In my last article, I said there was no such thing as a bad Bible translation, with one exception: The...
What is the gospel?
“The gospel is not a message about how to get to heaven, but a declaration that Jesus is King. It is the good news that through him, God’s kingdom has come, is coming, and will come in fullness.” — N. T. Wright
The gospel: in brief.
The gospel is the good news that God is setting the world right through His Son. When Jesus began his ministry, he proclaimed: “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15).
Through Jesus’ life, miracles, and teaching, God’s reign broke into the world. At the cross, Jesus dealt with sin and defeated the powers of evil. In his resurrection, he broke the power of death and inaugurated the new creation.
Right now, Jesus reigns at the Father’s right hand, and his kingdom advances as people repent, believe, and live under his rule. But the gospel also points forward. One day, Jesus will return to raise the dead, renew creation, and establish the kingdom fully on earth.
The kingdom of God is not about escaping earth for heaven, but about heaven coming to earth. The good news is that Jesus is King and we are invited to live as his people now, while waiting for his kingdom to come in all its fullness.
Creation And God’s Purpose
In the beginning, God made the heavens and the earth, and He called it good (Genesis 1:31). Humanity was created in His image to reflect His glory, care for creation, and live in fellowship with Him. God’s design was always for earth to be filled with His presence and His rule.
The Problem Of Sin
But humanity turned from God. Sin entered the world and brought separation, suffering, and death (Romans 5:12). The story of the Bible is the story of God’s response to this rebellion.
Instead of abandoning His creation, He promised to restore it. The prophets spoke of a coming day when God Himself would return to rule as King, bringing justice, peace, and new life (Isaiah 52:7, Daniel 7:13–14).
The Kingdom Breaks In
When Jesus began his ministry, his very first announcement was: “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15).
The kingdom of God is God’s reign breaking into the world. Jesus demonstrated this through his teaching, his miracles, his compassion for the poor and outcast, and his authority over demons, sickness, and even nature itself. Each of these signs pointed to the reality that God’s rule was arriving through him.
The Cross And the Resurrection
The good news is not simply that Jesus performed miracles or taught wisdom. At the heart of the gospel is his death and resurrection.
On the cross, Jesus took on himself the weight of human sin and defeated the powers of evil. His resurrection is the turning point of history. In rising from the dead, he broke the power of death itself and launched God’s new creation (1 Corinthians 15:20–22).
The resurrection was not a spiritual escape but the beginning of the physical renewal of all things. What happened to Jesus will happen to all who belong to him. His empty tomb is the guarantee that death will not have the last word.
The Gospel Now
The gospel is the announcement that God is setting the world right through His Son and that Jesus is King. He reigns today at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:32–33). His kingdom is advancing as people hear the good news, repent, and enter into his reign through faith and obedience.
This means the gospel is not just about what happens after death. It is about a new life now.
When we submit to Jesus as King, our lives are transformed. We are forgiven, adopted into God’s family, and filled with the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live out kingdom values here and now.
The Gospel To Come
The gospel also points forward. Jesus promised that he will return to set up his kingdom fully. When he comes again, the dead will be raised to life and God’s people will be clothed in resurrection bodies that will never perish or fade.
The earth itself will be renewed, freed from the curse of sin and decay, and restored to the beauty and wholeness God intended from the beginning.
Finally, God will dwell with His people. His presence will fill creation, and every tear will be wiped away as death, sorrow, and pain are finally destroyed.
This is the hope of the gospel – not that we “go to heaven” when we die, but that heaven comes to earth and creation is restored.
The prayer Jesus taught us captures this perfectly: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
The gospel is not a side topic. It's the water we live in.
The good news is not just information to accept – it’s a reality to enter. To believe the gospel is to step into God’s kingdom life now, while looking forward to the day when Jesus returns and every knee bows and every tongue confesses that he is Lord (Philippians 2:10–11).
