Sources and Justifications: What Is the Gospel?
This page provides the biblical and theological foundation for the claims made in “What Is the Gospel?” Scripture is the primary authority for the essay. The writings of early Christians and later theologians are included to show that these teachings are not recent inventions, but belong to the historic Christian understanding of the Gospel.
[Return to “What Is the Gospel?”]
1. The Meaning of the Gospel
The word gospel means good news. It is not primarily a set of moral instructions or advice about how we can reach God. It is the announcement of what God has done through Jesus Christ.
Primary Scriptures
Paul gives one of Scripture’s clearest summaries of the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15. Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to witnesses. This supports the essay’s central definition of the Gospel as the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection for our salvation.
Romans 1:16 calls the Gospel “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” The Gospel is therefore not merely information. It is the message through which God calls people to faith and salvation.
2. God Existed Before Creation
The essay begins with God because the biblical story begins with God. God is not part of creation and did not come into existence with the universe. He is the eternal Creator upon whom everything else depends.
Primary Scriptures
Genesis identifies God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. John explains that the divine Word already existed in the beginning and that everything was created through Him. Colossians says that all things were created through Christ and for Christ, and that He exists before all things.
Acts 17 also teaches that God does not need creation to supply something He lacks. He gives life to everything, rather than receiving life or completion from creation.
3. God Did Not Create Because He Was Lonely
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existed before creation. The Father loved the Son before the foundation of the world, showing that love did not begin when created beings appeared.
Primary Scriptures
Jesus tells the Father, “You loved me before the world’s foundation” in John 17:24. This directly supports the claim that love existed within God before creation.
When Scripture says “God is love” in 1 John 4:8, it is describing something essential to God’s character. God did not need to create another person before He could love. The Father eternally loves the Son, and the Son loves the Father.
The claim that God created us so that we could share in His love is supported by John 17:26, where Jesus prays that the Father’s love for Him would be in His people and that He would be in them.
Historical theological support
Augustine explained that love involves one who loves, one who is loved, and the love that unites them. He offered this as an imperfect human analogy that helps us begin thinking about the Trinity, not as a complete explanation of God. See Augustine, On the Trinity, Book VIII, chapters 8 and 10.
The conclusion that God did not create from loneliness is a theological inference from these passages. Scripture does not use the exact sentence “God was not lonely,” but it presents God as eternally complete, self-sufficient, and loving before creation existed.
4. Humanity Was Created in God’s Image
Human value does not come from intelligence, ability, wealth, social status, or usefulness. It comes from the fact that human beings were intentionally created in the image of God.
Primary Scriptures
Genesis 1 establishes humanity’s unique status within creation. Genesis 9 and James 3 show that the image of God continues to give human life dignity even after humanity’s fall into sin.
5. Sin Is More Than Making Mistakes
Sin is not merely human imperfection. It is rebellion against God, a failure to reflect His goodness, and a rejection of His rightful authority.
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Romans 1 describes humanity exchanging the truth about God for a lie and worshiping created things rather than the Creator. Isaiah says that each of us has turned to our own way. These passages support the description of sin as putting ourselves at the center of reality rather than God.
Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. This means every human being needs salvation. Other people are not the final moral standard. God’s holy character is.
6. Sin Separates Us From God and Brings Death
God is the source of life. Sin separates us from Him and leads to both spiritual and physical death.
Primary Scriptures
Isaiah says that human iniquity creates separation from God. Romans 6:23 identifies death as the wages of sin, while Ephesians 2 describes sinners as spiritually dead in their trespasses.
This supports the essay’s claim that humanity does not merely need better habits. We need forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life.
7. God Came for Us in Jesus Christ
Christianity does not teach that humanity eventually discovered a way to climb up to God. It teaches that the eternal Son of God came down to us and truly became human.
Primary Scriptures
John identifies Jesus as the eternal Word who was with God and was God, and then says that the Word became flesh. Philippians teaches that Christ existed in the form of God but humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant.
Hebrews explains why the Son shared in flesh and blood. He became like us in order to defeat death, make atonement for sin, and help those who are tempted.
The historic Nicene Creed summarizes the same teaching: the eternal Son came down for our salvation, became man, was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again.
8. Jesus Lived Without Sin
Jesus did not need salvation from His own sin. He lived in complete obedience to the Father and could therefore offer Himself for others.
