The word “Gospel” gets tossed around a lot in Christian circles – but do we understand what it is and isn’t? Telling someone “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for you” barely scratches the surface. The Gospel isn’t contained in miracles, healing, financial success or psychological wellness either. And is definitely not a checklist of do’s and don’ts. No, the real “good news” is the epic proclamation of our Lord’s victory over our greatest enemy – death itself.
Think about it: No matter how famous, rich or accomplished you become, you cannot escape the cold sting of death. The world’s brightest minds and mightiest forces – from the Einsteins to the Hitlers of the world – are powerless against it.
But there is One, who conquered death and rose again on the third day – and the Bible says, whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will go on living eternally. (John 3:16 and John 17:2-3). That’s the Gospel.
Not All Faith Is Saving Faith
Boiled down, the Gospel isn’t complicated. John 3:16 is pretty straightforward and yet, many who say they “believe” miss the mark. Our Lord’s encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4:27-45 sheds light on this:
At first, she saw Him only as a man, then as a prophet. But our Lord kept pushing her understanding deeper – until finally the penny dropped: This is the promised Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the World.
You see, believing Jesus was a good man or a prophet isn’t enough for salvation. Gandhi believed Jesus and loved the sermon on the mount, Mohammed believed He was a prophet of God. In contrast, this lowly, Samaritan woman’s faith surpassed theirs. Her belief that Jesus is the Christ was the saving faith, while the belief of Gandhi and Mohammed fell short of the mark.
Is the Gospel For Me?
The Gospel is an open invitation that extends to all people – to the prince and the pauper alike. It isn’t for a select few, but for everyone with no exceptions. Additionally, no special qualifications are required to gain eternal life – all one needs to do is “believe” in Christ.
Some think we must complement Christ’s death by our own good works – and that’s totally unbiblical. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Look at that Samaritan woman living in serial marriages – she was spiritually bankrupt and had nothing to offer. But became one of the first recipients of the free gift of salvation.
Who Can Share the Gospel?
So who’s qualified to share this Good News? You are!
You don’t need to be a Pastor or someone with special qualification. The ‘woman at the well’ didn’t have a seminary degree either. In fact she had quite the checkered past. Yet, she was the chosen spokesperson to bring the entire city to the Lord. Sharing the Gospel isn’t complicated at all – the heavy lifting is already done. God the Father designed it, God the Son secured it through His death and resurrection, and God the Spirit softens the hearts. Our role is to merely invite people to the Savior.
When Should We Share the Gospel?
Not tomorrow or when you’ve got it all figured out. Jesus said the “harvest is ready” – and we need to get to work now, not four months from now. The Gospel is more urgent than our daily scramble for water and food. The Samaritan woman got it who left her water pot at the well to go share the good news with the people of her city and bring them to Christ.
So, have you grasped the true Gospel – that Christ alone has conquered death and in Him you have everlasting life? And if so, who can you share this amazing Good News with today?
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