But, when we hear the word gospel in today’s Christian culture our minds and hearts immediately run to the spiritual implications however, in the first century most minds and hearts would race to the political and historical implications. For those lived in the time of Jesus, the word gospel was used to refer to life altering, history making, or world shaping news.
Tim Keller in his book, “The King and The Cross” writes: “The gospel is good news announcing that we have been rescued or saved.”
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And what are we rescued from, what peril are we saved from?
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A New Testament shows that we are rescued from the “coming wrath” at the end of history “…and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 (Thessalonians 1:10)
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Martin Luther in his book, “Basic Theology” writes: “The gospel is a story about Christ, God’s and David’s son, who died and was raised, and is established as Lord.”
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Basically, “Creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.” this is the gospel in a nutshell
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The Old Testament records that Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, as a result of being corrupted by Satan so, they fell into sin. Since then, mankind has to face death. Then, God began the work of saving us humans. What God immediately did after Adam and Eve sinned was promise He would save fallen mankind. Although He doesn’t come right out and say it, the suggestion is that one day things will again be the way that they were supposed to be. It will all end up in good news.
The beginning of the gospel announcing that someone, (we now know it was Jesus Christ) born of a woman would ultimately triumph over Satan. And, from this reference:
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
The bruising of the woman’s child by Satan is understood as referring to Christ’s death at His first coming. Thus, Satan’s bruising is a reference to the event at Christ’s second coming, when according to Scripture Satan will be restrained from access to humanity.
As Apostle Paul wrote to the congregation at Rome that this would be accomplished and that they would be party to it: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20)
God’s resurrected people will triumph over Satan at Christ’s return. This is surely another aspect of the gospel.
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The good news is that; something has happened in history, something has been done for you by Jesus Christ that changes your status forever
It is not good advice but, it is good news
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During Noah’s time the bible states: “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. (Genesis 6:11-13)
It is astounding to consider that in the tenth generation from Adam the human race had become so wicked, evil, violent and corrupt that it was not fit to go on living. And, of all mankind only four men and four women were spared, because they did not go with the great sin drift. “On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark.” (Genesis 7:13)
And during the time of Moses, God used him to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt. He decreed laws and commandments through Moses as he officially led them to live their lives on earth. The Israelites at that period could only take care of the basic necessities of life but, they did know what kind of God, Jehovah was, much less how they should worship Him.
God demanded them strictly to abide by laws and; worship and exalt Him. If God had not decreed the laws and commandments people at that time would not have known how to lead the daily life. Because of restrictions of the laws and commandments, people knew that those who abided by Gods laws would be blessed by Him, and those who violated the laws would be stoned to death or burned by the fire.
As a result, the Israelites under the law strictly abided by God’s laws, honoured His name as holy and received His blessings. Meanwhile they spread the Gospel of God to denominations and sects outside of Israel. Those who accepted the gospel would receive His blessings, while those who didn’t would not.
At the end of the age of Law, the human race became so increasingly corrupt that they were unable to keep the law and were in constant danger of being put to death for violating the law. They worshiped idols instead of worship God, and lived in promiscuity and corruption because of not knowing daily life of normal humanity. In the end, they would have been trumped by Satan and punished by God, and returned to nothingness. God loves mankind. He couldn’t bear to see us living under Satan’s domain and being put to death for breaking the law.
Therefore, He personally became flesh to do the work of saving mankind on earth. In order to redeem us, He was crucified and served as a sin offering for the entire mankind. In the end He redeemed us from Satan’s hand. From then corrupt mankind could be forgiven of their sins for accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. This is the gospel of the Kingdom.
Just as Matthew 9:35 says “And Jesus went about the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among people.” All those who accepted the gospel of the kingdom brought by the Lord Jesus could be forgiven of their sins. And as long as they called on the name of the Lord Jesus, they could receive abundant grace. For example, the blind could see and the paralysed could walk. “And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33)
While those people who stubbornly rejected His gospel couldn’t be forgiven of their sins forever, nor could they receive the abundant grace that the Lord Jesus bestowed on man. Now the gospel of the Lord Jesus has spread to the ends of the earth, and many people have accepted the gospel of the kingdom. “Because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction…” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)
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“So now, what are you waiting for?
Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.”
(Acts 22:16)
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Perhaps, you read mostly about God but, you don’t know how to actually get it right with Him and become part of the Kingdom. Since the gospel is the news about what has been done by Jesus Christ to put right our relationship with God. The question is what must you do to be saved and what hope is there for the world? “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17).
How do you come to be saved from God’s wrath and from the guilt and dominion of sin with the hope of eternal joy in God?
Well, there are many instances you find in the New Testament that people were saved all at once without any process, without any period of mourning or repentance.
For example, Paul and Silas were in jail in the city of Philippi, and at midnight they sang and prayed until God broke down all the doors and broke the stocks which held their feet, with a mighty earthquake.
The poor jailer, frightened and convicted of his sins, came to these two preachers and asked this question. Read it in Acts 16:29-31:
“Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
The jailer did not go through a period of mourning. He was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; he did just that and was saved, and his whole family was saved the same way, immediately, the same hour of the night.
Zacchaeus, up a tree, trusted Jesus and made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully (Luke 19:6-9). Jesus said, “This day is salvation come to this house.”
When Peter told Cornelius and his assembled household that they could be saved by believing, immediately “while Peter yet spake these words,” the Scripture says, the Holy Spirit came on them and they were happily saved (Acts 10:44-48).
The thief on the cross, wicked sinner that he was, but got saved immediately. (Luke 23:42, 43).
In the first chapter of John: 35- 49, we see where Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael were all converted, one by one, immediately by faith in Christ. There is no record of any person in Bible times who was ever told to wait, or mourn, or weep over his sins before trusting Jesus and being saved.
But, why Romans 10:13 says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” The bible made this clear earlier in Romans 10:9 that: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, the calling that saves, is a calling of faith on Jesus as your Lord. This is why Apostle Paul says, “How can you call on the one you haven’t believed…” Until you believe in Jesus as Lord, you can’t call on him as one.
Therefore, the one who believe in Christ should however, acknowledge and repent for their sins to be forgiven. All that can keep you today from being saved is the wickedness of your heart that holds on to sin and will not turn to Jesus and trust in Him for salvation. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
In John 3:3, Christ said to Nicodemus, “Verily, verily [this means truly, truly], I say unto you, except a man be *born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” In verse 6, He continues, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Apostle Paul also wrote, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians. 15:50)
