3 Recurring Themes of the Gospel
The gospel centers upon Jesus Christ.
The gospel - or “good news” - revolves around (at least) three main themes. These three themes appear repeatedly throughout the Scriptures.
It would benefit us to remember these three recurring themes of the gospel.
The Gospel is the Good News of Who Jesus Is.
The gospel is all about who Jesus is. Romans 1:3-4 describes Jesus’ identity as both man and God and that His identity lies at the center of the gospel.
The gospel of God…concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:1, 3-4)
Jesus is the eternal Word who took on flesh to become a human and live among us (John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-8). The “good news” centers upon Jesus’ identity as both man and deity.
The Gospel is the Good News of What Jesus Has Done.
The gospel also includes the good news of what Jesus has done during his time on this earth as both man and God.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Jesus’ death on the cross, burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and resurrection from the dead on Sunday is the good news of what He has done.
Jesus’ identity and what He has done are key themes of the gospel, but that’s not all the gospel includes.
The Gospel is the Good News of What Jesus Brings.
The good news also tells of what Jesus brings. Paul wrote:
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:13-15)
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
Who He is and what He has done brings life to those who were once dead in sin. Forgiveness is offered through His blood, which He shed on the cross to all who will be immersed into His death and raised up to walk with Him in the new life He offers (Romans 6:3-7).
He makes us His “new creation” who have hope of an eternal home with Him!
Who Jesus is as the Son of God and the Son of man, what He has done through His death on the cross, burial in the tomb, and resurrection on the first day of the week, brings all who will hear and obey that “good news” a new life in Him.
These three gospel themes are emphasized throughout the Scriptures. May we never forget who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He brings!
I got the idea for this article from “Hope in Times of Fear” by Timothy Keller.
Thank you. I appreciate the simplicity that I can hold onto in my daily life no matter the distractions.
Who He is.
What He has done.
What He brings for each of us.