The meaning of the word gospel is rooted in an ancient Greek word that translates to “good news”. This good news is a person named Jesus. The Gospel teaches us that God created all things from his good and perfect character as an act of love. In the beginning, there was perfect harmony between God and his creation, mankind. We also see, in Genesis 3, that rebellion quickly enters the world through human choice and infects mankind to its core; our very will and intention are bound to sin. This rebellion against God is called sin and this event in Genesis 3 is called The Fall. Because of sin, death enters the world, and mankind is now separated from God and without hope in this world. But God, in His kindness provides a promise at the end of Genesis 3, that through the lineage of mankind God himself would make a way for his people to return back to him. This plan took thousands of years to unfold. God’s rescue plan is laid out in detail throughout the whole of scripture and finally reaches its culmination in a person; God’s rescue plan is Jesus.

Jesus, being fully man and fully God lived a perfect life on our behalf. He was tempted in every way that we are tempted but, Jesus lived entirely without sin. In addition to living on our behalf, he also died on our behalf. He was condemned by the religious leaders of the time, crucified on a Roman cross, died a literal death, and was buried in a tomb. His death was a perfect atoning sacrifice, repairing the breach between God and mankind caused by sin. At Jesus’ death, God’s rescue plan was finished.

But, more than atoning for our sin, Jesus also grants us life and secures access for us to the relationship of the trinity. Jesus experienced and tasted death in its entirety so that he might bring death to an end. After his death, Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered death and dealt with the consequence of our sin. Anyone who would believe in His name and put their trust in his finished work, “though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). It cost Jesus everything to offer us unending love, friendship, and grace that we have not earned.

The Gospel is the good news because death has been defeated, the power of sin in our lives has been broken, Jesus is alive, and we have access to life itself and to God our Father through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. We also have hope not only in the life to come but in this life. When God saves us he saves us into a life of faith in Jesus’ work on our behalf. Because of Jesus, we can receive the love of God our Father, no matter what wrongs we have done or have been done against us. Jesus knows our need, has compassion for us, and has the power to save us from all darkness (Hebrews 7:25).

If you have questions about what it means to follow Jesus we would love to meet with you and tell you more.