What is the Gospel?

The word gospel is derived from the Old English word gōdspel, itself a combination of gōd (good) + spel (news, a story.) Gospel = Good News. What's it all about?

Imagine a person shivering in the cold and about to freeze to death just outside a warm and cozy house that offers rest from all of his troubles. The One who owns the house persistently invites him to come inside where he can receive rest (warmth, food, healing, etc) free of charge, but this dying/freezing person who can do nothing to save himself insists on making himself warm, whole and worthy BEFORE going inside the house to receive. We would probably say to the freezing man:

“don’t be silly; enter and find rest from all your troubles.”

But many churchgoers are trying to warm themselves and get healthy (godly aka be like God) by their human effort (arm of flesh) at keeping the law and being free from sins before going in to enjoy the salvation (from sins, earthly ills and death in hell) that God gives freely to all who are in Christ. Christ says in Matthew 11:28-

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

This is the Good News (gospel) for all who are freezing under their baggage of the righteous demands of the law that no man can fulfill as well as their sins, addictions, earthly ills and death that God who so loved us gave His own Son to save us from. See this Good News explained in Romans 1:

16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

We see a detailed account of how God makes us right in His sight in Romans 3:

"26...for He himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."

But instead of seeking rest in Christ, many churchgoers are still labouring to keep the Law of Moses (depending on arm of flesh-driven efforts at being whole/godly) to keep them from from freezing to death and in order to get right with God (enter His rest.) But the arm of flesh will fail. As a result, many churchgoers are heavy laden with the guilt of their failures because NO ONE can EVER achieve this. See Romans 3:20–

“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.”

Some church leaders try to compartmentalize the law into moral law/oral law/ceremonial law and say that we who believe are still subject to some of these compartments of the law. What a horrid antichrist teaching! The law is a whole, just like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, a type/picture of the law which gives the same knowledge and which many are eating of in a bid to be godly/be like God. See this typology in Romans 7:8-12 The Message. As it was with eating of the tree which has many parts (bark, leaves, root, etc,) eating of any part of the law (the letter) kills, whether moral, oral, ceremonial or the one with which man privately judges himself in his heart (see Romans 2:12-15.)

The letter (law) kills, no matter what portion of it one feeds on in order to be godly aka be like God, just as Adam and Eve attempted to do. Whatever it is that man does by his arm of flesh/will-power in a bid to become godly like God, to contribute to his godliness or in order to “not perish but have everlasting life” is law-keeping.

Romans 7 also shows us that the law that we who believe are dead to includes the Ten Commandments; Paul used the 10th Commandment (You shall not covet) as an example in this chapter. In Christ, we are not under law but under Grace. We have no righteousness of our own. The Lord Himself is our Righteousness. In Christ, we have salvation from every earthly ill and death in hell. Romans 5:9 says of God:

“And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

A common refrain of even churchgoers to the Good News (God's Grace - undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour) is:

"So you are saying once we are saved, because the righteousness of Christ covers us we should continue in sin?”

Beloved of God, beware of preachers of the above doctrine of demons that equates righteousness in Christ with lawlessness. Matthew 1:21 tells us what Christ came to do:

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Christ Himself tells us in (John 6:43-46) what He is doing in the life of every believer:

“Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over Me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do My work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End."”

Beloved of God, how can these two things - being saved from sins/put together by Christ and continuing to live in sin - how can they co-exist? How can the blind receive sight from Christ and continue to be blind? Believers, flee from any pastor that posits this kind of horrid antichrist argument that says that righteousness in Christ is licence to commit sin. What a horrid antichrist doctrine it is. Let's take our blessed brains to church: Titus 2:14 tells us what Christ came to do:

"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Also see Matthew 1:21-"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

See the Amplified Classic version: "She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior], for He will save His people from their sins [that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God]."

How then can these two things - being saved from sins by Christ and continuing to live in sin - how can they co-exist? How can you who have Christ who saves from sins (Matt. 1:21) as your Saviour continue to live in sin?

Those who push this argument of “Christians continuing to wallow in blatant or covert sin after being joined to Christ who saves from sins" that is so lacking in God's Wisdom (Christ Himself) imply that Christ cannot accomplish His work as Saviour from sins in the life of the sinner who utterly depends on Him for salvation, even salvation from sins.

This false argument belies the fact that its promoters trust in their strength to make them godly (like God) as Eve was deceived into doing. Such see themselves as their own saviour from sins and ungodliness. This is the very definition of unbelief in Jesus Christ.

