Gospel - Part I

Question: When you hear the word gospel, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the four gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Or is it music, as in gospel music?

Truth is, the word gospel can take on different meanings. The Free Dictionary provides some of these definitions. But according to Pristine Grace, these definitions are "contrary to its original and proper meaning." For a more Biblical perspective, Pristine Grace offers this definition:

The word has its origin "in Christ before the foundation of the world."  This was contained in the "promise" God made before the foundation of the world. (Tit. 1:2)  The "gospel," the "good news" or "good tidings" is the declared fulfillment of that promise.

But the author continues and proclaims that the grand total of the gospel can be summarized in this one prophetic quote:

Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the meek, He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.  To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn.  To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified."  (The Redeemer repeated this same proclamation of Himself in the synagogue.)

This is a very important distinction. It's important to understand the correct definition as it was intended and to understand its context because of the gospel's significance. The Apostle Paul says that Romans 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." And he also said, "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:11-14

The emphasis here of course is the Gospel of your salvation. This last verse in Ephesians even tells us what that is: the Word of Truth. In John 17:17, Jesus tells us that, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." And in John 14:6, "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Do you get the connection? It's all about Jesus! He is the Word and the Truth. Our salvation comes by way of the Gospel. And the Gospel is about Jesus. And so, Jesus is our salvation! That's why the Gospel is referred to as the Good News, as pointed out earlier. That's why in our earlier Biblical definition of the Gospel does it all come back to Jesus. That's where it begins. That's why Jesus is the fulfillment of that prophecy in Isaiah 61.

There are a couple of other considerations we have to realize though. Next time we'll look at what those are. Until then, let's rejoice in the fact that Jesus is the source of our salvation and that the Gospel leads us to Him and gives us the ability to believe and put our faith in Him. Hallelujah!