Mathis Grünewald – Isenheim Altarpiece, central panel (c. 1515)

If you hang around churches or read much Christian literature, you will notice some important words. You might not often find clear statements of what they mean. Consider, for example, “gospel.”

It translates the Greek word evangelion, which means good news. In Scripture, it appears nearly a hundred times and means specifically good news regarding Jesus Christ.

Many passages in the New Testament refer to preaching the gospel, but the authors usually assume readers will understand what it means. Paul usually uses it in epistles to churches he founded, with the meaning of the message he preached in person.

Fortunately, he provides some more extended explanations. In Galatians, he describes at length the difference between the gospel he preached and the false gospel others preached that thus confused the church.

We find more manageable explanations in two places.

The gospel explained in Romans

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” – Romans 1:16-17 NIV

The gospel has to do with the power and righteousness of God. It has no human origin.

The Jews had long had a special relationship with God as his chosen people, but Paul introduces a radical message: The gospel brings salvation not only to Jews but to everyone else.

We should also notice that salvation and righteousness depend on faith. (Yes, I’ve just used three more of those special words that church people always use. Scripture defines all of them, but we are concerned here only with gospel.

As Paul demonstrates over several chapters of Romans, no one can perform acts good enough to earn God’s favor. God bestows his favor on the unworthy, provided they believe.

The gospel explained in 1 Corinthians

The Resurrection of Christ / Noel Coypel, 1700

Believe what?

Paul’s other concise explanation of gospel tells us something more specific:

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. – 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

The gospel is what Paul preached. In the previous fourteen chapters of this book, Paul has covered several topics in response to questions the Corinthian church asked. Here, Paul highlights the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as being of first importance. He considers everything else less important.

Paul stresses that, unlike well-known Greek myths of dying deities such as Persephone or Adonis, Jesus’ resurrection is a historical event, recent enough in Paul’s time that he could identify living eye witnesses. In fact, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the best attested event in ancient history. We have more documentary evidence of it than for even the existence of many ancient notables.

Does the church today still regard the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as being of first importance?

Nominally, yes. We still observe Holy Week with the death of Jesus on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Many people, unfortunately, attend church only at Christmas and Easter, and pastors have recognized the unique opportunity and responsibility to proclaim these basic aspects of the gospel.

Unfortunately, the modern church has found numerous ways of losing track of what is of first importance.

Legalism

Pharisee and publican icon

Legalists still abound, despite Paul’s clear warning in the book of Galatians.

While traveling, I stopped for gas near a billboard that proclaimed a Christian duty to follow ancient dietary regulations and worship on Saturday. After all, it said, Jesus lived like that and counseled others to follow the whole law of Moses. And why did Jesus do that? Because he hadn’t died yet! The gospel as explained by New Testament scriptures had not yet been revealed.

Christians are more likely to fall into a less extreme form of legalism. For example, the Bible forbids drunkenness. Legalists likely question the salvation of anyone who drinks any amount of alcohol. Legalists have likewise shunned people for dancing, watching television, or other aspects of popular culture.

The Bible calls Christians to live holy lives. We cross the line into legalism whenever we try to impose “thou shalt not” on other believers.

Theological dilution of the gospel

Some churches proclaim the so-called social gospel. They emphasize Jesus’ ministry to the poor and neglected. Certainly, the church ought to follow his example. But for at least the past century and a half, many people have become uncomfortable with anything supernatural. They question the reality and importance of the resurrection and still claim to be Christian.

Others proclaim the so-called full gospel in response to churches that deemphasize or deny the relevance of the spiritual gifts described in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Tongues and interpretation of tongues especially make many modern Christians uncomfortable. The full gospel movement, therefore, proclaims that the Holy Spirit still acts within the church as he did from the beginning. It runs the danger of neglecting other aspects of Christianity.

Social justice matters. God has not withdrawn his gifts. Personal holiness, God’s promises, and soul winning matter. None of these things is the gospel. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are matters of first importance. Everything else regarding the faith must grow from this central claim of the gospel. Otherwise, it leaves the gospel behind.