Loading...

A Guide to Christian Theology - Lesson 35

You must log-in to view this content.

What is the Gospel?

Gain a full understanding of the Gospel as the revelation of what God has done: Jesus as Messiah, crucified, resurrected, exalted, and pouring out the Spirit. Learn the human response: conviction, confession, repentance, and faith expressed in baptism, and the results: forgiveness, new life in the Spirit, inclusion in a Jesus-centered community, and participation in God’s mission of cosmic restoration. The Gospel is not just about going to heaven, but about living a transformed life now.

Gerry Breshears
Gerry Breshears
A Guide to Christian Theology

I. Framework for Understanding the Gospel

A. Key Passage

B. Five Points of Revelation

C. Response

D. Results

II. Ongoing and Future Implications

A. Mission

B. Redemption


Transcription
Quiz
Lessons

 

What is the gospel after all? It's one of those debated things, and I'm just going to do a quick review of my answer to the question and refer you to Marc Cortez's video that's at the BiblicalTraining site. And also I have a module at Western Seminary in our resources for pastors.

And my friend Steve Walker gave me an outline for the gospel that's proved to be very, very helpful. And the first thing is revelation, second is response, and the third is results. Revelation is what God did. Response is what I do. Results is what I get. And I think to look at the gospel, you need all of those.

So the gospel proper is just the revelation, what God did. So revelation, what I did, results a response, what I do, results what I get. So the key passage for me for the gospels, Acts Chapter Two, the foundational covenant document of the church. Peter's explaining the new covenant for the people who are just bewildered by what happened, by the outpouring, the Holy Spirit on that Pentecost day.

And in Verse 22, he begins the process. "Fellow Israelites, listen to this. Jesus of Nazareth, who is a man accredited to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, now know." So that's 22. And so if this were a class, I would ask you, "Okay, revelation, response, result?"

And I'd wait for you to figure it out. And it'd take you a little bit, but you'd probably come out on Revelation. And what God did is he has established Jesus as Emmanuel. He's accredited by God as who he is endowed in Verse 36, the bookend of this passage, Verse 36. "Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this. God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, Lord and Messiah." Of course, he was referring back to the Gospel of Luke.

So first one in its revelation, what God did, is Jesus is Emmanuel, Lord, Messiah, son of God. So Jesus is the Messiah with us. But then he continues, Verse 23, this man was handed over by God's deliberate plan for knowledge. And you with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. So what the revelation here is, is Jesus is crucified. And this is not a disastrous mistake. This appears to be Rome crushing Jesus, but in fact it's God's perfect plan at work.

So Jesus, Emmanuel, Lord Messiah, he's crucified, and that's God's deliberate plan at work. Verse 24, God raised him from the dead, freeing from the agony of death. God raised him from the dead. So that's the third step. God resurrect ... So Jesus is resurrected. And the interesting thing is, he's got one Verse on crucifixion, but you follow this through, and the discussion of resurrection goes all the way down to Verse 32.

And it's really ironic to me that most people when they talk about the gospel don't even mention the resurrection. And for Peter it's essential. And what resurrection does is bring life into the place of death, his resurrection. So that's third step is Jesus is resurrected.

And then Verse 33 talks about Jesus being exalted to the right hand of God. So that's the fourth point in the revelation, is he's exalted to the right hand of God. And I look down in Verse 34, he's quoting Psalm 110, "The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool."" So he's exalted over the hostile powers. We see that in Ephesians Chapter One, and other places.

So Emmanuel Lord, Messiah, crucified, resurrected, exalted to the right hand of God, far above all the dominion, power and authority, et cetera.

And in the second half of 33, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. That's the fifth point of the gospel proper. He poured out the Holy Spirit on us. So that's the revelation piece. That's what God did. Jesus the Messiah, Emmanuel Lord, Messiah, crucified, resurrected, exalted, poured out the spirit.

Verse 36 is the bookend. Then Verse 37, "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart." So you think, "Well, what is cut to the heart? Is that a revelation, response, result?" And you think about it and you're probably going to say, "Hmm, that's not like a response. Let's see. We crucified the Messiah. That could have been a bad choice." Yep, could have been a really bad choice as a matter of fact.