Churchgoing hypocrites and antichrists are the ones that always bring up this kind of oxymoronic and horrid "So you are saying once we are saved, because the righteousness of Christ covers us we should continue in sin?" argument. Such act like they are the only ones that loathe sin/desire godliness and that everybody except them is just itching to commit sins.

To think that all sinners enjoy their sins and don't want to give them up is akin to thinking that Peter enjoyed denying Jesus and could not wait for another opportunity to deny Jesus. Or that Judas was gleefully looking forward to another opportunity to betray Christ. What do we think is the major cause of depression and suicide even among non-believers? It is guilt for sins, fear, anxiety, hopelessness and sorrow in the heart for sins aka not measuring up to particular standards - no different from what happened to Judas who was full of remorse and blamed himself for his sin. The word "sin" is translated from the Greek word Hamartia- literally "miss the mark."

All of mankind have sinned. Many are like Peter- beginning with good intentions, self-confident in their sin-loathing, never thinking that they could do what they did, falling flat on their faces and afterwards, feeling great remorse.

Others are like Judas whom "Satan entered." See Luke 22- “3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.”

To the beloved of God who is always positing this untrue argument of "So you are saying once we are saved, because the righteousness of Christ covers us we should continue in sin?" and thinks that everybody but them wants to go on sinning sprees, you are not the only one that hates sin. As they say in my country, “it is condition that bent crayfish” for many: the reason why we are not committing particular sins is because God did not allow us to get tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:11-13.) There is no good in man of himself and his will-power to withstand temptation is utterly useless.

We all need God's saving Grace who saves from sins. Like Peter, we will fall flat on our faces if it was up to us and our useless human strength (arm of flesh) to remain standing if Satan came to sift like wheat. But like Peter before he denied Christ, many boast in their strength to overcome sin and do the right thing because God's restraining hand has not allowed them to get tempted beyond what they can bear (1 Corinthians 10:11-13.)

The arm of flesh (human strength/effort at being godly aka be like God) will fail. If it were not for God's mercy, all of mankind would crumple into the sins-ridden mass of flesh that man is of himself when Satan comes a-sifting.

When the scales of Satan's grip falls from the eyes of many, they realise their sin and are remorseful. No matter how it got to go astray, whether like Peter who thought he would never do something like that or like Judas whom Satan entered, what the lost sheep who are living in sin/under the accusation and the guilt of sins need is not more rules and regulations about abstinence from sins and being godly by human strength aka keeping the letter (law) that kills. What the helpless sinner needs is super(hyper)-abounding Grace: Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd and Saviour who saves from sins.

God sent Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. But like Eve who tried to be godly (be like God) by using her human strength, some people deceive themselves by believing that they can do the right thing (keep the law and be sinless in order to be good like God) by their human strength (arm of flesh.) Also like Peter who boasted and knew 100% that he would not deny Christ but fell flat on his face three times, some think that some sins are beneath them. Believer, let's not be found here. Many have no idea that the reason why we are not mass murderers is because God did not allow Satan to load us with a trial that we cannot handle. We all need God's saving Grace 100% in every facet of life.

Being in Christ without living in triumph over sin and death is much more impossible than being submerged under water naked without getting wet. Godliness, every fruit of the Spirit and right living is the "wet." In Christ, we are not under law but under Grace-

"For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under grace." Romans 6:14.

This verse is the gospel- the message of the cross; Christ's message. But many preach it backwards and say that sin will have dominion over you if you follow Grace or that Grace children just want to wallow in sin. There is a reason for this foolish and antichrist talk as we see in 1 Corinthians 1:18-

"For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God."

The Gospel is all about salvation by God's Grace (undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour,) including salvation from sins and every curse. Beloved of God, God's Grace is a Person. His name is Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11 says of Him:

"God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone."

Verse 14 of the same Titus 2 says: "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Howe can one continue to live in sin when he has Christ (God's Grace) who came to free us from every kind of sin, no matter how vile, as his Saviour? Only antichrists preach that Grace (Christ Himself!) will cause people to sin.

How can God who sent His own beloved Son to save us from our sins sanction living in sin? This is as ridiculous as going to a hospital treat cancer and then the Physician in charge of your well- being (who happens to be your Father that would give his life for you in a heartbeat) allows you to ingest and wallow in more carcinogens (sin) so that the penalty of your wallowing (death) can follow. Let's take our blessed brains to church. Not every gathering in God's name is the “assembly of the brethren.”

