I believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This topic can quickly fall into a debate about works and this is not about works-based righteousness. That said, what is the Gospel? A lot of people know the Gospel for what it is not (e.g., the prosperity gospel, the “lefts” gospel, the “rights” gospel, etc.). In the Western church, you likely hear the Gospel of forgiveness. Jesus died on the cross, and you will be forgiven if you believe in that. SURE! That focuses on Jesus being our Savior, but not our Lord. When somebody is your Lord, you obey them. This incomplete Gospel is where discipleship breaks down, as this incomplete Gospel misses the steps after repentance. That is that baby step of faith toward Jesus so that you will follow Him even though you may not know what that means.
Four Gospel Declarations
The Gospel announces or declares four key things. They are:
- God’s Kingdom is Here: The Gospel declares the inauguration of God’s kingdom through the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It announces the reign and rule of God, bringing salvation, healing, justice, and restoration to all who enter His kingdom by faith. (Mark 1:15; Matthew 6:10)
- Jesus is the Christ: The Gospel proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah (Christ), the Son of God, who came to fulfill God’s plan of redemption for humanity. (John 20:31; Acts 5:42)
- Jesus Died for Our Sins: The Gospel declares that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, paying the penalty we deserve. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Peter 2:24)
- Jesus Was Resurrected on the Third Day: The Gospel proclaims the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day, demonstrating His victory over sin and death and providing assurance of eternal life to all who believe in Him. (Luke 24:46; Acts 2:24)
Three Gospel Imperatives
In grammar, imperatives are commands that believers are called to obey. Imperative comes from the Latin imperativus that literally means ‘specially ordered.’ Here are the 3 imperatives that we must respond to.
- Repentance: The Gospel calls us to repent, turn away from our sins and rebellion against God, and turn toward Him in faith. (Acts 3:19)
- Faith: The Gospel calls us to place our trust and faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, acknowledging Him as the only way to salvation and eternal life. (John 3:16; Acts 16:31)
- Discipleship: The Gospel calls us to follow Jesus as His disciples. Followers live lives transformed by His grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It involves obedience to His teachings, participation in His kingdom mission, and growing in conformity to His likeness. (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 12:1-2)
That call to discipleship is critical to responding to a biblically correct representation of the Gospel. We repent or turn away from our sinful ways towards Christ. We then take that baby step of faith and move towards him to become a follower or disciple of Jesus. By following Jesus, you are then submitting to His Lordship.
Next Steps
Jesus actually tells us the Gospel in Mark 1:14-17. You can also dig deeper in Mark 8:27-31 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 in addition to the scripture references above. When discipling, I highly recommend that you first ensure you have a complete biblical understanding of the Gospel. Then, you can clearly and accurately share the Gospel with people you are witnessing and discipling. In the Gospels, Jesus said “follow me” 19 times. The is a critical part after repentance to make that first step in following Jesus.
