Articles
Word Of The Week: Gospel
In a time when so much “bad news” circles the globe via various media outlets, we truly need the “gospel” or “good news.” This word describes the “good tidings of the kingdom of God and of salvation through Christ, to be received by faith, on the basis of His expiatory death, His burial, resurrection, and ascension” (W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary).
The term “evangelist” comes from this same word and refers to someone who teaches the good news. Timothy did this work (II Tim. 4:5) as did Paul and his apostolic peers, Barnabas, Silas, Titus and others.
The good news of salvation is a compelling message: It involves the eternal fate of all mankind and is the key to understanding the purpose of our existence. These matters have been forever discussed in philosophic circles, but the truth is much easier than academic debates would suggest.
The gospel involves objective facts, truths about Jesus Christ and his nature, His life and death. But it is a message that reaches into the heart of man and impacts us on an emotional level as well, for the essence of the good news is love -- the love God has for us in saving us from our sins, and the love we should return to Him for this great gift.
