 15:3–4, ESV
Those few words bring us to the heart of Christianity. Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. Through him, sinners can be forgiven and reconciled to God.
Why do we need that reconciliation?
We were made by God and for God. He gives us life and every good thing we enjoy. We owe him our love, gratitude, trust, and obedience.
Yet each of us has turned away from him. We have done things we knew were wrong. We have left undone things we knew were right. Even our best actions are often mixed with pride, resentment, or a desire to be admired.
The Bible calls this sin. Sin damages our relationships with one another, and it makes us guilty before the holy God who made us. His goodness includes his commitment to judge evil justly. We need forgiveness, and we cannot undo our guilt by trying harder tomorrow.
This is where the good news meets us.
God sent his Son.
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who became truly human. He entered our world, lived among us, and obeyed his Father perfectly. He loved God and his neighbor with the faithfulness we owe and have failed to give.
Then he willingly went to the cross.
Paul says that Christ died “for our sins.” Jesus bore the judgment our sins deserved. He gave himself as our substitute so that everyone who trusts in him could receive forgiveness and acceptance with God.
At the cross, we see the seriousness of our sin and the astonishing depth of God’s love. The Father gave his beloved Son. The Son willingly gave himself.
And on the third day, Jesus rose bodily from the grave.
His resurrection means that the crucified Savior is alive. He has conquered death. He reigns today and will return to judge the world and raise his people to everlasting life.
These events happened in history. Paul points his readers to witnesses who saw the risen Jesus. Christian hope rests on the living Savior who accomplished what we could never accomplish for ourselves.
How, then, do we receive this salvation?
Jesus calls us to repent and believe the gospel.
To repent is to turn from sin toward God, acknowledging that we have been wrong and seeking his mercy. To believe is to receive and rest on Jesus Christ—to entrust ourselves to him for the forgiveness and life he promises.
We come to him with empty hands. We bring our need, our guilt, and our helplessness. He supplies the righteousness and redemption we lack.
This changes how we approach God. A troubled conscience can find peace in Christ’s finished work. A person ashamed of the past can ask for forgiveness with confidence in his mercy. Someone who has spent years trying to earn God’s acceptance can learn to rest in the Savior God has provided.
And the grace that forgives us begins to change us. The risen Jesus gives his people his Spirit, teaches them to obey, and brings them into the life of his church.
Perhaps you have believed these things for many years. You still need this good news today. Perhaps you are hearing them clearly for the first time. Jesus invites you to come to him.
You can call upon him right where you are. Confess your sin. Ask for his mercy. Trust him to save you.
The gospel gives us a sure hope because Jesus Christ died for sinners and rose again. Everyone who comes to him in faith will find him a sufficient Savior.
In the next post, we’ll consider a question many thoughtful people ask: Why do good people need saving?
