What Is the Gospel?
Updated: Oct 5
We hear the word “gospel” all the time in Christianity—but what does it actually mean, and why does it matter for every one of us?
The word gospel is familiar to most Christians. We talk about gospel preaching, gospel music, sharing the gospel, and living for the gospel.
But imagine someone who knows very little about Christianity asking you a simple question: “What is the gospel?” What would you tell them?
The answer is at the very heart of Christianity.
The gospel is not a self-improvement program. It isn’t a list of religious rules, and it isn’t a message telling us to become good enough for God.
The word gospel means good news. It is the good news of what God has done for sinners through Jesus Christ.
But before we can understand why the gospel is such good news, we have to understand the bad news.
Our Greatest Problem Is Sin
We live in a world filled with problems. Broken relationships, suffering, hatred, violence, sickness, and death surround us.
Scripture takes us deeper and reveals the underlying problem: sin.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
Notice that Scripture doesn’t say some have sinned. All have sinned.
Sin isn’t limited to the things society considers especially terrible. Sin is rebellion against God and falling short of His holy standard. It affects our actions, words, thoughts, desires, and motives.
Our greatest problem, therefore, isn’t simply that we need to become better people. We need to be reconciled to God. And that’s something we cannot accomplish ourselves.
Sin Has a Cost
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 NKJV
Think about the word wages. A wage is something you’ve earned. Scripture says sin earns death.
God is perfectly loving, but He is also perfectly holy and just. He cannot simply declare evil irrelevant and pretend sin doesn’t matter.
That leaves humanity with an enormous problem: How can sinful people be made right with a holy God?
We can’t fix the problem ourselves. But God can. And He did.
God Sent His Son
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16 NKJV
God did for us what we could never do for ourselves. Jesus Christ came into the world. He lived without sin. He willingly went to the cross. He died for our sins. He was buried. And on the third day, He rose from the dead.
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NKJV
That’s the center of the Christian message: Jesus died for our sins and rose again.
The Cross Wasn’t an Accident
Jesus wasn’t simply a good teacher whose life ended tragically. He willingly gave Himself for sinners.
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5 NKJV
Jesus bore our sins on the cross. Peter writes that Christ “Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24 NKJV).
Jesus took upon Himself what we could never remove through our own efforts. That’s why salvation cannot be earned.
Being “Good Enough” Won’t Save Us
It’s easy to imagine our relationship with God like a set of scales: put the bad things we’ve done on one side and our good deeds on the other, then hope the good outweighs the bad.
But that’s not the gospel.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV
Salvation is a gift of God’s grace. We don’t earn salvation through morality, church attendance, baptism, religious rituals, generosity, or good works.
Our hope must rest in Jesus Christ, not ourselves. So how should we respond to this good news? Jesus gave us the answer.
Repent and Believe the Gospel
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Mark 1:15 NKJV
Those two words are incredibly important: Repent. Believe.
Repent
Repentance is more than feeling bad about something you’ve done. It involves a genuine change of mind and heart toward God and sin—a turning away from rebellion and a turning toward God.
“that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”
Acts 26:20 NKJV
Repentance doesn’t mean fixing yourself before you come to Jesus. You don’t have to clean yourself up enough to become worthy of God’s grace. You come to Christ precisely because you cannot save yourself.
Repentance means you stop defending your sin and self-rule. You acknowledge your guilt before God and turn toward Him.
Believe
The other side of the response is faith.
When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” they answered:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”
Acts 16:31 NKJV
Biblical faith is more than knowing facts about Jesus. You can know that Jesus existed, that He was crucified, and even intellectually agree that He rose from the dead.
Saving faith means placing your trust in Jesus Christ Himself.
You stop trusting your own goodness, your religious accomplishments, and your ability to make yourself right with God. You place your trust in Jesus Christ—who He is and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection.
Repentance and faith belong together. We turn from sin and self-rule, and we turn to Jesus Christ in faith. Neither earns salvation. Salvation is by God’s grace.
Jesus Is Savior and Lord
Sometimes the gospel is presented as though Jesus simply wants to be added to our existing lives. But Jesus doesn’t call us merely to add a little Christianity to our schedules. He calls us to follow Him.
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24 NKJV
Following Jesus doesn’t mean we suddenly become perfect. Christians still struggle. Christians still stumble. Christians still need God’s grace every day.
But genuine faith begins a new life under the lordship of Jesus Christ. We aren’t saved because we’ve successfully lived as disciples. We follow Christ because He has saved us.
Grace doesn’t give us permission to remain comfortably in rebellion against God. Grace brings us into a new relationship with Him.
The Empty Tomb Changes Everything
The gospel doesn’t end at the cross. Jesus rose from the dead. And that changes everything.
“And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”
1 Corinthians 15:17 NKJV
Christianity stands or falls with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus wasn’t merely a teacher who lived and died 2,000 years ago. He is the risen Lord.
Because Jesus lives, death does not have the final word. Because Jesus lives, forgiveness is available. Because Jesus lives, sinners can be reconciled to God. Because Jesus lives, those who belong to Him have eternal hope.
What Will You Do With Jesus?
Maybe you’ve known about Jesus your entire life. Maybe you grew up in church. Maybe you consider yourself a good person. Maybe you’ve been religious for years. Or perhaps you’re reading about the gospel for the first time.
The most important question isn’t, “Am I religious?” It isn’t, “Have I done more good than bad?”
The question is: “What have I done with Jesus Christ?”
The message of Scripture is clear. We have sinned. We cannot save ourselves. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins. He was buried. He rose from the dead. And God calls us to repent and believe the gospel.
If you’ve been trusting your own goodness, stop trusting yourself to accomplish what only Christ can do. Turn to Jesus. Acknowledge your sin before God. Repent of your rebellion. Place your faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work. Confess Him as Lord.
“the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
John 6:37 NKJV
The Gospel in One Sentence
The gospel is the good news that although we are sinners who cannot save ourselves, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose from the dead; God now calls us to repent and place our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, receiving salvation by grace rather than by our works.
That’s the gospel. That’s the good news. And it’s news too important to keep to ourselves.
Take the Next Step
If you’re already a follower of Jesus, ask yourself: Could I clearly explain the gospel to someone else?
Take some time this week to read Romans 3:21–26, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, and Ephesians 2:1–10. Then practice explaining the gospel in your own words.
And if you’ve never trusted Christ, don’t wait until you think you’re good enough. You never will be. That’s why you need a Savior.
Have questions about the gospel, or did you just put your trust in Jesus? We would love to hear from you and pray with you. Send us a message — every message is read personally.
Next in this series: What Does It Really Mean to Follow Jesus?
REPENT. BELIEVE THE GOSPEL. FOLLOW JESUS.
The Digital Pulpit is a ministry of Digital Disciples Ministries—proclaiming biblical truth, encouraging
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About the author: Phillip Hardison is the founder of Digital Disciples Ministries, a husband and father of two, and an ordained deacon devoted to teaching God's Word clearly and faithfully. Learn more about Phillip.
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