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Essence of the Gospel?

What is the Essence of the Gospel, to you?

 

We each interpret meanings, phrases and thoughts from our personal experience. Sometimes the points made by one person can be misinterpreted and misunderstood by another. I think the same is true of Scripture's statements about the Gospel. The word itself can be as sweet as honey to one person and as bitter as gall to another.

 

For myself, I scarcely understood the word when I was a young man. My experience told me that "the Gospel" was a rigid set of instructions that was intended to sort out the good people from the bad - at best. Or, at worst, a set of fairy tales designed to scare children into obedience. I never really thought of it as "Good News" at all, until the Gospel was my only hope. 

 

My purpose: I'm hoping to establish free dialogue on the topic. I would like to hear your thoughts, dear friends. There is no wrong answer, since I'm just asking for your opinions. 

 

*Essence: the pure aroma*

 

 

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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on July 20, 2011 at 1:01am
If i understand you correctly, you are saying "we are a people who remain in constant need of a savior" and to that I would give a hearty amen. There is no perfection in this life; apart from a daily constant dependency on Christ. without him we can do nothing. With him, miracles are a part of the daily activity.
Permalink Reply by John Rogers on July 20, 2011 at 7:04pm

Hi Scribe,


Yep, that is what I mean! There is no perfection in this world since this world is lost and dying. People (myself included) like to say that we are followers of him. In my experience we are only following him because after we fall he comes back and carries us. It is a good thing that God loves us since we are very weak creatures indeed. Jesus told us that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could move mountains. What Jesus was saying is that we have almost no faith at all. Our faith is so small you can't even see it next to a mustard seed. We are truly pathetic. Lol

Permalink Reply by Larry M. on July 11, 2011 at 3:10am

I am sinful man and deserved that eternal punishment. Animal and good works cannot saved from sure fire of hell.

Our loving Lord love us so much that he gave his only begotten that whosoever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  the begotten Son shed His blood in my behalf on the victorious cross but the loving Father raised Him from the grave to sit with Him in the heavenly throne to judge the living and the dead. Preparing that beautiful mansion where i will stay for eternity, no more pain, no more suffering, no more problems, no more conflict, no more lies and deception, glorified with our loving Lord Jesus Christ. What a glorious day it would be...     

Permalink Reply by ScribeD on July 20, 2011 at 12:58am
Amen Larry M
Permalink Reply by Larry M. on July 21, 2011 at 12:02am

How are we going to know the essence of the Gospel of  Jesus Christ?

Let me compare it to:

Coffee?  -  How good is the starbucks coffee from my own home made coffee?

Food?  - How good is fresh cooked from the instant food?

We are already done with latter part of the each comparison and we are now experiencing the essence of the first one!

They will never no the true essence of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ until they live by it.

Permalink Reply by ScribeD on July 21, 2011 at 3:56pm

Take a look at this scripture and consider the full context: it says "we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God." (Romans 3:19). 

 

You see, many people think that the Law is the same as the Gospel. It is not. as it says in Romans 3:21 "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify."

 

The Gospel is God's grace revealing amnesty to a sinful race. The only question is how do we appropriate that amnesty? As it says in Galatians: the Law was a school-master, a tutor, to lead us to Christ. Why? Because Christ is how we appropriate that amnesty. 

Permalink Reply by Pastor Bob B on July 25, 2011 at 9:29am

What Is the Gospel?

by R.C. Sproul

There is no greater message to be heard than that which we call the Gospel. But as important as that is, it is often given to massive distortions or over simplifications. People think they’re preaching the Gospel to you when they tell you, ‘you can have a purpose to your life’, or that ‘you can have meaning to your life’, or that ‘you can have a personal relationship with Jesus.’ All of those things are true, and they’re all important, but they don’t get to the heart of the Gospel.

The Gospel is called the ‘good news’ because it addresses the most serious problem that you and I have as human beings, and that problem is simply this: God is holy and He is just, and I’m not. And at the end of my life, I’m going to stand before a just and holy God, and I’ll be judged. And I’ll be judged either on the basis of my own righteousness – or lack of it – or the righteousness of another. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness, of perfect obedience to God, not for His own well being but for His people. He has done for me what I couldn’t possibly do for myself. But not only has He lived that life of perfect obedience, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the justice and the righteousness of God.

The great misconception in our day is this: that God isn’t concerned to protect His own integrity. He’s a kind of wishy-washy deity, who just waves a wand of forgiveness over everybody. No. For God to forgive you is a very costly matter. It cost the sacrifice of His own Son. So valuable was that sacrifice that God pronounced it valuable by raising Him from the dead – so that Christ died for us, He was raised for our justification. So the Gospel is something objective. It is the message of who Jesus is and what He did. And it also has a subjective dimension. How are the benefits of Jesus subjectively appropriated to us? How do I get it? The Bible makes it clear that we are justified not by our works, not by our efforts, not by our deeds, but by faith – and by faith alone. The only way you can receive the benefit of Christ’s life and death is by putting your trust in Him – and in Him alone. You do that, you’re declared just by God, you’re adopted into His family, you’re forgiven of all of your sins, and you have begun your pilgrimage for eternity.

Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on October 19, 2011 at 10:46am
 

Great question Scribe,

 

What is the Essence of the Gospel, to you?

 

The essence of the gospel to me is simply that God loves me, even when I do not love myself. Even when I want to give up, He doesn't let me. His love wins in my life; hence the essence of the gospel to me comes down to a love I don't truly understand, but a love that I cannot live without.

 

The essence is in the LOVE the creator has for his creation. A love that truly leaves us speechless.

 

 

Permalink Reply by dean burrows on October 19, 2011 at 11:07am

The essence of the Gospel  for me is the awesome Love given to us and the desire ability passion given to us to share in that Love.

 

 

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