The Gospel is the good news of eternal salvation through belief in Jesus Christ. Sometimes, people think the gospel is good news because Jesus preached it, but in reality, Jesus Himself is the gospel! The Bible teaches that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) Jesus message proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God, where, regardless of lineage, education, wealth, or skin color, every man, woman, and child is offered the gift of a renewed relationship with their Creator, God the Father. This renewal is needed because of man’s separation from God, a spiritual chasm called “sin.” God created a perfect world, one in which He and man lived in harmony; but our spiritual parents, Adam and Eve, were deceived and chose selfishness over partnership with God and each other. This separation is why our lives and our world are plagued with division: social disparity, sexism, racism, classism, injustice, and more. Sin causes us to value self over unity with God and man, all in a self-attempt to produce the perfection and flourishing we lost in God’s garden. In the Old Testament, the Lord provided the law as a guide, a shadow of the flourishing we longed for, but with a price: a sacrifice made day after day as a recognition of our guilt before God and admittance that entering into His presence requires a payment for sin; that payment is death. Then comes Jesus. 

Jesus lived a perfect life, never once giving in to the temptation to choose Himself over God’s holiness or mankind’s genuine flourishing. He preached a message of hope and restoration, one in which everyone is welcomed as a guest at God’s table. Jesus included the outcast, repaired the broken, healed the sick, cared for the poor, offered justice to the oppressed, and loved the lost in a way that only God incarnate could do. He brought sight to the blind, He made the lame walk, the mute speak, and the dead breathe, all for the glory of God. He walked on water, fed the masses, chastised the self-righteous, and rebuked demons, all to establish the type of kingdom God reigns over. In all Jesus’ miracles, works, parables, and teachings, He consistently had one message: love the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Likewise, love your neighbor as if they were yourself. Jesus wasn’t about compromise; He was for renewal and restoration. Jesus was on a mission to bring mankind back into a right relationship with God. That’s why His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead were so impactful! Instead of mankind struggling in vain to reach holiness, God in the flesh came down from heaven and bridged the gap on our behalf. For people striving to flourish, Jesus shows us the way. It means surrender, not more work. We cannot earn God’s love; God already loves us! But like a child who has turned from the instruction of her parents and walked down a path of destruction and catastrophe, God lovingly and patiently waits for us to return to Him. He sends messengers, small reminders, all rooted in His word, to draw our attention towards truth and bring us back into the arms of a loving, caring, and compassionate Father. The gospel, or salvation, is only found in the presence of King Jesus.