What is the gospel? If you’re a Christian, this might seem obvious; after all, the word “gospel” means “good news,” and Christians usually shorthand this to “the good news about Jesus.” Which is right, but let’s take a look at what the Bible teaches in more detail.

In one sense, the Bible teaches that the gospel is an event that took place at a specific point in history, that being the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the redemption of sinners. And if you had to summarize the historic event, it would look like what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15, saying the gospel is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…”

This, he wrote, was most important. And if we know nothing else about the gospel, this is what we need to know.

But the Bible also teaches that the gospel is the overarching story of redemption, which God planned since “before the foundations of the earth,” which is why Jesus could say that all Scripture testifies about Him. 

This story throughout all Scripture and which culminates in a restored and redeemed creation—a new heaven and new earth where sin, death, and suffering will never again plague humanity, and God’s people will live with Him forever. 

These two truths together are what the Bible teaches about the gospel. And they are good news because they help us see the grand scope of redemption, the depths of God’s love for us, and inspire all who trust in Jesus to a life of devotion and mission.