The Gospel is the Person and Work of Jesus Christ
The Gospel is the good news of who Jesus is and what he did. Jesus is the Son of God and, while remaining fully-God, he became a man by being born of a virgin woman about 2000 years ago. He lived a perfect life in obedience to God. He never sinned but fulfilled God’s holy law perfectly. About 33 years into his earthly life, he was arrested and tried for crimes he did not commit and sentenced to death by crucifixion. No one took his life from him — he willingly went to the cross to be tortured and killed. It was God’s plan that Jesus would die on the cross. And what happened on the cross is the most important thing in history. God the Father placed the sins of the world upon his Son, and the Son willingly took the punishment for the sins of the world. Therefore, the Son received the punishment for sin that we deserve, and he died on the cross bearing the penalty for sin. Three days later he rose from the dead, just as he said he would. His resurrection showed that his sacrificial death was accepted before God and that everything Jesus said and did was true. He then ascended into heaven, promising to return a second time, when he will complete the work he started. At his second coming, he will make all things new and judge all people; sending some to eternal life with God and others to eternal punishment under God’s wrath.
The Gospel Calls For a Response
Jesus told his disciples to go and preach this message to the world, calling all men everywhere to repent (turn from their sins) and put their faith in the work he accomplished on the cross to pay the penalty due for their sins. When someone repents and places their trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ, God will forgive all their sins, adopt them as his child and give them eternal life. So repent, place your trust in Christ as your only means of forgiveness from God. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. (1 Cor 15:1-11;John 1:1,14,18; Col 2:9; Luke 1:34-35; John 10:18; 1 John 2:2; John 1:29; Isa 53:5; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; Acts 16:31; Rom 10:9; Rom 4:24-25; Rom 4:4-5; Rom 6:23; Acts 17:30)
One Page Gospel Handout
Download this 1-page handout defining the Gospel with questions to help ground a Scriptural foundation of the Gospel.