The Biblical Gospel

In the midst of all my uncertainty, I sense the gravity of that injunction to preach the Gospel. This presupposes I understand what was preached and that injunction to preach. The biblical Gospel is not an all inclusive message in terms of content. That is, the biblical Gospel is not just any good news. According to the Scripture, it is the message preached through which men and women are saved, are being saved, and will be saved, meaning that there is something from which they must be saved and that there is a means of Salvation procured.

Certainly, the Gospel is not the law, namely “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength or love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). How could it be? For the law brings about death. The law is the enunciation of God's standard that men are obligated to observe and do, for if God has spoken, men must listen. The Law emphatically exposes our inability to obey and fulfill it. Even Paul reveals “I would not have known what sin was except through the law” (Romans 7:7). Earlier in Romans Paul employs a falling short metaphor for sin speaking about the infinite depth, width, height and breadth that man - of his own will or work - cannot ascend or cross. Man cannot remedy sin.

The primacy of this sin problem is not that it is an offense against government or brother. Sin is an offense against God, Himself. Consequently, God stands over and against men and women in judgment. The Biblical Gospel is a heralded message declaring what God has done in Jesus Christ reconcile us to God propitiating God's just wrath held because of sinners who have offended Him.

Jesus has completely and perfectly obeyed the Law for sinners and God haters who couldn't and wouldn't keep it. "He was obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8) “becoming sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Again, “He died to save His people from their sins” Matthew 1:21 vicariously, made the substitutionary atonement for sinners. God who is rich in mercy demonstrated His own love toward His people so that they will be delivered from the curse of the law so that they will taste and see and know the salvation of the Lord.

The declarative announcement that Jesus saves begs the question, “How does He save?” which, according to Jesus, is the same as asking, “How shall a man be born again?” because God has chosen to work by means. Answer: “For by grace are you saved through faith not of works" (Ephesians 2:8-9). “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Therefore, Biblical faith is faith in “Christ and Him crucified.” It acknowledges "Jesus is the Christ and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). The great credo is wonderfully articulate. Salvation is wrought by the Spirit through means of the Scriptures alone by Grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone.