What is the Gospel?

The Gospel: God’s Total Victory in Christ

The Gospel proclaims God’s total victory in Christ—the good news that through Jesus, God fulfills His eternal Word, declaring with a sworn oath: “By Myself I have sworn; My word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness, a word that will not be revoked: To me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance” (Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:9-11). This is the Word of the Lord that endures forever (1 Peter 1:25). As God declared from the beginning, “I make known the end from the beginning…” (Isaiah 46:10). “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22). His Word, an unbreakable promise, never fails: “My word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

Through Christ, God’s love is fully revealed: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). This love, demonstrated through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, is inseparable from us: “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers… will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

God is pleased to reconcile all things to Himself through Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:19-20). This is good, and it PLEASES God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4), and He accomplishes all that He desires and pleases Him (Job 42:2; Psalm 115:3). The eternal Word became flesh to take away the sins of the world. As John proclaimed: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). The Gospel reveals the mystery of God’s will, fulfilled in Christ, as His plan to unite all things in heaven and on earth under Him (Ephesians 1:9-10). This mystery, hidden for ages, is now proclaimed through the Church, so that God’s wisdom may be made known to all creation (Ephesians 3:9-10). As ambassadors of this Gospel, we are called to proclaim it boldly, as Paul exhorts: "when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel" (Ephesians 6:20).

Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, entered into our humanity to confront suffering and death (John 1:1, 14; Hebrews 2:14-15). The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8)—namely, sin and death, for “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus defeated these powers (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Colossians 2:15). On the cross, He declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30), revealing God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness (John 3:16-17; Romans 5:8; Luke 23:34).

God achieved this victory not by pouring out His wrath on Christ, but by demonstrating His love through Jesus’ sacrifice, defeating sin, death, and evil, and restoring creation to life (John 10:10; Hebrews 2:14-15). This act of love fulfills God's redemptive plan to draw all people to Himself (John 12:32; Philippians 2:10-11) and bring about the renewal of all things: “I AM MAKING EVERYTHING NEW” (Revelation 21:5; Acts 3:21).

Finally, as followers of Christ, we proclaim His total victory—the Good News that is for all people (Luke 2:10)—and testify that Jesus is the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14). Everyone who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God lives in them, and they in God (1 John 4:15). To Him, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). The Lord lifts up all who are bowed down (Psalm 145:14), and His call extends to all people: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22).

The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made (Psalm 145:9). For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that He may have mercy on all (Romans 11:32). It is His goodness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD's glory, as the water covers the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Eternal life is this: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ (John 17:3). Though we now see dimly as in a mirror, one day we will see Him face to face; now we know in part, but then we shall fully know, even as we are fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

This salvation does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy (Romans 9:16). For who can resist His will? (Romans 9:19). His sovereign mercy and goodness are the unshakable foundation of His redemptive plan for all creation.