What is 'The Gospel'?

What do we mean we say 'Gospel'?

'The Gospel' is the message of the very first followers of Jesus. Paul, God's apostle to the Gentiles, in the oldest explanation of the gospel in the New Testament, claims that his gospel 'is of first importance' (1 Corinthians 15:3). He also states that God specifically set him apart to proclaim the gospel (Romans 1:1) and that the gospel is 'the power of God for salvation for all who have faith' (Romans 1:16). The gospel writers themselves all believed that their narratives about Jesus corresponds with Paul's gospel. Mark, the first gospel writer, begins his book by stating simply: 'the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ' (Mark 1:1). Jesus' own message of the coming Kingdom of God is called 'gospel' (Matthew 4:23). 

The gospel is the heart of the Christian faith. 

Over the next four weeks, we will be exploring what the earliest followers of Jesus meant when they used the term 'gospel'. 

In the first week, we will examine the meaning of the term 'gospel' and the passages in the New Testament that define the gospel. In the second week, we will explore the Old Testament background of the gospel and how it fits into the larger Biblical narrative. In the third week, we will understand what it means for Jesus to be the Messiah and how that identity is at the heart of the gospel. In the fourth week, we will see how the gospel impacts our understanding of salvation and the mission of the church.