Gospel Project

Fall 2022

Paul defines the heart of the gospel clearly in his letter to the Corinthians. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-6, ESV). In other words, Paul believes that the first step in evangelism is the proclamation of Jesus’ actions on earth for the fulfillment of scripture and the salvation of mankind.  Mark agrees with Paul, claiming that Jesus’ entire life and the spiritual implications of his actions constitute the “good news” of Christianity. His account of Jesus’ life opens with the words “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Cape Town Commitment, a gospel tract written in 2010, summarizes the arguments of Paul and Mark succinctly, saying “The gospel announces as good news the historical events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.” (Cape 23). I believe that the gospel is most transparently described through these three events, and the way that they fulfill old testament scripture.

The gospel: Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

First, we need to understand our desperate need for the gospel. The bible teaches us that the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden imposed the burden of iniquity on every future descendant of Adam. Psalm 51:5 says “I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Even from conception, humans are born with sin in their hearts that “Brings forth death” (James 1:15) when it is fully conceived. Paul tells us that “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22). Because of sin, even God’s creation experiences the pain of death.

In ancient times, God chose to call Abraham from the wilderness, promising to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his offspring. Abraham demonstrated his faith through his willingness to follow God, and God made a covenant with him in return, promising that “Your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:17-18). One of Abraham’s descendants would bless creation due to Abraham’s continued faithfulness to God.

After designating the Israelites (Abraham’s descendants) as his chosen people, God gave them his law, which outlined guidelines for holiness within his kingdom. After the Israelites broke God’s law and were sent into exile as a consequence, prophets told of a “Shoot from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah 10:1), whose rule would “bring peace, justice, and a completely new harmony to the new creation” (Wright 84). The New Testament describes how these prophecies came to pass in the three-part story of Jesus Christ.

The life of Jesus is the first season of fulfillments that is integral to the gospel, and represents the initial fulfillment of the kingdom of heaven on earth. God promised David, a King in the line of Abraham, “I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-14). Simply Christian (N.T. Wright) asserts that the message about the coming of the kingdom of God was indeed “at the center of Jesus’ public proclamation” (Wright 99). The teachings and works performed by Jesus displayed his kingdom-oriented mindset as well. Cape Town Commitment says that “In his ministry and miracles, Jesus announced and demonstrated the victory of the kingdom of God over evil and evil powers” (Cape 14). 

Another important aspect of Jesus’ life on earth was his perfection. “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). The author of Hebrews is reassuring us that Jesus overcame the curse of Adam while holding onto his humanity.

"Jesus overcame the curse of Adam while holding onto his humanity."

Second, the death of Jesus is another absolutely essential part of the gospel story. Through his crucifixion, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice, a substitute for sinners, who tasted death “for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). We’ve been “justified by his blood” and “reconciled by his death” (Romans 5:9-10). The sacrifices commanded in the old covenant are no longer necessary, because Jesus “has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb 9:26). Christ’s sacrifice is the beginning of the new covenant. The prophet Isaiah writes that Jesus “bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). By God’s grace, all those who trust in Jesus’ death by faith are redeemed, and no longer have to bear the punishment of death for their sins.

The resurrection of Jesus is the final, most important step in the story of redemption. Cape Town Commitment explains that “In his bodily resurrection, Jesus was vindicated and exalted by God, completed and demonstrated the full victory of the cross, and became the forerunner of redeemed humanity and restored creation” (14). Without the resurrection, Paul says that “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins . . . But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” Paul is illustrating how Jesus’ resurrection points forward to the long-awaited renewal of creation and humanity.

"The resurrection of Jesus, is the final, most important step"

During his life and after his resurrection, Jesus promised to send his spirit to guide believers after their conversion to Christianity. N.T Wright says “God has promised that, through his Spirit, he will remake the creation so that it becomes what it is straining and yearning to be” (136). Part of the Spirit’s renewal takes place in the hearts and minds of believers. The Pocket Dictionary describes the nature of this “sanctification” as “Twofold in that Christians have been made holy through Christ and are called to continue to grow into and strive for holiness by cooperating with the indwelling Holy Spirit until they enjoy complete conformity to Christ” (Grenz). We cannot become Christlike on our own, but it is our responsibility to welcome the work of the Holy Spirit in our regeneration. Paul says that “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons” (Romans 8:14-15). Our faith in the Holy Spirit’s renewal enables our participation in God’s global kingdom of sons and daughters, the church, described by Paul as the “Body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Simply Christian says that “the church is called to do the work of Christ, to be the means of his action in and for the world” (Wright 201). Our God-given task consists of global disciple-making, urging others to trust in Jesus’ sacrifice.

"It is our responsibility to welcome the work of the Holy Spirit in our regeneration."

As we evangelize, we await Jesus’ second coming when heaven and earth will unite. Wright reminds us that “The great drama will end . . . with the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven to earth, so that ‘the dwelling of God is with Humans’” (Wright 217). The renewal of God’s broken world will finally culminate in the merging of heaven and earth into a new, complete, perfect creation where we will have new, glorified bodies.

Although the story of Jesus may seem trivial in light of major political issues, global pandemics, and warfare, it is actually of overarching importance to all people. After hearing the true gospel and seeing the attributes of God revealed in nature, all men are “without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20). Simply Christian describes the unique significance of the gospel on page 111. “The death of Jesus of Nazareth as the King of the Jews, the bearer of Israel’s destiny, the fulfillment of God’s promises to his people of old, is either the most stupid, senseless waste and misunderstanding the world has ever seen, or it is the fulcrum around which world history turns. Christianity is based on the belief that it was and is the latter.”  If we live by faith that Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected for the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with God, the gospel is most certainly good news.