1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 1:16, Galatians 1:8
The Most Important Word in Christianity
The English word "gospel" comes from the Old English godspel — good news. The Greek word is euangelion — an announcement, a proclamation of something that has happened. The gospel is not a philosophy, a self-help system, or a set of moral guidelines. It is news. Specifically, it is the best news in the history of the world.
But what exactly is it?
The Gospel Defined by Paul
Paul gives us the clearest and most compact definition of the gospel in his first letter to the Corinthians:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. — 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Four historical facts, all of first importance:
- **Christ died** — not as a martyr or an example, but as a substitute, bearing the sins of His people
- **For our sins** — His death was not accidental; it was purposeful, in our place, for our guilt
- **He was buried** — the death was real, not apparent; confirmed by burial
- **He was raised** — on the third day, bodily, historically, verifiably
This is the gospel. Everything else in Christianity flows from these four facts.
The Gospel Is the Power of God
Paul was not embarrassed by the gospel. He was not strategic about when to mention it and when to keep it quiet. He was compelled by it.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. — Romans 1:16
The gospel is not merely a helpful message or one spiritual option among many. It is the power of God — the means by which God saves sinners. There is no salvation apart from it.
What the Gospel Is Not
Because the gospel is so important, it must be kept clear. Paul issues one of the strongest warnings in all of Scripture against distorting it:
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. — Galatians 1:8
The gospel is not:
- A message that God will make your life better if you follow Him
- A call to moral improvement or religious effort
- The idea that God accepts everyone regardless of faith or repentance
- A partial message where Christ's death is mentioned but His resurrection is not
Any gospel that adds works as a condition of salvation, removes the wrath of God, denies the physical resurrection, or makes Jesus merely one way among many is not the gospel Paul preached.
The Gospel Demands a Response
The gospel is not merely information to be stored. It is an announcement that demands a response. Jesus began His ministry with the command: "Repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15).
Repentance — turning from sin and self.
Faith — trusting in the Christ who died and rose.
These are not works that earn salvation. They are the hands that receive it.
Why Everything Depends on It
The gospel is not one department of Christianity. It is the foundation of everything. It is what justifies the sinner, what sanctifies the believer, and what will glorify the redeemed at the last day. The church exists to proclaim it. The Christian life is a response to it. Eternity turns on it.
Get the gospel right, and everything else has a foundation. Lose the gospel, and nothing else holds together.