Can you Defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” (Jude 1:3 NASB)

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What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? This is a question that is asked many times and depending on who you ask you will get various answers. The key to answering this question is by letting the Bible speak and give clarification. Many people add to what the Bible says about what the Gospel is, and many take away from the Bible concerning the Gospel. Simply put the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that Jesus is Lord of all creation, came to this earth some 2000 years ago, took on our likeness, died and rose again according to the Scriptures.

What does the Bible teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ

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“44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations” (Luke 24:44-47 NASB)

This is Jesus speaking to His disciples. Jesus was explaining to them again the message of His coming, even though He taught this before. Now Jesus is resurrect bodily and revealing to them the message of the Scriptures concerning His death and resurrection. Jesus was instructing them to go to all nations preaching the message of His death and resurrection and the forgiveness of sins in His name. This is the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

“16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 NASB)

The context of these Scriptures are so clear that a child can understand them. God the Father sent His Son Jesus into this world to offer Himself for mankind’s sins, and if anyone who puts their trust in Him they will have eternal life. Jesus here in John 3 is speaking to Nicodemus on the issue of eternal life and how one receives it. Jesus makes it clear that His coming was for anyone to be saved and that anyone who does not receive Him will not receive eternal life. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God’s love for all mankind is so amazing and wonderful, and that Jesus gave His life so that people might be saved. Jesus’ death and resurrection does not automatically make anyone saved nor does that mean that all people will be saved. There are some who say Jesus died only for certain people and only they can be saved. But according to what Jesus was teaching Nicodemus this offer for eternal life was for anyone.

“22 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:22-24 NASB)

Jesus speaking to the religious Jews on His identity makes it clear that our views concerning who Jesus is is also crucial to eternal life. In other words: “If we have the wrong identity of who Jesus is, than we have different Jesus and are deceived.” Jesus states, “so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father”, notice what Jesus said? We are to honor Jesus just as we honor the Father, that means equally! Jesus was being accused of blasphemy in John 5:17-18 on Him claiming God was His Father, and the Jews were understanding Him to be claiming to be equal with the Father. Jesus replies to them by not saying God is not His Father but continues on saying the same thing and goes on to say that He has all judgment and is to receive the same honor as the Father! That my friends is claiming equality with the Father, and the Jews were right in how they were interpreting what Jesus was teaching. Jesus continues on and says, “he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life”, that is the Gospel message. Jesus was sent from the Father to declare the heart of the Father. (John 1:14-18) Jesus is the nature of God manifested in the flesh. (John 1:1-3 & John 1:14) Jesus spoke as one with the Father’s authority. (John 8:12-18) Jesus claimed to be the Light of the world and to be the I Am He, and if anyone did not believe this they would die in their sins. (John 8:12-24) Knowing who Jesus is, is just as important as knowing what He came to do to save us from our sins.

Other Scriptures that teach about the Gospel message:

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• Romans 1:16-17; 3:19-31; 4:1-5; 5:1-10; 6:23; 10:9-13
  

• 1 Corinthians 1:12-18; 15:1-17, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
  

• Galatians 2:16-21; 3:1-13
  

• Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:1-22
  

• Colossians 1:13-22; 2:14-15
  

• 1 Peter 1:3-19; 2:21-25, 2 Peter 1:16-21
  

• 1 John 1:1-10; 2:1-2; 5:10-13 & 20
  

The Gospel message is that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the One to come, God manifested in the flesh, the I Am He, the Creator of all things, the One who died and rose again according to the Scriptures, who gave His life for anyone who wishes to be saved. The message of Jesus is good news for all people!

Can you defend the Gospel? Do you know what the Gospel is? If you have questions about this information or want help on being to share the Gospel with people than please let us know. You can check out “The Gospel” section to find out more information. If your fellowship is not teaching the message of the Gospel in which you don’t know what it is, than ask them about it and encourage them to teach this more. May God bless you as you grow in His grace.