Book Recommendation: What is the Gospel, by Greg Gilbert

Book Recommendation: What is the Gospel, by Greg Gilbert

About six months ago I led the men of Solid Rock to read and discuss this small (120 pages) book by Greg Gilbert. For 7 weeks we read a chapter, highlighted parts and came together to discuss what we were learning.  Even though the group was made up of mostly long-time believers in Jesus, this book proved to have a great impact on our understanding of who God is and what He has done for us thought Jesus.

In my years of ministry I, like the author, have heard many different attempts to explain God's means of salvation of man, or the Gospel.

...many Christians would answer with something far short of what the Bible holds out as "the gospel of Jesus Christ." Maybe they'd answer, "the gospel is that God will forgive your sins if you believe in him." Or they'd say something like, "The good news is that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Or, "The gospel is that you are a child of God, and God wants his children to be abundantly successful in every way." Some would know that it's important to say something about Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection, but then again, how does all that fit in?

An Important Question...

The Gospel is not just for unbelievers or for children or baby Christians, but it is foundational. "It's what we intend to found our lives upon and build churches around" Getting it right is of crucial importance. So how does Gilbert answer the question he poses?  The way the Bible answers it.

Gilbert outlines four vital components of the Gospel. To explain the Gospel leaving out one or more of these is to not communicate the Gospel.

God: God is not Santa Clause or our personal genie in a bottle obeying our prayer commands. Nor is He the old senile Grandpa type who is kind and will give us an inheritance one day.  God is our Creator.  He gave us life and breath.  Creation answers to Creator... we answer to God.  In that relationship God is our Judge.

Man: We don't like that.  We like to talk about rights, freedom, and liberty.  We don't want to answer to anyone, we want autonomy!  Perhaps we desire those because we know that we have rejected God.  We have walked away from His design, His intention, His law and done it Our way. This is not just a breaking of moral rules, it is a rejection of God Himself. This act of divine treason comes with no small price. Death--physical and spiritual.

Christ: "The Bible is the story of God's counteroffensive against sin" God saw us on our rebellious state, enslaved by sin, and following after it's unsatisfying pleasures...and He did something about it. That's right, the King set out to rescue the rebels. God entered into humanity (the same way you and I did), he was born as the God-man Jesus Christ. Being human he lived our life, but without rebellion.  Being God, he was perfect. On a cross and at the hands of his own creation He died a human death in our place.  As God He paid the debt of treason--He became the perfect sacrifice for sins finally. This is the Good News...

Response: ...but only if you and I can get in on it. Is the payment for sins available to me? Can Jesus' payment be applied to my account? If so, how?  God requires a response of faith.  Genuine faith that saves us from judgment and wrath is a turning to Jesus, away from sin, and trusting that Jesus is the only means of escaping the penalty of sin.

God. Man. Christ. Response.

Gilbert takes a complex subject and simplifies it while retaining all of the the power and influence that the Gospel contains.  I highly recommend this book for anyone. Whether you are searching or have been walking with Jesus for many years, this will be of great encouragement and benefit.