What is the Gospel?

Two nights ago I had a short dream in which I was sharing before a group of Christians at a Bible school somewhere, and I asked this group a simple question: "What does the Bible teach us about how to be right with God?" There was silence for what seemed like forever. Then someone, without much confidence, suggested something which revealed she didn't understand the question. It was not that the group was antagonistic, but they were genuinely unsure and confused about how to correctly answer the question. They sat attentively forward and hungry to learn. I was struck by these Christian's inability to answer, and their ignorance of the most basic and fundamental issue of the Bible. I felt great compassion for them. "Turn to Romans chapter 1", I said. That was the dream.

I want to pick up where the dream left off because I know exactly where I was going. So many Christians need to hear and understand this, for so many are truly confused about this basic question, "What is the gospel?" It breaks my heart. The Church has not been rightly taught because somewhere along the way we felt we needed to graduate from the simplicity of Christ to "more important" things like self-improvement, subjective experiences, and other man-centered attractions. Because we left the gospel behind and embraced ideas that center around self, many people have fallen into a works-based righteousness, however mild or intense. People need to hear of the old liberating power of the gospel, which saves sinners and sets them right with God. We do not preach a new thing but the timeless crucified Savior Who will never change, though the world and its trends come and go like the tide.

ROMANS 1:14-18

Rom 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Rom 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men."

Here's where I was going in the dream. Paul shows us that the gospel is for all people in every place and for all time. He makes this immense statement: "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes..."

Question: Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel?
Answer: Because it is the power of God unto salvation.

The gospel, and it alone, though the world despise and ridicule it, is the only power [force, ability, strength] in heaven and on earth that can save men. If any man, Jew or Gentile, ancient or modern, is to be saved, it must be by the gospel, for there is nothing else in heaven or on earth that is able to save them. "There is no other 'detergent' that can remove this kind of stain, and though the world mock the look of it, I'm not ashamed, because this is the only thing that works, and nothing else! You can laugh at it and hate it, but it will cleanse the stain. You can ridicule the gospel, and mock me it's preacher, but I will preach on without shame, because the gospel, and this alone, is the only power in the whole world that can save sinners."

Question: Why is the gospel the power of God unto salvation?
Answer: Because therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.

Why and how does the gospel save? What is it's power? The answer is explicitly given in the verse 17. The reason that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation is because in it, and in it alone, is the righteousness of God revealed. The righteousness of God is shown to sinful men, and it is the righteousness of God that saves us. In other words, what is revealed to men in the gospel is God's gift of righteousness that comes to us by faith, (literally, "by faith from first to last"). Later in Romans, Paul introduces us to "the righteousness of God by faith" by contrasting it with the "righteousness of the law" in chapter 3:21-22: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." This is exactly why the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, for it reveals to men the only way for them to be righteous before Him: not by law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. When a sinner places his or her trust in Jesus Christ and the atoning sacrifice that He made on their behalf, righteousness is imputed "unto" or "upon" them, declaring them to be righteous in the sight of God. All the righteousness a man needs to be right with God was secured by the blood of Christ on the cross, and by believing in Christ that man receives that free gift of righteousness. Paul points out that this was what God had affirmed before by the prophets: "The just [righteous] shall live by faith." The gospel saves because the gospel makes men righteous before God.

Question: Why do men need righteousness?
Answer: Because the wrath of God is against all the unrighteousness of men.

Verse 18 explains the universal need of salvation by righteousness. We do not need saving from a boring life. We do not need saving from drowning in a lake. We do not need saving from emptiness or poverty. What all men, everywhere, in every age of time need, is saving from the wrath of God. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the unrighteousness and ungodliness of men..." Paul goes on to show that every single person, without any exceptions, is an offender against God and is justly condemned to die under the righteous wrath of God. God punishes unrighteousness, and all men are unrighteous. "There is none righteous, no not one" (Rom. 3:10) "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." (Rom. 3:20) If this is the case, what then can save them? How can man be righteous and thereby saved from the wrath of God? Not by morality. Not by prayers. Not by penance. There is only one thing that has the power to save sinners! It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, Who died on a cross to condemn unrighteousness in His body, and freely extends righteousness to all who believe. Righteousness is the whole issue of salvation: God is righteous, and a person must be righteous to live in accordance with Him. All unrighteousness is impartially condemned by God, and because all are unrighteous, all are condemned. How then shall man and God be reconciled? Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, the way of reconciliation is known. Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins so that all who believe will be declared righteous in the sight of God. (2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:1-2) This is the gospel, and it alone is the power of God to save sinners.

Here lies the simplicity of the gospel, and we must never forget it or replace it. The Church needs to shamelessly point men and women to the only place where they can go to be saved from the wrath of God. That is to Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Let us remember that what is truly needful isn't new doctrines and better programs and ear-tickling prophesies, promising people things that God never promised; but only one thing is needful, and that is the declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a world of unrighteousness condemned by God. But I think one last question is necessary at this point:

Question: Why did God even provide the gospel?
Answer: Because God so loved the world.

The gospel reveals to us that God loves sinners, and He loves them so much that He died for them. And if we withhold preaching the gospel to people because we are ashamed of its message, or don't want to offend, or would rather preach something more acceptable and inoffensive, we are actually robbing men and women of the true knowledge of the love of God in Christ Jesus, and robbing God from the glory of His love. We are both hurting men and God by not preaching the gospel. This is why it is so important that we first of all understand the gospel, and that we might preach it boldly as we ought. Consider what is at stake.

Let us then, as debtors with the apostle Paul, declare with timeless conviction, for God's and men's sake: "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ."