Well in response to what some teachers and pastors are proclaiming around the world let us examine the bible, let us see what the message of the gospel is from scripture?
This is of course one of the most important questions that can be asked. We must make sure that what we proclaim is what the Bible proclaims. We must always come back to the inerrant and infallible words of scripture as our highest authority and let them teach, rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness[1].
The gospel message may be summed up as a message about Jesus[2], so Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch ‘opened his mouth and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news about Jesus’[3].
Well Jesus began his ministry in Mark 1 with the words; ‘The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’[4]. This is the same message that John had been preaching just before him; ‘proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’[5]. DB Knox goes on to explain:
"The message of Jesus was identical to the message of John. Like John, Jesus proclaimed the imminence of the Kingdom of God and called his hearers to repent…. The proclamation of the coming of the Kingdom of God was …..news, startling news which called for an immediate response of repentance. For the news of the Kingdom was the news of the judgement of God."
This message was preached by Jesus throughout the rest of his ministry, constantly warning his hearers of the eternal fire, ‘where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’[6]. The same message was continued by the apostles and the early church, and we can see it throughout the book of Acts; ‘he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed’[7]. And in the letters to the churches again the resounding gospel message is one of coming judgement; ‘the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel’[8].
Again, DB Knox summarises very helpfully;
"The judgement of God through Jesus Christ was the message the apostles preached. This message prevents the gospel being earthbound, as is so much modern preaching and evangelism."[2]
It is in this important context that we point to Jesus as Saviour and Lord. It is only with the knowledge of the coming judgement and wrath of God can we fully appreciate the work of Christ on the cross and his return in the future. Paul outlines it in Romans 5:9 when he says ‘we shall be saved from the wrath through him’. Like Jonathan Edwards famously preached we are all sinners in the hands of an angry God, and it is only the cross of Christ that can deal with this anger. It is as we turn in repentance, recognising our sin and clinging to the cross for our salvation that we escape the righteous anger of a holy God.
"For God in his graciousness had sent his son Jesus to be the saviour of the world, so that all who call on him for salvation, all who recognize his lordship and seek his help, will receive that salvation, which consists in the forgiveness of their sins and justification in the eyes of the judge."[2]
This is the gospel. It is not a question of ‘Come to Jesus and have all your problems solved, we are often sorely tempted to preach an attractive Jesus who connects with people’s aspirations, hungers and needs’[9]. It is however, a question of come to Jesus and find forgiveness, escape the coming judgement. Tony Payne goes onto say;
"This is not a difficult message to communicate or to understand. It is of course a profoundly contemptible message – one that our culture will regard as weak and foolish…. But this also Paul’s experience when he preached the gospel in Corinth. The Jews and Greeks begged for contextualization, Paul gave them Christ crucified instead."[9]
- 2 Timothy 3:16
- DB Knox. The gospel of the New Testament. Selected Works, Volume III, Matthias Media, Kingsford, 2006.
- Acts 8:35
- Mark 1:15
- Mark 1:4
- Matthew 13:42
- Acts 17:31
- Romans 2:13
- Tony Payne. What is the gospel? The Briefing, issue 343, p.16.
Dear Freedom
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