“The Word is the gospel of God concerning his Son, who was made flesh, suffered, rose from the dead, and was glorified through the Spirit who sanctifies.” – Martin Luther
For those of us born and raised in the Lutheran tradition, the gospel of Jesus Christ means that we are saved by the grace of God and not any of our own works. Martin Luther wrote and said in just about every way imaginable that nothing we do impacts our salvation. It is entirely the work of Jesus Christ.
There are a lot of other Christians that believe that as well. There are also quite a few, who preach and teach that people do need to work hard to get into heaven. There are also some, who believe that gospel pertains to every word of the bible taken literally. And some others believe that having specific power from the Holy Spirit is proof of salvation. The point is that not all Christians define the gospel the same way.
How do you define it? This is a question worth answering. You don’t have to answer it in the words of Martin Luther to be Lutheran. You don’t have to find the exact right words in order to prove you are a Christian either. But, it is a question worth answering for yourself.
The word and the biblical concept of gospel originate with the Greek word, euangelion. It means good news and was often a message sent from the Emperor/Ruler to the people about battles won or a royal birth. The apostles used it to express the good news of Jesus Christ. For Paul that centered on Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, which has secured our eternal salvation.
That is good news! But it doesn’t answer all the challenging questions of faith. Being a Christ follower isn’t only about what happens after death. Yes, we are promised eternal life, but is there good news for us here in this life?
Yes! Martin Luther wrote that because we can rest assured we are saved, we are free to focus our energy on caring for our neighbor. And we aren’t left to flounder around on our own to do that, we are gifted by the Holy Spirit to do Christ’s work in this world. In other words, the church isn’t just a vehicle to preach God’s grace in the world. The church is also a means to care for the poor, the prisoners, the immigrants, and the sick on behalf of Christ.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is that we are loved from the moment of our birth until forever. It is also that we are instruments of that love here in this world. Church is the place to hear the gospel, live the gospel, and share the gospel.
