What makes the gospel good news?

Christians from all over around the world have been proclaiming the gospel for many many years now. The preaching of the gospel has literally transformed the lives of innumerable people, and it continues to impact lives once it is shared with others by the power of the holy Spirit. Even, I, the author of this blog, am a living testimony of how the gospel makes a transformative impact in others. I remember in my unregenerate state, how that my heart was far away from God, how I had no love for Christ and had nothing to do with the church, until one day I read a little christian book. After reading the book, I made a decision to follow after Christ wholeheartedly, and it pleased the Lord not only to save me by his gratuitous grace, but also granted me the gift of communicating the truth of the gospel through writing. The gospel is indeed a good news, for which I am not ashamed to preach nor to share through writing, because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1; 16).

What is the gospel?

We have been using the biblical term gospel, but what is the meaning? The Greek translation of gospel is "euangelion" which literally means "good news". So if the gospel means good news, the question still remains, what is this good news? The good news is the news about the incarnation, suffering, death and the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Through the disobedience of Adam, sin and it's dire consequences entered into the world, for it written: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5: 12). The entire human race became sinners by nature (Romans 3; 23).

We lived to satisfy our sinful nature, instead of living to please God. Some of us were righteous in our own eyes, for we sought to be justified in the sight of God based on the merits of our good works. Some even went to the extent of denying the existence of God also known as atheism, but it is written: The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God (Psalm 14; 1). That was the extent of our sinfulness, living to please ourselves and even denying that he is. We were sinful men, nothing we could do to make ourselves acceptable to God. We were dead in sins and trespasses, we used our bodily members as instruments of unrighteousness. 

We were servants of sin and had no hope. But the good news is that God emptied himself of his glory and privileges as God and took a human nature into union with himself. He lived a sinless life and died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day for our justification, thereby procuring our eternal salvation. Our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ saved us eternally. Whoever that trust in Christ alone for salvation will be saved forever. The gospel is the good news about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on behalf of his people.

Why is the gospel considered good news?

The gospel is considered good news because of the eternal benefits it freely offers. Let us look at some of the things which makes the gospel good news. One of the things which makes the gospel good news is that it offers the blessing of justification. Unfortunately, many people ignorantly go about establishing their own way through which they can be justified in God's sight. Justification is not by works of obedience, but is only on the basis of saving faith in Jesus Christ, for it is written: For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law (Romans 3; 28). The moment you exercise faith in Christ, instantaneously you are justified (declared righteous) by God without delay. It's a once for all time forensic act on the part of God and this blessing the gospel freely offers to whoever that believes.

Another blessing the gospel offers is free remission of our sins. We who have believed in the atoning sacrifice of Christ, we are freely forgiven of our past, present and the sins we are yet to commit, in order words we are forgiven the sins of our entire lives. It is highly preposterous to see certain folks who thinks just by performing certain rituals their sins can be forgiven. The way of forgiveness is through faith in the Man Jesus Christ. We who have trusted in Christ alone for salvation are forgiven: I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake (1 John 2; 12). Forgiveness of sin can be found in none else, save in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and this blessing the gospel freely offers to whoever that believes.

Another blessing which makes the gospel good news is that it offers eternal life as a gift. The bible says: but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6; 23). Those who are in Christ have received the free gift of eternal life, and God wants us to know that we have eternal life: These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5; 13).

Eternal life is a present hour possession, it's something we have now and yet it's something we also joyfully hope for. In the book of Titus Paul made it clear by saying: In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago (Titus 1; 2). We have eternal life now, and we are also earnestly looking forward to the day we shall be ushered into the very presence of the one who loved us and gave himself for us, so we can be with him forevermore. 

Another blessing which makes the gospel good news is that it gives us an assurance of our salvation. Jesus said: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ]and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one (John 10: 27-30). Jesus made it plain that we who have trusted in him for salvation cannot be lost, because we are secured in his hands, as well as in his father's hands. The members of the trinity are actively involved in the security of our salvation. God doesn't save us in order to lose us, no, he saves us once and for all time. We have an unwavering assurance of our salvation and this blessing makes the gospel good news.

Another reason why the gospel is considered good news is because it shows the way to be reconciled with God. By nature, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We were alienated from God by reason of sin, but through faith in Christ Jesus we have received reconciliation. Whoever has rejected Christ is in a state of enmity with him, and there cannot be peace with such a one. The gospel reveals the only accredited way to be at peace with God, and that is by faith in the Man Jesus Christ. This indeed makes the gospel truly a good news.

Another reason why the gospel is good news is that it shows you how to be a child of God 

Of a truth, we are not all children of God. We are all God's creation, but the way to be reckoned as a child of God is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The apostle wrote: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name (John 1; 12). Paul also wrote in his epistle: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3; 26). Without saving faith in Christ Jesus, then you are a child of the devil. True children of God are those who are in an eternal union with God through faith in Jesus Christ. The gospel is considered to be a good news because it reveals to you that faith in Jesus Christ alone is the sole basis to be a child of God.

The last reason why the gospel is considered to be a good news is that you get to know that faith in Jesus Christ secures your future resurrection unto life. Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead, we who are united to him by faith will also be resurrected. This is our hope and this hope will not fail us in anyway: But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep (1 Corinthians 15: 20). Christ is said to be the first fruits of those who are asleep, which implies that we also will be resurrected with a glorified body like unto his glorious body (Philippians 3; 20).

There are many more reasons why the gospel is considered to be a good news which I cannot fully elaborate in this article.

We must preach the gospel to the lost at all cost 

As Christians, we have received the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5; 18). We are called and sent by God with the mandate to preach the gospel to every creature, see (Matthew 28; 18-20). The world still needs to be told about the one who laid down his life for them to be saved. God is calling on us to evangelize the lost, that they may also partake of the blessings of the gospel. How can they hear the good news about the death and the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ with its subsequent benefits without a preacher?. I beseech you by the mercies of God to be an ardent preacher of the gospel, because we have in our possession the most wonderful, life changing news to tell the world. God bless you 

A thought to ponder 🤔 

The members of the trinity are actively involved in the security of our salvation

We defend and exposit the truth of the