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What is the Gospel?
Have you really thought about what the Gospel is and is not?
Here is your fair warning – you may not like the result and what it means for your life.
Is the Gospel something that offers us only comfort and security? Is it something that confirms our beliefs and matches up with what we believe about the world? Is it something that matches up with our political stances nice and neatly? Is it something that never addresses touchy subjects? Is it something that never addresses controversial topics? Is it something that never challenges us? Is it something that is can be claimed but makes no other claims on our lives? It is something that is never political, but only used as a weapon in the ongoing partisan political wars for power over people?
There are many who proclaim this type of gospel. There have been many who have proclaimed this message for many centuries. It’s the gospel of don’t rock the boat. It’s the gospel of comforting the comforted and ignoring the afflicted. It’s the gospel which is used as a weapon for political expediency. It is a gospel that is not the foundation of life, but merely just another tool to be used to our own ends.
The Gospel was never meant to be comfortable. It is uncomfortable and inconvenient. It is radical in nature because it flips the world right side up. The Gospel calls into question our loyalties and allegiances. It smacks us in the face more often than we prefer. We try to put it away when it becomes uncomfortable and is in conflict with our preferences and beliefs.
The Gospel isn’t about membership – it is about discipleship. It’s not safe – it risks bringing the world’s shame on itself. It’s not wrapped in any flag, any nation, or any politician – it supersedes all of these things. It is not the avoidance of death, but rather calls us to death.
But the Gospel is more than a political platform for some political party. It is more than just some nice sounding rhetoric that we can voice and then set aside and do what we were doing. It is a message of life – transformed life, renewed life, restored life. It is a message of resurrection – that which comes after death. The Gospel calls us to death – death of our egos, our loyalties, our desire to be right, our judgements, our separation from others, our ideologies, our desire to be strong and mighty, our sins, our brokenness.
When we encounter the Gospel, it changes our lives in uncomfortable and lasting ways. And it causes conflict. The conflict arises because the world’s ways are revealed to be empty promises that lead and end with death. And the world doesn’t want us to see this for what it is.
It is only in the death of these things that resurrection can happen – where the Gospel is truly revealed. And the resurrection that Jesus offers is life giving. Where else are we to go to receive this kind of life?
The answer is this – no where.
Laced up Lutheran 
Very well said, Matthew! I say the gospel is the good news of the kingdom of God. Here are some elements I believe to be part of the good news:
God is not angry with us but loves us unconditionally
God’s love for us takes away our fear and self-condemnation
We are not asked to follow religious rules but to love people
As followers of Jesus, we are agents for expanding God’s kingdom on earth
Death is not the end because Jesus offers us eternal life and happiness
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Amen!
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Love the post. I am right there with you.
I remember an old book by N.T. Wright that challenged me to see “the gospel” quite differently and refreshingly real. The title – What St. Paul Really Said.
Wright shows us Gospel in the Old Testament, the way Israel used the term from olden times. In Isaiah the content of this “good news” is “Your God Reigns” and “Here is your God!”.
It is a royal announcement telling us Who is ultimately in charge of creation despite Fake News to the contrary.
Wright also examines Roman usage of the word “gospel” and shows that they too use it as a royal announcement telling us who is in charge. When ever Rome conquered a new nation, they sent men called Heralds through out the newly conquered territory who would ride into town and jump up on a stump or a stone where everyone could see and hear them clearing and they would say something like: Hear ye, hear ye… I have good news! The War is Over! Caesar now rules this land!
Of course news like that is good… if you like Caesar and want him to rule your land. But it is not good news if you don’t.
Now… apply this concept to Jesus and his Apostles. Jesus preaches The Gospel of God. Repent! The Kingdom of God is at hand! Your God reigns! And… Here is your God! And in so doing, he claimed he rules the world. St Paul was the premier herald of this Gospel.
And one thing Wright is noted for is saying that If Jesus is Lord, then Caesar is not. There can ultimately only be one! Pick a side! This news is good! And it is! But it is not convenient or comforting to those eating high on the imperial hog. There is a new sheriff in town. A crucified Jew, no less, is now in charge. His charge is one of LOVE, and even if you kill him he wont stay dead!
Gospel is a powerful word used by various “rulers” to support their theo/political agendas. It is not about a feeling, though feelings are involved. It is about allegiances for sure!
Wright is also famed for noting that Rome never sent a herald out saying: If you care to experience a new lord of your life, you might like to try Nero!
No. That is the watered down kind of Gospel so much modern Western Christianity has tried to peddle, but it is not gospel. Not at all.
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Great summary. I love this. In Bible studies I often translate the Greek as Gospel/Good News/glad tidings and point to how Paul and the rest of the Scripture writers are co-opting a term that the Romans co-opted for their own use. I think the same thing happens today – there are many who are claiming gospel messages, but really have left the church and the Gospel and Jesus. They exchange the message of Jesus for some political influence. It’s being offering a seat at a banquet, but refusing it because you’ve been offered scraps that fall off the table. Makes no sense.
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