So I think that's what's conviction. Is, I have a problem. And then they say, "Brothers, what should we do?" And what I'm suggesting at this point, just for a term, the second thing in the response would be, confession. I have a need. I speak out what I did, what I am, and I take responsibility for it. I express my need. So conviction is seeing my need. Confession is speaking my need. So the first two steps.

And then Verse 38, he replied, "Repent and be baptized everyone in the name of Jesus." Okay, revelation response, result. Yeah, that's response. Repent and be baptized. Now, the way I look at this is I think repent and be baptized is single act, because I think repentance is a whole person action, not just a hard attitude action. Because my anthropology's embodied personhood.

So I think this is a one person act, and the biblical way to say, "Yes, I repentance," is baptized. We do it in other ways these days, and I think it actually better to do the biblical way, but that's a whole nother fight.

So we do it by Sinner's Prayer, or something like that. But it's a whole person thing. Repent and be baptized. That's the third point, repent and be baptized, and we'll unpack repentance in a bit. And baptism we'll look when we talk about the church.

And then he says, "For the forgiveness of sins," revelation, response, result. Forgiveness of sins. Yeah, that's a result. So the forgiveness of sins we're going to unpack in justification. Forgiveness and acceptance are the heart of justification. He's talking about the forgiveness of sins here.

And then he goes on and says, "You'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," and that's another result. We get the gift of the spirit, or we get new life, and that's going to be regeneration. We'll unpack later, new heart and dwelling Holy Spirit. Again, that's by grace alone, through faith alone.

And then he says, "This promises for you as many as our Lord will call. With many words he warned them and pleaded them." But look what he says, "Save yourselves from the corrupt generation." In Verse 41, those who accepted this message were baptized. Accepted this message. Revelation, response, result. What God did, what we do or what we get, accepted his message. Yep, that's a response. Those who accepted his message were baptized.

And again, I think this is a whole person, so acceptance would be faith or trust or belief, however you term it. And again, it's a whole person thing, it's not just a hard attitude thing. And about 3,000 were added.

Then Verse 42, "They devoted themselves to apostles' teaching fellowship, bringing bread and prayer." Revelation, response, result. Yeah, that's a response. They devoted themselves to the fellowship, to the apostles' teaching. And it goes on and talks about this.

Now, this is a part where I think it's both a response and a result. There's a response they devoted themselves to, but there's also a result. We participate in the new community, the spirit. So I think Verse 42 and following fits in both sides, they devoted themselves to.

And again, I think in the gospel, it's never just me and Jesus, if you look at it scripturally. It's me joining a Jesus community, that it didn't necessarily be an organized church, though I think many times it is. But if you're doing it just me and Jesus, I don't want to be a part of a community, you're shortchanging the gospel. Because it's always a call to community, seems to me.

And it talks about in this community, wonders and signs are performed by the apostles, [inaudible] shared and everything in common, that's a sharing between them. They continue to meet together, broke their bread in homes with glad and sincere hearts. And this is the nature of the community that we join. And part of the gospel is we join a community where the only common point is faith in Jesus Christ. Not political allegiance, not ethnic identity, not cultural background. We have to bypass those, and have a community of all those together.

That's going to become a huge fight in the early church is, do you have to obey the Mosaic covenant in order to be a good Christian? And I think the point is we don't. So this being a part of the community of the spirit is really important.

And then 46, 47, they continued to meet together, broke bread in homes, praised God and join the fear of all people. And there were added people who were being saved. And I would put this as a new mission, which is to live a contagious life and proclaim the gospel.

The thing that's missing here, the thing that's missing here is what I hear in most gospel presentations whenever I go to churches. It never mentions go to heaven when you die. And most gospel presentations are something like, "Okay, you're a sinner. God still loves you. Jesus died. Believe in him, and you get eternal life. You go to heaven when you die." And somehow this doesn't talk about go to to heaven when you die.

Now, I think you do go to heaven when you die, but that's not the point. The point is to live a missional community now, we are demonstrating the reality of the new life in Christ. And then down in Chapter three, which is a second gospel sermon, Peter speaking again after the lame man is healed, Three 18, this is Acts Three 18, "This is how God fulfilled what he foretold through all the prophets saying the Messiah would suffer. Repent and turn to God so that your sin may wiped out. And the times of refreshing may come from God, that's a new life, that he may send the Messiah who's been appointed to you. Heaven must receive him until the kind comes to God to restore everything as he promised long go through his holy prophets."

