What is the Gospel?
The gospel is the good news about God’s Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. The gospel defines and unites the people of God. The gospel is an exclusive message in that it expresses the only hope of salvation; yet, the gospel is also an inclusive message in that it offers hope for all people. This gospel was promised and testified to in the Old Testament and is fulfilled, proclaimed, and explained in the New Testament. Though foolishness to the world, the gospel is the power of God to those who are being saved.
The gospel is the good news that God, the Creator of heaven and earth, has come to the rescue of the unrighteous and that he is, today, offering righteousness that is not our own as a free gift to all who trust in his Son, Jesus of Nazareth, our Lord, who lived a sinless life, died in our place for our sins, and was raised from the dead on the third day.
All those who trust fully and solely in this gospel are united inseparably to Christ, are indwelt permanently by the Holy Spirit, and are declared righteous by God, being forgiven of all their sins and being credited with the righteousness of Jesus Christ.