The gospel.
You’ve probably heard the word gospel before, but do you know what it means? More importantly, do you understand how the gospel actually changes your life? The gospel is what the Christian faith boils down to, so understanding the gospel not only strengthens our faith but puts us in a better position to share it with others.
The What
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say the New Testament is dedicated to helping us know what the gospel means and to understanding how it changes our lives. You can spend a lot of time exploring the meaning (the word shows up 92 times in the NIV). The passages below are a bit unique in that they provide a very simple definition of what the gospel is and an equally simple explanation of what the gospel does. As you read these verses, note on a separate sheet of paper your thoughts on these questions:
• What does the gospel do?
• How is it described?
• What are the primary components of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:3-5)?
The Word
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith'” (Rom. 1:16-17).
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve” (1 Cor. 15:1-5).
The So What
The Greek word (Greek was the original language of New Testament) that we translate as gospel means “good news.” It’s the same word messengers used to describe good news from the battlefield. In your own words, and using the language from these verses, write a couple of sentences that explain why the gospel is good news to you.
These verses, especially from 1 Corinthians 15, break down the gospel to its simplest form.
How would you explain the gospel to a friend who doesn’t know anything about God or Jesus? Write a few sentences that capture the simplicity of the Romans and 1 Corinthians passages cited here, but use your own words.
Seal the Deal
A famous football coach, Vince Lombardi, called a meeting of his championship team, the Green Bay Packers after losing a game due to a lackluster performance. In addressing the team, Lombardi said, “We’re going back to the basics.” Then, grabbing a football and holding it up, he continued, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
You can’t get more basic than that with the game of football. Sometimes in our faith walk we need to get back to the very basics of what this is all about—the gospel.
• Take a minute to think about your spiritual life in its purest form, just you and God.
• Pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God for what the gospel has done in your life.
• Journal your thoughts about how your life would be without the gospel.
How can a simple understanding of the gospel help you in these areas of life:
-reactions to adverse or difficult circumstances?
-outlook on life in general?
-hope for the future?
-love for people around you?
One of the most popular phrases from the field of management and business is, “Keep it simple.” It’s a phrase we should apply to our understanding of our faith. It all boils down to the gospel. It is that simple.
Barry Shafer has been in youth ministry for more than 25 years. As director of InWord Resources, Barry has written numerous small-group Bible studies and teen devos, and is author of Unleashing God’s Word in Youth Ministry (Youth Specialties/Zondervan). He is a regular contributor to YouthWorker Journal, writing “10 Minutes in God’s Word.” Barry lives in Middletown, Ohio, with his wife, Jessica, and newborn son, Reade.
