What is the good news of Jesus Christ?
You may think this is a crazy question. Everyone knows the gospel, right? Or, at least, everyone who’s gone to Sunday school knows the drill—surely.
Yet the gospel has fallen on hard times. A recent conference that drew more than six thousand people—mainly pastors—was called ‘The Unadjusted Gospel’ in response to the endless adjustments the North American church is making to the good news. The organizers of the conference have drawn a line. ‘Enough is enough’, they are saying. ‘Quit messing with the message. Just give people the simple truth.’
Okay, so what is the simple truth of the gospel? Are you able to put it into your own words? Tell us the good news. (You may wish to begin with the bad news; it makes the good news a whole lot sweeter).
Also, tell us what determines the content of the gospel. Who or what defines the message? For instance, do people determine the content? Does the church? Or does the word of God?
Okay, I’ll bite.
1. We have all offended God with our wrongdoing, and we are in grave danger of hell unless we make peace with God.
2. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, to take our punishment. God so loved the world that he sent his son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
This is in the Bible clearly. How do we know this is true? The books of the Bible, when compared to any other historical documents of their time which are considered historically accurate, generally have more supporting manuscripts. It also contains many examples of fulfilled prophecy. It also, when read in its entirety, contains an amazing cohesion when one considers how many writers contributed to it. These are my main reasons for believing it is true, and inspired by God.
Wow, that’s a great answer. Thanks, Allan. Along with all those great reasons for believing the Bible which you list, there’s the greatest one of all: it’s breathed-out by God. God himself bears witness, again and again, on page after page of Scripture, that these are his very words. ‘Thus saith the Lord…’ God has spoken. Who better to vouch for the truthfulness and trustworthiness of Scripture than God?
I’m glad to hear this question being asked clearly. In the secular world, we might be asking the question of “core business.”
I may be perverse, but I find as much in the Bible about what some call social justice as I do about what some call personal salvation.
I think we need to believe in both, and promote both.
Personally, I appreciate N.T. Wright’s emphasis on the Gospel being the promise of God to heal the world–beginning with us. We are invited to live out this healing, this salvation, in gratitude and reverence.