Essentials of the Gospel

The word gospel is derived from the Old English godspell (good spell, or
morally excellent words having magical power). Gospel represents the
translation of the Greek euangelion, a word that originally meant a reward
given a messenger for delivering good news, but later became the Good News
itself. It is used more than 75 times in the New Testament with the specific
connotation of “good news.” This word is the root of our evangelical.

1. Christ is Lord – Jesus is fully God, and yet is a Person distinct from the Father and the
Holy Spirit.
a. Romans 10:9 (NASB)
9
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that
God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
b. John 1:1 (NASB)
1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
c. John 1:14 (NASB)
14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory
as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
d. John 5:18 (NASB)
18
For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him,
because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own
Father, making Himself equal with God.
e. John 8:24 (NASB)
24
"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe
that I am He, you will die in your sins."
f. Matthew 28:19 (NASB)
19
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

2. All have sinned

a. Romans 3:23 (NASB)
23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
b. Ephesians 2:1-3 (NASB)
1
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the
air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them
we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh
and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
3. God loves us – While we are yet sinners
a. John 3:16 (NASB)
16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
b. Romans 5:8 (NASB)
8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.

4. Jesus died for our sins – 1 Corinthians 15:3 (NASB)

3
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our
sins according to the Scriptures,
a. He assumed a human nature
i. 1 John 4:14 (NASB)
14
We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the
Savior of the world.
ii. John 1:14 (NASB)
14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
iii. Romans 8:3 (NASB)
3
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God
did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering
for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
iv. Philippians 2:6-8 (NASB)
6
who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality
with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in
appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross.

b. He lived a sinless life

i. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)
21
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him.
ii. Hebrews 4:15 (NASB)
15
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet
without sin.
iii. Hebrews 7:26 (NASB)
26
For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent,
undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;
iv. 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NASB)
18
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver
or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but
 with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of
Christ.
v. 1 John 3:5 (NASB)
5
You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there
is no sin.

c. He provided at the cross:

i. Atonement (propitiation, reconciliation), a penal substitution, an offering of
sacrifice, a price paid.
1. Romans 5:8-11 (NASB)
8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now
been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of
God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were
reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more,
having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not
only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
ii. Redemption, the payment of a ransom & a “buying back” from the bondage of
sin.
1. Mark 10:45 (NASB)
45
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
2. Hebrews 9:15 (NASB)
15
For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that,
since a death has taken place for the redemption of the
transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those
who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal
inheritance.
3. 1 Corinthians 6:20 (NASB)
20
For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in
your body.
4. 1 Corinthians 7:23 (NASB)
23
You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

5. Christ was raised from the dead

a. On the third day
i. Romans 6:4-7 (NASB)
4
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so
that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so
we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with
Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness
of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with
 Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we
would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
ii. 1 Corinthians 15:4 (NASB)
4
and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures,
iii. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (NASB)
20
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those
who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the
resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will
be made alive.

b. He ascended into heaven after 40 days

i. Acts 1:2-3 (NASB)
2
until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy
Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 To these He also
presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs,
appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things
concerning the kingdom of God.
ii. Acts 1:9 (NASB)
9
And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were
looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

c. He sits at the right hand of God

i. Ephesians 1:19-20 (NASB)
19
and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who
believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His
might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the
dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
ii. Hebrews 1:3 (NASB)
3
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His
nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had
made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on
high,

d. He intercedes for His people

i. Romans 8:34 (NASB)
34
who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather
who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for
us.
ii. Hebrews 9:24 (NASB)
24
For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of
the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God
for us;
iii. 1 John 2:1 (NASB)
1
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not
 sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous;

e. He will return as Judge

i. Matthew 24:30 (NASB)
30
"And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all
the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
ii. Matthew 25:31-32 (NASB)
31
"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with
Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "All the nations will be
gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
iii. John 5:22 (NASB)
22
"For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment
to the Son,
iv. John 5:27 (NASB)
27
and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son
of Man.
v. Acts 10:42 (NASB)
42
"And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that
this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and
the dead.
vi. Acts 17:31 (NASB)
31
because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in
righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished
proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