Primary Scriptures
Hebrews says that Christ was tempted as we are, yet without sin. First Peter describes Him as committing no sin, and 2 Corinthians says that He did not know sin.
This justifies the claim that Jesus lived the life we failed to live and could offer Himself as a spotless sacrifice.
9. Christ Died for Our Sins
Jesus’ death was not an unfortunate end to the life of a good teacher. He willingly gave His life to redeem sinners and bore our sins on the cross.
Primary Scriptures
Isaiah describes the suffering servant as wounded for our rebellion and bearing the iniquity of others. Jesus says that He came to give His life as a ransom for many. Peter says that Christ bore our sins in His body on the cross.
Romans 3:25–26 supports the claim that God did not simply ignore evil. At the cross, God demonstrated His righteousness so that He could remain just while justifying the person who has faith in Jesus.
Second Corinthians 5:21 supports the exchange described in the essay: Christ, who knew no sin, was made sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
10. The Cross Reveals Both Justice and Love
The cross shows the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s love at the same time.
Primary Scriptures
Romans 5 says that God proves His love for us in that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. First John says that love is displayed in God sending His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
The Father and Son were not divided against one another at the cross. The Father sent the Son in love, and the Son willingly gave Himself in obedience and love.
See John 10:17–18 and Galatians 2:20.
11. Jesus Bodily Rose From the Dead
The resurrection is not merely a symbol that Jesus’ teachings continued. The New Testament claims that Jesus truly rose from the dead and appeared to witnesses.
Primary Scriptures
In Luke 24, the risen Jesus invites His disciples to touch Him and eats in their presence. In John 20, Thomas is invited to examine His wounds. These details deliberately distinguish bodily resurrection from a vision, metaphor, or merely spiritual continuation.
Paul says that if Christ has not been raised, Christian faith is worthless and we remain in our sins. He then declares that Christ has been raised as the firstfruits of those who have died. The resurrection is therefore essential to the Gospel, not an optional addition to it. Paul also connects Christ’s resurrection with the future bodily resurrection and transformation of believers.
12. Salvation Is Received by Grace Through Faith
Salvation cannot be earned by moral effort. It is given by God’s grace and received through faith in Jesus Christ.
Primary Scriptures
Ephesians states that salvation is by grace through faith, not from ourselves or from works, so no one can boast. Titus likewise says that God saved us according to His mercy, not according to works of righteousness that we had done.
Faith is not presented as a work that makes God owe us salvation. Faith is the means by which we receive what Christ has accomplished.
13. Repentance and Faith
The free offer of salvation still calls for a real response. Jesus commands people to repent and believe the Gospel.
Primary Scriptures
Repentance means turning away from sin and toward God. Faith means entrusting ourselves to Christ, confessing Him as Lord, and trusting that God raised Him from the dead.
Repentance and faith do not purchase salvation. They describe the way a person receives and responds to God’s grace.
14. Good Works Follow Salvation
The essay says that we are not saved by good works, but that genuine salvation produces them. This distinction is important.
Primary Scriptures
Ephesians 2 first denies that salvation comes from works, then says that believers are created in Christ for good works. Good works are therefore the fruit of salvation, not the price of it.
James argues against a claim to faith that produces no evidence of life. He is not teaching that we can purchase salvation. He is teaching that genuine faith is living and active.
15. The Gospel Gives Us More Than Forgiveness
Forgiveness is central to the Gospel, but salvation also includes reconciliation, regeneration, union with Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and adoption into God’s family.
Primary Scriptures
Second Corinthians says that those who are in Christ are new creations and have been reconciled to God. Titus describes salvation as regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians says that believers are redeemed, forgiven, adopted, given an inheritance, and sealed with the Holy Spirit.
16. Adoption Into God’s Family
The biblical foundation for the name Adopted Into Glory is especially found in John, Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians.
Primary Scriptures
John says that those who receive Christ are given the right to become children of God. Romans says that believers receive the Spirit of adoption and cry out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians connects Christ’s redemption directly to our adoption.
Ephesians places adoption within God’s saving purpose and connects it with redemption through Christ’s blood and the forgiveness of sins.
The adoption story in the essay is a personal illustration of this doctrine. It does not prove the doctrine by itself. Scripture establishes the doctrine, while the personal story helps show what belonging, receiving a name, becoming a child, and receiving an inheritance can mean.
