What Is the Gospel?

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What is the gospel? The answer to that question is profoundly simple, but it is the basis of everything that a Christian believes. This week, Joshua West joins the Gary Wilkerson Podcast to talk about what the gospel means in the context of scripture and our daily lives.

Key Points from the Podcast

  • Joshua West shares how he was transformed from an intravenous drug user to a follower of Christ, evangelist, and pastor.

  • Much of Christianity today is superficial because of a shallow view of the gospel. Salvation is seen as a box we check or a door we walk through to get the things we really want when the gospel is about the gift of Christ himself.

  • The Greek word translated as ‘good news’ speaks of messengers coming to let the soldiers know that the war is won, and peace has been reached.

  • The good news of the gospel is that God has reconciled us back to himself through Christ.

  • Salvation was initiated and secured by God, and it will be fulfilled by God.

  • Understanding the gospel should include these three elements: the holiness and sovereignty of God, the sinfulness and depravity of man, and considering these we see the beautiful and magnificent gift of God’s saving grace.

  • The gospel is more than evangelism and a sinner’s prayer.

  • An often-missing part of a modern gospel presentation is that God expects us to be completely obedient to his commandments.

  • Someone who lives a ‘good’ life is just as desperate for the gospel as the drug addict on the streets.

  • The holiness of God dictates that the wages of sin is death.

  • The church today has swung the pendulum from a past of moralism and legalism to minimizing and excusing sin.

  • The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

  • The Law was meant to show us our sinfulness and our need of God for salvation.

  • Understanding the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, we must understand the bad news of God’s wrath being upon us because of our sin.

  • The gospel is wrapped up in God’s mercy and grace. God is merciful in not giving us the punishment we deserve and gracious in giving us an inheritance in Christ that we do not deserve.

  • Through his life, death and resurrection Jesus Christ has secured us freedom from our past and a glorious future.

Bible Verses Referenced in the Podcast

1 Corinthians 2:10; Numbers 14:24; Philippians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Hebrews 2:1; Hebrews 3:8; Romans 10:14–15; Isaiah 52; Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Genesis 1; Genesis 3; Genesis 3:15; Romans 1:18–19; John 15:5; Romans 3:23; Matthew 5:48; Romans 7:24–25; Isaiah 6:5; Romans 6:23; Romans 2:25; Romans 3:11; Matthew 22:37–40; Romans 3:19; Romans 8:16–17; Isaiah 53:10; Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; Matthew 5; Matthew 6; Ephesians 2:8; Luke 23:39–43; 1 Peter 3:15; Romans 10:9–10; Ephesians 2

Resources Mentioned in the Podcast

About Joshua West

Joshua West serves as the Church Leadership Network Director at World Challenge helping equip and empower pastors all over the world. Joshua’s desire is to raise up ministers who will correctly and boldly preach the word with passion and integrity. The point of all his work and writings is to preach the gospel, glorify God and to teach sound doctrine.

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About Gary Wilkerson

Gary Wilkerson is the President of World Challenge, an international mission organization that was founded by his father, David Wilkerson. He is also the Founding Pastor of The Springs Church, which he launched in 2009 with a handful of people. He has traveled nationally and internationally at conferences and conducted mission ventures such as church planting, starting orphanages, clinics, feeding programs among the poorest of the poor and the most unreached people of the earth. Gary and his wife Kelly have four children and live in Colorado Springs, CO.

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