The question, at first seems simple enough - What is the Gospel? But ask 10 people and you may get 10 different answers! You may even get a few blank stares.
New City Church uses the word 'gospel' very frequently - perhaps too frequently. The problem is not the word itself, but the reality that each hearer of the word - particularly in the deep south - has his/her own definition of the word. We often use the same words in church settings, but not in the same way. So, I want to begin a series of posts on defining the gospel with the hope of bringing some clarity to our New City folks - for Sunday morning teachings as well as MC discussions and hopefully in understanding what it means to live in light of the Gospel. So here we go.
The word itself - Gospel - means Good News. The Gospel is Good News.
What Good News? Paul wrote it this way: 1 Corinthians 15: 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...
In its simplest form then, the Gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and raised to life on the third day.
