What is the Gospel - A Message about Faith and Repentance
This is the fourth and final section of our series entitled, What Is The Gospel? We've been examining the gospel to gain a solid understanding. We began with a God-centered approach, recognizing God as Creator, Sustainer, and sovereign Lord who rules over our lives. Because He created us, sustains us, and gives us every breath, we are required to submit to His Lordship. God has the right to define good and evil and establish how we live.
If we don't start with who God is, we risk a man-centered gospel focused on human rights and goals rather than God's authority. The second session addressed sin. God created us to enjoy Him, find contentment in His holiness, decrees, and promises. Idolatry is finding enjoyment primarily in something other than God. Sin is rejecting what God defines as right, which is why the gospel must address sin—the bad news that makes the good news meaningful.
It's like visiting a physician for a terminal illness. The diagnosis is bad news, but the cure makes it good. Psychology masks symptoms but doesn't address sin's root. Only the gospel deals with our indwelling sin, as God provides the solution. The third session covered Jesus Christ, who lived the perfect life we needed, died the death we deserved, and reigns as King. He saves from God's wrath, secures in God's love, satisfies with God's glory, and satiates with God's blessings.
Jesus is the only way of salvation. Finite creatures can't satisfy God's infinite justice; eternal punishment is required. Only an infinite God could provide infinite value through one act. Jesus retained His deity for infinite value and took human nature to die. His one death on the cross has eternal significance, freeing us from judgment.
The Gospel Calls for Faith and Repentance
These truths lead to our conclusion: the gospel is a message about faith and repentance. Jesus bore God's wrath for your sins—not potentially, but actually. There's no potential salvation; it's accomplished. Christ took your place, imputing His righteousness to you through justification. God sees Christ's righteousness in you and declares you not guilty. This happened thousands of years ago; Jesus intercedes for you based on His finished work. God views you as righteous from this moment to eternity.
This is how to present the gospel: a Savior crucified for them specifically, as the New Testament does. This makes the gospel about faith and repentance.
Faith: Trust in the Object
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Faith focuses on its object, not the person's sincerity or degree. Sincere faith in a chair that isn't there won't hold you up. Every person here trusts their chair, but the chair holds you—the object matters. Faith isn't produced by us but by the object's trustworthiness.
Is Jesus capable, sufficient, and fully successful in saving you? Yes, because He died for your sins and rose three days later. The crucifixion is undeniable history; even atheists affirm Jesus existed and was crucified. Eyewitness accounts confirm it, like for Caesar or Socrates.
The Holy Spirit illuminates the gospel's truth. Faith is realizing what Christ accomplished for you—the successful, perfect work on your behalf.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith beholds Christ as the most beautiful reality, granting forgiveness of sins. It's astonishing: Christ died for you, removing God's wrath, securing eternal life. As Romans 5 says:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace is God's unearned involvement saving you by granting realization, since we're dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1). Salvation, grace, and faith are God's gift—not works, lest we boast. We're fully His workmanship, created for good works He prepared. Christians are responsible with salvation, walking in those works.
Repentance: A Change of Mind
The gospel also demands repentance. Jesus' first message was "repent." He befriended sinners for their repentance, dying to save from sin, not in it. Realizing the gospel's truth reveals sin's ugliness and God's rightful Lordship. Repentance turns from self as lord to finding satisfaction in God.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies, for you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Without Christ, you're ensnared by the devil, doing his will—not free. Flee youthful passions (the world's pursuits) and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with believers. Avoid quarrels; be kind, teach, endure evil, and correct opponents gently. God grants repentance—a change of mind (metanoia) leading to truth.
Repentance is God's gift, changing your mind about sin's enjoyment. With eyes on Christ's beauty, sin pales. Value God's Word and righteousness. Salvation is from sin and wrath to good works, from Satan's slavery to God's service.
Practical Applications
Dwell on Christ's crucifixion for you—your soul's greatest satisfaction, like the living water Jesus offered the Samaritan woman, quenching thirst eternally.
Be confident in the gospel, as Paul was: unashamed, knowing its power for salvation (Romans 1:16-18).
Remind yourself often of Christ's work, drawing from this inner source.
Practice hating sin and loving righteousness, discerning good and evil (Hebrews 5), treasuring God's Word.
The gospel is about God, sin, Christ, faith, and repentance.