Christ is Saviour. He saves from the cancer of sin and the death that follows. For all who believe in Jesus Christ, God the Righteous Judge sees us as righteous, "even though we are guilty of many sins"- Romans 5:16-

"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.”

It is because of those sins that He came- to save us from them all. So how on earth can a believer continue to wallow in sin? Any churchgoer with this false reasoning simply does not believe in Jesus Christ - that He saves from sins. Beloved of God, beware of “spiritual wickedness in high places” pastors whose trade is describing the truth of Grace (God's word!) as “blasphemy”/“license to sin.” Such point out sin and ungodliness in man and then promote the attainment of righteousness/godliness (be like God) by human effort aka the arm of flesh. This is the same seemingly good but deathly false doctrine that Satan used to deceive Eve in Eden.

Peddlers of this false doctrine never point you to Jesus Christ the Tree of Life who gave His life to make us godly/righteous in God's sight (Romans 5:9) and to free us from every kind of sin (Titus 2:14) They preach that God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ are license to sin. But God's word says differently. His word says receiving His abundance of Grace and His gift of Righteousness to us in Christ is the Way to live in triumph over sin and death:

"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:16-17.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.

The work of our salvation was completed by Christ when He cried "Finished" at the cross. And right now, this is what He said He is doing in the lives of all who believe in Him: John 6:43-46 (MSG) -

"Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over Me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do My work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End."

Remember Paul and Barnabas’ meeting with the church elders in Jerusalem (Acts 15) where some among them who were Pharisees were insisting that “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.” Peter addressed these Pharisees who had wrong believing thus -

“10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

Today, just like those Pharisees, many church leaders are CHALLENGING GOD, forcing the sheep to labour under the burden of this yoke of the law. Christ says in Matthew 23:

“4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. 5 But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men;...”

Many sheep are labouring to obey the law (sow seed, pay tithe, keep the Ten Commandments....or else God will punish/not bless you) and are heavy laden with the guilt from their inability to do so. This is not of Christ. Paul says to us in Philippians 3:2 (KJV) - “Beware of dogs, ...” Beware of those who preach reliance on the arm of flesh (human effort) for the attainment of godliness/salvation.

If the one who is freezing can make himself warm by his own power, he does not need to enter the house to get warmth. But these preachers of a distorted gospel tell you that you cannot enter into Salvation (Christ Himself) unless you first save yourself!

Beloved of God, Christ says to you: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He came to save you from your sins and to lift the burden of the law from off your shoulders. Let’s take our blessed brains to church. Matthew 1:21 says:

“And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Christ came to save us from our sins. If we could stop sinning all by ourselves and do all that the law commands, Jesus would not have needed to come and save us. The one who is trying to obey the law in order to get right with God has been cut off from Christ according to Galatians 5:4:

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.”

What’s more? Romans 6:14 says: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

Sin has dominion over those who are trying to obey the law in order to get right with God. The longer a person stays outside trying to make himself warm (law-keeping using the arm of flesh that shall fail,) the colder and closer to death he becomes. Sin has dominion under law. The letter (law) kills. But somehow, many in the church have Romans 6:14 backwards and are still trying to get right with God and obtain His favour by trying to obey the law of Moses that kills. Believers, let’s not be found here. This broad road on which many in the church are on only leads to destruction: being cut off from Christ.

This is how we are made righteous and thus enjoy every single blessing in Christ: “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience, many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:19.

We are made righteous from our freezing to death in sins and the death that follows not because we obeyed the law but through Christ’s obedience when we put our faith in Him. See Romans 3:

“26...and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”

This is the Gospel: The Grace of God. When we enter and remain this rest that is Christ with all of our baggage of freezing (sins, guilt, sickness, depression, lack, stinginess, all of our shortcomings,) we cannot but become righteous, just as Christ is. ONLY by the abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness do we reign over sin and every earthly ill. Just enter His warmth and forsake yours and you will get to live right. See Romans 5:17-

“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ.”

By God’s grace, watch what you are hearing in your local church. Is it righteousness by works (human might and power) or righteousness by faith (by the Spirit of the Lord?) Once the foundation is righteousness by faith, Christ’s righteousness and not ours from obeying the law, “all these things shall be added unto you,” including the grace to live right.