This is what some people call the kingdom gospel, that we are allegiance to the king Jesus, and there will be a cosmic restoration. Romans Chapter eight talks about that too. But that's not in the Acts Two gospel. I think it is an important consequence of it though, is he's not just forming a church now, he's redeeming the entire cosmos, crushing the serpent in all of his works everywhere. But I'm going to say it's after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

So what's the gospel? As I understand it, again, quick, quick, quick fly-by, Jesus Emmanuel Lord, Messiah, crucified. God's perfect plan. Resurrected, bringing life in the place of death, exalted to the right of God, triumph over the hostile powers, and poured out the spirit. That's the gospel proper.

Then our response, conviction, confession, repentance, whole person including baptism. And then in Verse 41, receiving the word. Again, connect with whole person, baptism, and then devote themselves to initial salvation is always in community. The results we get are forgiveness, justification, acceptance, new family. We get a new life that transformed worked through the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Holy Spirit, a new community of sharing things, and living a righteous community life, a new mission. And then this new hulk of a cosmic transformation yet to come.

To me, that's a center point in the gospel. A lot, lot more to say, but there are other classes where you can unpack that.

 

Log in to take this quiz.
  • 1. Why Study Systematic Theology
    Explore the significance of systematic theology, blending academic insight with personal devotion. Learn to interpret biblical texts, understand how theology shapes beliefs, and fortify your faith against deception.
  • 2. Deductive, Inductive, Abductive
    Dr. Breshears teaches diverse ways to tackle theological questions, focusing on Holy Spirit baptism. He reveals deductive, inductive, and retro-abductive methods, using Acts 17:11 and 15 as examples.
  • 3. Die, Divide, Debate or Decide
    This lesson provides insights into theological certainty levels, categorizing beliefs into “die for,” “divide for,” “debate for,” and “decide for,” highlighting essential doctrines, divisive issues, passionate debates, and less crucial matters.
  • 4. General Revelation
    Explore how God reveals His character through general revelation in creation and conscience (Psalm 19 and Romans 1), making people accountable and opening the possibility of further revelation when they respond.
  • 5. Special Revelation
    Gain deep understanding of special revelation: history, divine acts, and communication revealing God’s character and redemptive plan through the Messiah, highlighting the Bible's key role of conveying God’s nature.
  • 6. The Bible is Inspired by God
    This lesson explains the concept of divine inspiration in Scripture, citing 2 Timothy 3:15-16 and 2 Peter 1:16-21. Inspiration involves human authors, their personalities, and styles, conveying God’s message to the entire church.
  • 7. The Bible is Wholly True
    Learn that the Bible is wholly true, accurate in fact, command, and promise, expressed in ordinary language, supported by manuscript evidence, contextual understanding, and archaeological consistency.
  • 8. Perspicuity and Sufficiency
    Gain insight into the Bible’s clarity, sufficiency, and authority. It stands as the supreme authority, and the Canon of Scripture is reliable, having been recognized early and affirmed by the global church.
  • 9. Who is God?
    Grasp a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of God, including their definitions, biblical support, implications, and applications. This lesson urges contemplation of God’s profound blend of love and justice.
  • 10. God is Holy
    Look at holiness through the lens of Isaiah 6, which emphasizes dedication over separation from sin. God’s holiness means He is both supremely awesome and deeply dedicated to His people, drawing near to cleanse and commission those who confess.
  • 11. God as Trinity
    God as Trinity emphasizes God’s essential relational nature within Himself and its biblical implications, while also addressing theological controversies and highlighting the complexity of the Trinity.
  • 12. How Do I Know God?
    Dr. Breshears explores different approaches to knowing God, he discusses the doctrine of immutability and highlights how God can change in his attitude and actions based on biblical evidence.
  • 13. Sovereignty, Election and Free Will
    Explore the difference between Calvinist and Wesleyan-Arminian views on God’s sovereignty, election, and free will, and how those definitions shape views on divine control, human choice, and moral responsibility.
  • 14. Election
    Examine three views of election: Calvinist, Wesleyan-Arminian, and Calminian. Learn how Ephesians 1 defines God’s purpose for those in Christ rather than the method of salvation, emphasizing a corporate calling to become Christ’s holy bride.
