The good news of Jesus Christ is what born-again believers preach to others, offering salvation and reconciliation to God to all who would believe.
But what does that mean, exactly?
You may have heard a number of different terms and scriptures related to the gospel, so we will review the scriptures that contain those terms and what they mean, practically.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the “good news” of God’s covenant salvation being extended to all nations through Jesus Christ, who
- is the word of God made flesh, the only begotten Son of God
- died for (the forgiveness and remission of) sin
- was raised from the dead by God the Father
- was seen of men and angels
- ascended and returned to heaven
- now sits at the right hand of God with all power and authority
- sends the Holy Spirit to all who have faith in his name
- makes us one with the Father in him
When we repent and believe this gospel, we receive “eternal life” by the spirit of God and are “born again” into the kingdom and family of God.
When we experience this spiritual birth into Christ, we are “saved” by grace, through faith.
Video: What It Means to be Born Again
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Jesus Christ didn’t preach the gospel of himself 🙂
Besides the fact that it would have sounded self-righteous, Christ had not yet been crucified, so the full gospel was not established.
However, Christ’s coming marks the beginning of the preaching of the good news that the kingdom of God had come to earth and to mankind.
So, Jesus Christ preached the gospel of the kingdom of God.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is thereby a continuation of the gospel of the kingdom.
What is Salvation?
Being born again “saves” us from the curse of separation from God that came through sin.
This “salvation” includes eternal redemption in God’s heavenly kingdom after we die, as well as supernatural access to the presence, mind, and power of God, just as Jesus Christ had, on earth.
Learning how to operate in this covenant salvation once we are born again is called becoming a “disciple of Christ”, and through prayer, Bible study, and orderly fellowship with others in the body of Christ (which often means membership in a local assembly) we experience “Christian discipleship” and live a “saved” life, maturing into the “sons (and daughters) of God”.
What This Means for Me
We are born again by obeying the gospel – turning away from sin unto God (repentance), and believing in the saving work (death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating) of Jesus Christ. Then we must become committed disciples, being baptized into Christ entirely; spirit, soul, and body.
Having immersed ourselves into Christ, we are transformed and begin live a life that manifests the will and glory of God.
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Key Study References
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Acts 2:22-24; 32-36
Philippians 2:5-11
Hebrews 1:1-4
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Matthew 24:13-14
Mark 1:14-15
Mark 16:15
Luke 4:16-21, 43
What is Salvation?
John 1:1-18
John 3:16-17
Acts 2:37-42
Romans 10:9-15
Ephesians 2:5-9
VIDEO
What It Means to be Born Again
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Acts 2:22-24; 32-36
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Philippians 2:5-11
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Hebrews 1:1-4
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Matthew 24:13-14
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Mark 1:14-15
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 16:15
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
See also: Matthew 28:19-20
Luke 4:16-21, 43
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
What is Salvation?
John 1:1-18
The Beginning
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
The Witness of John
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Made His Dwelling among Us
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Acts 2:37-42
Three Thousand Believe
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
The Fellowship of Believers
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Romans 10:9-15
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Ephesians 2:5-9
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
What It Means to be Born Again – Bishop Clarence E. McClendon