6. Regeneration – A new birth that makes us new creatures in Christ through the work of
the Holy Spirit.
a. John 3:3 (NASB)
3
Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
b. Titus 3:5 (NASB)
5
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but
according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy
Spirit,
c. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)
17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed
away; behold, new things have come.
d. John 3:5-8 (NASB)
5
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 "Do not be amazed that I
 said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you
hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going;
so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
7. Faith
a. Saving Faith consists of more that knowledge and belief, but of trust, surrender,
and obedience.
i. Romans 4:5 (NASB)
5
But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the
ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
ii. Romans 10:9 (NASB)
9
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
iii. James 2:19 (NASB)
19
You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and
shudder.
iv. 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 (NASB)
9
indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would
not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who delivered us
from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have
set our hope. And He will yet deliver us,
v. Luke 9:23 (NASB)
23
And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he
must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
vi. Galatians 2:20 (NASB)
20
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith
in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
vii. Romans 6:17 (NASB)
17
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became
obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were
committed,
viii. Romans 16:25-26 (NASB)
25
Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which
has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now is manifested, and by
the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the
eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience
of faith;

b. Faith is not a result of our own efforts, but is a gift from God.
i. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)
8
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one
may boast.
 ii. Romans 3:28 (NASB)
28
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the
Law.
iii. Romans 4:5 (NASB)
5
But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the
ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
iv. Galatians 2:16 (NASB)
16
nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law
but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so
that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the
Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

c. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him and
Him alone for salvation.
i. John 14:6 (NASB)
6
Jesus said* to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one
comes to the Father but through Me.
ii. Acts 4:12 (NASB)
12
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under
heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

8. Repentance
a. There must be repentance
i. Matthew 4:17 (NASB)
17
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand."
ii. Luke 24:46-47 (NASB)
46
and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and
rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for
forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations,
beginning from Jerusalem.
iii. Luke 13:3 (NASB)
3
"I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
iv. Luke 13:5 (NASB)
5
"I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

b. True repentance represents a turning to God, a turning from evil, and to service
to God.
i. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (NASB)
9
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with
you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

ii. It involves the intellectual recognition of sin,

 1. Romans 3:20 (NASB)
20
because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His
sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

iii. An emotional change of feeling for sin committed against a Holy and just
God,
1. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NASB)
9
I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you
were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made
sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer
loss in anything through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to
the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to
salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

iv. A willful turning away from sin

1. Acts 26:18-20 (NASB)
18
to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light
and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been
sanctified by faith in Me.' 19 "So, King Agrippa, I did not prove
disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to
those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout
all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should
repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to
repentance.
2. 1 Peter 3:11 (NASB)
11
"He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace
and pursue it.

9. Justification
a. A forensic (i.e. legal) declaration of acquittal that excludes all possibility of
condemnation providing salvation from the wrath of God.
i. Romans 5:1 (NASB)
1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
ii. Romans 5:19 (NASB)
19
For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners,
even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made
righteous.
iii. Romans 8:33 (NASB)
33
Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who
justifies;
 iv. Romans 5:9 (NASB)
9
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be
saved from the wrath of God through Him.

b. By grace through faith

i. Romans 3:24-25 (NASB)
24
being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in
Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His
blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in
the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

c. Justification is by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness: As our sins were

reckoned to Christ, so Christ’s righteousness is reckoned to us.
i. Philippians 3:9 (NASB)
9
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived
from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
which comes from God on the basis of faith,

10. Adoption
a. Into the family of God
i. John 1:12 (NASB)
12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
ii. Galatians 4:4-7 (NASB)
4
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a
woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were
under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you
are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying,
"Abba! Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a
son, then an heir through God.
iii. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB)
13
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of
your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the
Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with
a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His
glory.
iv. Hebrews 9:15 (NASB)
15
For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a
death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were
committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may
receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
11. Sanctification
a. Positional – to be set apart, to be made holy. A status conferred not by moral
transformation but by the sacrifice of Jesus
i. Hebrews 10:10 (NASB)
10
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all.

b. Progressive – an ongoing process that conforms us to the image of Christ

i. Philippians 2:13 (NASB)
13
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His
good pleasure.
ii. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)
18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just
as from the Lord, the Spirit.
iii. Hebrews 12:14 (NASB)
14
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one
will see the Lord.
iv. 2 Peter 3:18 (NASB)
18
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

12. Perseverance - through divine preservation. God, through the Spirit, secures the final
salvation of all true believers.
a. John 6:37-40 (NASB)
37
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I
will certainly not cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My
own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of Him who sent
Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
40
"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and
believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last
day."
b. John 10:28-29 (NASB)
28
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will
snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater
than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
c. Romans 8:38-39 (NASB)
38
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor
any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 d. Philippians 1:6 (NASB)
6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you
will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
e. 1 Peter 1:5 (NASB)
5
who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time.
13. Glorification
a. Redemption of the physical body
i. Romans 8:23 (NASB)
23
And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our
adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
ii. 1 Corinthians 15:53 (NASB)
53
For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must
put on immortality.
iii. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)
18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just
as from the Lord, the Spirit.
iv. Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB)
20
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our
humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of
the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

b. We will be like Christ

i. 1 John 3:2 (NASB)
2
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what
we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because
we will see Him just as He is.

c. We will dwell with Him

i. Revelation 21:3 (NASB)
3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle
of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be
His people, and God Himself will be among them,

d. For Eternity
i. Matthew 25:46 (NASB)
46
"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into
eternal life."