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What is the Gospel?

By Pastor Allan Briggs

If your neighbor were to approach you one day, knowing you claimed to be a Christian and go to that church in Klinger called David’s, and asked you what the gospel is, what would you say? How would you explain the gospel message? Maybe you could quote John 3:16 “For God so loved the world He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

That’s a good start, but what could you add? Explaining the gospel is something everyone who claims to be a Christian should be able to do. However, explaining the gospel is not so easy! In the book, What is the Gospel? the author Gregg Gilbert writes, “Ask any hundred self-professed evangelical Christians what the good news of Jesus is, and you’re likely to get about sixty different answers. Listen to evangelical preaching, read evangelical books, log on to evangelical websites, and you’ll find one description after another of the gospel, many of them mutually exclusive. (p. 18)” He then goes on to give 8 different definitions from famous preachers and teachers.

We want to clear up all the confusion about what exactly the gospel is and give you all simple and effective tools to share the gospel with others.

We are starting a new sermon series in September called, “What is the Gospel?” The series will go for four weeks. Week one will be, “The Gospel Basics,” week two, “Pictures of the Gospel,” week three, “Law and Grace in the Gospel,” and week four, “Living the Gospel.” We would like you to invite all your friends and neighbors out to this sermon series. It will be great for those who don’t know Jesus or those who have known Him for 100 years! You will also notice some billboards on Rt. 147 that will be promoting this sermon series. Please pray that the Lord brings many people to the saving knowledge of His Son.

Lastly, let me give you a simple answer to the question we opened with “What is the Gospel?” in a format that is easy to remember:

  • G God says everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23)
  • O Our Sin leads us to hell (Romans 6:23)
  • S Sin cannot be erased by good works (Ephesians 2:8-9)
  • P Paid the price for sin, Jesus died (Romans 5:8)
  • E Everyone who confesses and believes will be saved (Romans 10:9)
  • L Life eternal cannot be lost (Romans 8:1)

If you find this outline helpful, stop by the welcome desk in the foyer of the church and pick up a G.O.S.P.E.L card to put in your wallet or purse to help you remember what the gospel is.

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