  • 15. Creation
    Learn about anthropology and its biblical foundations, creation of human beings, the Fall, sin, and their implications on human nature, redemption and sanctification.
  • 16. Providence (Part 1/2)
    Providence is God’s protective and guiding nature. Explore its depth through the role of prayer, how it aligns with God’s sovereignty, and how human responsibility fits into God’s ongoing work in the world.
  • 17. Providence (Part 2/2)
    Explore three views of providence—meticulous, active, and freewill—each explaining God’s role in evil, suffering, and human choices, revealing how biblical interpretation shapes our understanding of God’s purpose and presence.
  • 18. How Do I Find the Will of God?
    Learn to discern God’s will by cultivating a Christ-like character, living by moral principles, seeking counsel, embracing uniqueness, and praying. It’s about aligning with your long-term happiness and godly desires.
  • 19. Incarnational Christology
    Jesus, who is fully God, became fully human by giving up the use of divine attributes and living as a Spirit-filled man, providing a model for faithful, empowered living through the Holy Spirit.
  • 20. Deity of Jesus
    This lesson explains Jesus’ dual nature as both God and man during his earthly mission, supported by Old Testament, Gospel, and epistle references. It acknowledges the complexity of his divinity and humanity, even after his ascension.
  • 21. Humanity of Jesus
    Explore how Jesus lived fully as a human, experiencing emotion, temptation, and suffering, while still remaining divine. His Spirit-filled life serves as a model and deepens your understanding of His nature and example.
  • 22. Life of Jesus
    Dr. Breshears shares Jesus’ life and mission, challenging traditional beliefs like the virgin birth. He explores Jesus’ spiritual journey and resurrection fostering critical thinking and alternative perspectives.
  • 23. Atoning Death of Jesus
    Jesus’ atonement triumphs over evil, satisfies divine wrath through substitution, and models faithful living, all supported by Scripture and Old Testament imagery.
  • 24. Holy Spirit
    The Holy Spirit indwells believers at the moment of conversion and subsequently empowers them for service. This lesson examines theological perspectives on Spirit baptism, highlighting both incorporation and ongoing empowerment.
  • 25. Filling of the Holy Spirit
    Understand the relationship between Spirit baptism and conversion, the various terms used in Scripture, and the importance of ongoing fillings with the Holy Spirit for special ministry tasks, character, and as a command for all believers
  • 26. Gifts of the Spirit
    This lesson demonstrates the role of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. It challenges traditional definitions, proposing that any ability empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in ministry is a spiritual gift.
  • 27. Have Some Gifts of the Spirit Ceased?
    Analyze the theological debate on spiritual gifts like prophecy and miracles. Explore four perspectives: cessationism, continuationism, functional cessationism, and word of faith.
  • 28. Humanity
    The Bible’s view of humanity emphasizes humans as God’s unique creation, made from dust and breath, in His image. This lesson uncovers human origins, our role as covenant partners, and the interaction between spirit and body.
  • 29. Humans are Image of God
    This lesson defines humans as image-bearers of God, emphasizing the role of reflecting divine attributes in all work, gender equality, and growth in Christ-likeness.
  • 30. Origin of Sin
    Sin originates from the choices of morally responsible beings. Dr. Breshears presents the concept of Satan’s rebellion prior to creation and emphasizes that humans are called to participate in spiritual warfare by actively pursuing good.
  • 31. Consequences of the Fall
    Learn seven dimensions of sin—guilt, shame, defilement, fear, lostness, chaos, and despair—and how confession addresses both sins committed and those suffered.
  • 32. Definition of Sin
    Dr. Breshears compares theological definitions of sin, examines the debate on disordered desires and degrees of sin, and explores how different traditions understand spiritual depravity and the necessity of God’s grace in salvation.
  • 33. Soteriology
    Examine what salvation entails, how grace empowers beyond acceptance, and why Christian life involves obedience, good works, and sanctification, even while justification is by grace alone through faith alone.
  • 34. Types of Grace
    God’s grace works to restrain sin, enable repentance, and guarantee salvation. Explore biblical and theological perspectives on common and effectual grace, showing how grace empowers, not just accepts.
  • 35. What is the Gospel?
    The Gospel is God’s work in Christ, your response is whole-person repentance and faith, and the result is forgiveness, Spirit-empowered life, and community-based mission under Jesus’ lordship.
