What is the Gospel

While speaking about the Gospel in the Bible, the apostle Paul said it was "... how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures...". We learn from this text that the message of the Gospel is that Christ died for our sins.

In the book of Romans we read that "... all have sinned and come short of the glory of God", so the message of the Gospel concerns all of mankind. The question of sin is a major concern for everyone because we learn in the Bible that sin has caused a separation between God and men, a separation which is not only for our time on earth but also something which has eternal consequences. 

In the message of the Gospel, we learn how that God devised a plan to deal with the question of our sin and its consequences. The Christmas story tells of how God's Son came to earth as a man, how He was born in a stable and cradled in a manger. The Easter story tells of how God's Son willing submitted to the humiliation and death of the cross and on the third day was raised out from among the dead ones. We read in Romans that "...he was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification." 

How does this message affect you and me? 

We read in John chapter 3 of a very religious man, who became aware of the miracles and teaching of the Saviour. He became so concerned that he sought an urgent meeting with the Lord Jesus. We read of his surprise when he was advised that he - "must be born again". The Lord Jesus in this passage explains that spiritual birth is necessary for eternal life. He explains that God's love for man was demonstrated in the gift of His Son and that as a result of this gift, salvation is offered to "whosoever believeth in Him (the Lord Jesus)". 

The message ends with a warning, the verse says  "that whosover believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". The wonderful message of the Gospel requires a response from you and me, if we accept the message, we will have everlasting life, if we don't accept the message, the Bible says we will perish.