What is the gospel? There is something inside me that loves to pick up books with that kind of title, in the hope that they weed out unsound doctrine.
Specifically I look for a faithful description of sin and the wrath of God, and a clear exposition of justification by faith alone. So I was hit between the eyes when I read Paul’s opening to Romans, the book which defines the gospel most systematically.
He uses the key phrase ‘the gospel’ (1:2) in the opening verses but then defines it as ‘… concerning his (God’s) Son.’ What follows is a description of the wonder of Jesus. He was ‘descended from David’ (1:3) – He really is the Davidic Messiah the Scriptures promise over generations, truly human, with Abraham and David, as well as Bathsheba and Rahab in his line of descent. Real flesh and blood, tears and hunger, identifying Himself fully with frail humanity. And He is also ‘the Son of God in power’ (1:4) following His resurrection from the dead.
Was he not always the Son of God? Well, yes. He did not become the Son of God after He rose. He was eternally the Son at the Father’s side (John 1:1). But He became ‘Son of God in power’ after the resurrection in the sense that He was now the Saviour of the world and Lord over all creation, in a way He had not been before the cross, able to dispense the powers of salvation to all who believe. Isn’t He wonderful?
What I was missing in my desire for sound doctrine was, ironically, a lack of ‘Christ-centredness’. I wanted a ‘gospel’ that takes sin and the wrath of God seriously (that’s important, and likely to be sidelined in our politically-correct culture), and I wanted a clear description of justification as God’s imputed righteousness. But I forgot that the core of the gospel is not transactional, it is personal!
It is ‘the gospel … concerning God’s Son.’ The wonder of Jesus, his ‘Son-of-God-in-power-ness’ is the beating heart of the gospel, out of which all the important issues of sin and justification emerge. But I need to remind myself of that, because if I become obsessed with heresy hunting, I will be using up passions that should be poured out on my glorious Saviour! The question is not ‘what is the gospel?’ but ‘who is the gospel?’
This is the gospel of God’s darling Son, who took on total humanity, yet without sin, to take my sin upon Himself and gift me righteousness, and is now the risen Son of God in power, able to raise us to glory so that we might reign at His side over a new creation (Rom. 8:17). Isn’t He wonderful!
When Paul talked about what motivated him most for gospel ministry, he didn’t speak about transactions, however important they are, or even lost men and women, however precious they are. He spoke about ‘the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.’ (Gal. 2:20).
The springboard for all faithful gospel ministry is a passionate love for Christ. From that foundation we can defend the doctrines of the wrath of God and justification, which of course matter a great deal. But may our hearts swell in love for Him, first and foremost (remember the risen Jesus’ chat to Peter on the beach)! Paul sums up gospel ministry to the Colossians with the simple yet searching phrase ‘we proclaim him’. (Col. 1:29) The question is not ‘what is the gospel?’ but ‘who is the gospel?’ Love Him first, and that will set the tone for everything else.
