I've been catching up on my reading and I've been a mulling around what the defintion of "The Gospel" entails. I've seen it used as refering to God's promise "restricting" it to New Testament usage, and it used more broadly as God's promise to save unbelievers. I'm not afraid to speak of "The Gospel" as God's promise to save unbelievers but I would continue to use it as describing God's glory being shown in salvation, reprobation, creation, etc; continuing to use it as what God is, has done, will do, etc.

I'm I not being fair in that description? Is there a definite definition of "The Gospel"?

If you use the "Gospel" in a conversation, how do you use it? What does it entail?

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Zach Whitson
Clarksburg Baptist
Tipton, MO

The Gospel is this:
God sent his Son into the world to reconcile sinners to himself through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross, which satisfied the wrath of God, covered the sins of His elect, and whose obedience satisfied the righteous demands of the Law.

__________________
Bob Vigneault C.O.L, L.E., G.E, Dr.O.P., O.U.T.
The Heartbeat of Heaven (blog)
Deacon/Christ Presbyterian Church, Janesville, WI OPC www.christ-opc.org

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So, anything beyond that is Unnecessary? Incorrect?

You can sum up the gospel in "Jesus Christ,"
but then you must start adding to it.

"The Cross of Christ."

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

"That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;" 1Cor.15:3-4


Everything in the Bible points to God's objective work through Christ for the salvation of a holy people. The gospel is the declaration that that work has been objectively accomplished.

The "hope of the gospel" is something we might call the OT expectation. But strictly speaking, they were waiting for the gospel to arrive. Until the historic moment, it was the Promise of the gospel.

So, there is some sort of minimum. That would be: whatever it takes to tell someone of what God has done to provide salvation for sinners through the Lord Jesus Christ. The man is responsible to believe in the gospel. However much of it he gets. Never to be satisfied with just a tiny, bite-sized piece of it, but to find a gospel-centered church that proclaims it all the time, so that he gets more of it all the time.

The first bits of the gospel-feast may not really be a life-giving meal of the Bread of Life. Perhaps he needs more just to "get it." To get his spiritual metabolism revved up and functioning. But then, no one survives on one crust of bread anyway for their years of life. That's why there's more to becoming a Christian than walking an aisle someplace, sometime. How do you even know if you are a Christian? Is it the experience of dramatic conversion? Or is it life-long sustenance on the gospel?

The gospel isn't just for that "conversion moment." It is for every day of the believer's life. It is knowledge that grows. Because as Peter wrote, we are to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." What is he? He is the center of God's revelation, which is all about the gospel. All doctrine connects to Christ and the gospel.

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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


When posting friends, kindly bear those words of earthly wisdom in mind:
Oh, that God the gift would give us
To see ourselves as others see us.
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Anything beyond that can be quite helpful. The important thing to remember is that the Gospel is the news - a definite, historic event that took place and had witnesses. It is not a system of belief that one must accept or reject. It is not that God loves everyone. It is not based on personal testimony.

When the apostles proclaimed the gospel they said Jesus came into our world, we touched him, we saw him die and we saw him raised from the dead. Their message didn't require a system or method or gimmick, they proclaimed the news that God sent His son into the world to save sinners.

The 'world' of course is the elect from every tribe, tongue and nation.

continuing thought...If man is at enmity against God, isn't he rejecting the Gospel as well?