Why the Gospel Remains Good News

Born and raised a Hindu, I was eight years old when an evangelistic missionary invited my mother to church. She took my siblings and me along, and that is how I first laid eyes on a Bible verse that I now recognize as a beautiful summary of the gospel.

The Bible verse was written in large gold Gothic letters on a navy-blue plaque and hung directly above the pulpit. To this day I carry the image in my memory. At the time the words made little sense to me; it would be many years later when it would impact me in a real way. It said:

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

I've come to believe that the condensed statement, hanging in the modest evangelical building, answers an important question: What is the good news of Jesus Christ? Stated simply, it is this: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Three truths are worth teasing out:

Truth #1 - The Good New is About a Person

This good news is ultimately revealed in a person (Christ Jesus)

Truth #2 - The Good News is About a Plan

This good news historically unfolded through a plan (came into the world)

Truth #3 - The Good News is About a Purpose

This good news gloriously fulfilled in a purpose (to save sinners)

In the same verse, Paul describes the saying as “…trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance…” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Soon after coming to faith, I discovered how 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 provides more details by firmly grounding the story of God’s redeeming love in actual history, identifying specific events as the irreducible core of the gospel message. These events include Christ dying for sins, his burial, his physical resurrection on the third day, and the subsequent post-resurrection appearances to many.

If you're reading this and still not sure what this means for you, keep reading.

What does this mean for you?

You and I both know something is deeply wrong—not only with the world, but deep within ourselves too. We sense it. It's unavoidable. Something feels broken at a very deep level. What we sense, the Bible descibes in words.

One of those words is sin. Our relationship with God is broken because of our sinful condition. It has created a separation between sinful man and a holy God. Sin is falling short, missing the mark of God's perfect standard (Romans 3:23) but it is also defined as lawlessness (1 John 3:4). This is how the Bible describes you, me, and every other human being who has ever lived. In God's eyes, we are guilty sinners.

So, because the Bible describes God as holy, just, perfect, and loving, this creates a problem for sinners. God, as the all loving and righteous judge, will not excuse or ignore sin. As a good judge, He must punish sin in order to demonstrate His justice and righteousness. It is in God's nature to put things right. If He turned a blind eye to wrongdoing and corruption, He would be considered unjust—and this He is not.

Therefore, the dilemma (bad news) this causes for you is unfixable. No amount of human effort or religious deeds can put things right. Furthermore, family status, financial wealth, inherited religion, and educational ability remain just as powerless to remedy your situation.

This is bad news right? It sure is. It means sinners are powerless to save themselves.

Behold, the good news of the gospel.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).