  • 36. Conversion and Faith
    Conversion involves whole-person repentance and faith, where baptism visibly expresses a new allegiance to Jesus and trust in God’s promises.
  • 37. Regeneration
    Regeneration is the gift of a new heart and the Holy Spirit, empowering transformed desires and obedience that flow from faith and repentance as part of genuine conversion.
  • 38. Justification
    Learn how repentance, faith, regeneration, and justification work together in true conversion, giving you new desires, spiritual power, and full acceptance into God’s family by grace through faith.
  • 39. Faith and Works
    Justification happens at conversion by faith alone, while true salvation includes sanctification and good works as the natural result of regeneration and allegiance to Jesus.
  • 40. Sanctification (Part 1/2)
    Compare models of sanctification and learn how Christian growth is a Spirit-empowered partnership where new identity, desires, and community shape a life increasingly marked by holiness, even as you wrestle with sin.
  • 41. Sanctification (Part 2/2)
    Pursuing Christlike maturity means to live from your identity in Christ, put off sin, put on righteousness, and cooperate with the Spirit and community to live out the joy-filled transformation of the new covenant life.
  • 42. Perseverance and Security
    Learn how true believers are secure in Christ, explore key biblical texts on perseverance, and learn to distinguish between losing salvation, blessing, and faithfulness while addressing real-world concerns of apostasy and spiritual drift.
  • 43. Definition of Church
    The church functions as a redeemed community and priesthood, engages culture prophetically through grace and service, and pursues its mission by celebrating Christ and making disciples through love, righteousness, and hospitality.
  • 44. Organization of the Church
    Explore church leadership models, the authority of Scripture, the role of congregational input, and the unique leadership of the Apostles in the early church.
  • 45. Roles in Church Leadership
    Learn Dr. Breshears’ local church leadership principles: focus on equipping, inspiring, empowering, unifying, exemplifying, caring for, overseeing, and shepherding members. Rooted in biblical teachings, emphasizes servant leadership.
  • 46. Importance of Church Leadership
    Learn about church leadership principles, roles of elders and deacons, active membership, mutual commitment, gift utilization, and clear processes in this comprehensive lesson.
  • 47. Sacraments and Ordinances
    Explore church leadership models, the authority of Scripture, the role of congregational input, and the unique leadership of the Apostles in the early church.
  • 48. Baptism
    In this lesson, you’ll grasp the essence of baptism, its questions, and debates. Discover about the role of belief, its confession, and the link to repentance and faith. Explore diverse views on baptism performers, methods, and locations.
  • 49. Communion
    Discover how Communion functions theologically and practically, from Paul’s warnings to views of Christ’s presence, and learn how this shared meal expresses fellowship, remembrance, and reverence within the church community.
  • 50. Eschatology and Death
    Dr. Breshears unpacks two ends: individual death and the end of the age. He explores human death, material and immaterial aspects, fear, loss of autonomy, cremation, rewards, and urges preparation to meet Jesus.
  • 51. Eschatology and the Kingdom of God
    Learn about the Kingdom of God, its aspects, Christ’s return interpretations, and key concepts. Emphasizing humility and mission in theological debates, it prepares you for insightful discussions on Christ’s return and tribulation.
  • 52. Final State
    Understand the Christian views on heaven and hell. Hell is punishment for those who reject Jesus; heaven is eternal bliss with Him on a renewed Earth. Dr. Breshears encourages exploring differing views respectfully.

Class Resources

Downloads

About BiblicalTraining.org

BiblicalTraining.org wants every Christian to experience a deep and loving relationship with Jesus by understanding the life-changing truths of Scripture. To that end, we provide a high-quality Bible education at three academic levels taught by a wide range of distinguished professors, pastors, authors, and ministry leaders that moves from content to spiritual growth, all at no charge. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit funded by gifts from our users. We currently have over 180 classes and seminars, 2,300 hours of instruction, registered users from every country in the world, and in the last two years 1.4 million people watched 257 terabytes of videos (11 million lectures).

Our goal is to provide a comprehensive biblical education governed by our Statement of Faith that leads people toward spiritual growth.

Learn More