17. Adoption Establishes Real Belonging
Believers are not merely tolerated by God or permanently treated as outsiders. They become members of His household.
Primary Scriptures
Ephesians says that those who were once strangers are now fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household. Romans says that the Holy Spirit testifies that believers are God’s children.
This justifies the language of being given a family, a name, a home, and an inheritance.
18. Our Obedience Flows From Adoption
Christians do not obey God in order to persuade Him to adopt them. They learn obedience because He has already received them as His children.
Primary Scriptures
Ephesians tells believers to imitate God “as dearly loved children.” Their identity as loved children comes before the command to walk in love.
First Peter similarly calls Christians to live obediently as children because they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ.
19. Heirs With Christ
Adoption gives believers both a present identity and a future inheritance.
Primary Scriptures
Romans calls God’s children “heirs of God and coheirs with Christ.” Galatians says that the adopted child is also an heir through God. First Peter describes the Christian inheritance as imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
This does not mean that believers become equal with Christ. It means that Christ graciously shares with His people the life and inheritance He has secured for them.
20. Adopted Into Glory
The phrase Adopted Into Glory brings together two connected teachings in Romans 8.
Primary Scriptures
Romans 8 first speaks of adoption and then immediately speaks of the glory that will be revealed. Later in the chapter, Paul describes those whom God justifies as also being glorified.
Philippians says that Christ will transform our bodies to be like His glorious body. First Corinthians describes the resurrection body as raised in glory, power, and incorruption.
The phrase therefore summarizes the direction of salvation: God receives us as His children in Christ and leads His children toward resurrection and glory.
21. The Cost of Our Adoption
Our adoption is free to us, but it was not without cost. Scripture connects adoption, redemption, and the blood of Christ.
Primary Scriptures
Galatians says that God sent His Son to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption. Ephesians connects adoption with redemption through Christ’s blood.
First Peter says that we were redeemed, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.
22. Christ Is the Son by Nature; We Become Children by Grace
Jesus is not an adopted son of God in the same way believers are. He is the eternal and unique Son. Believers become children of God through union with Him and the grace of adoption.
Primary Scriptures
John distinguishes between the unique Son who reveals the Father and those who are given the right to become God’s children. Galatians says that God sent His Son so that we might receive adoption. The Son already possesses His identity. We receive ours through Him.
Athanasius made this distinction clearly. He wrote that Christ is the Son by nature, while we become sons through adoption and grace by receiving His Spirit. See Athanasius, Against the Arians, Discourse III, section 19.
Augustine similarly explained that Christ is Son by nature, while believers become children through grace and spiritual regeneration. See Augustine, On the Sermon on the Mount, Book I, chapter 23.
Thomas Aquinas later described adoption as a participated likeness of Christ’s natural sonship. See Summa Theologiae, Part III, Question 23.
These historical sources are not the foundation of the doctrine. Scripture is. They show how Christians across centuries understood the same biblical distinction.
23. The Son Became Human to Bring Us Into God’s Family
The incarnation, redemption, adoption, and resurrection are not disconnected doctrines. They belong to one saving work.
Primary Scriptures
Irenaeus explained that the Son of God became the Son of Man so that human beings, united to the Word, might receive adoption and immortality. See Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 19.
Athanasius likewise argued that the immortal Word took a body capable of death so that death and corruption could be defeated through His sacrifice and resurrection. See Athanasius, On the Incarnation, sections 5 and 9.
24. Salvation Is Ultimately About God Himself
The Gospel gives forgiveness, resurrection, and eternal life, but its final purpose is not merely receiving benefits from God. It is knowing God, belonging to Him, and enjoying fellowship with Him.
Primary Scriptures
Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the Father and the Son. Peter says that Christ suffered for sins “that he might bring you to God.” Revelation presents the final hope of salvation as God dwelling with His people.
The ultimate gift of the Gospel is therefore not simply a better location after death. It is God Himself.
25. Following Christ Has a Cost
Salvation is a gift that cannot be earned, but receiving Christ means receiving Him as Lord. Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves and follow Him.
Primary Scriptures
This does not contradict salvation by grace. We do not surrender our lives in order to purchase Christ. We surrender because Christ has purchased us and given Himself for us.
26. The Invitation to Come Home
The conclusion of the essay describes the Gospel as an invitation to come home. This language draws especially from Jesus’ parable of the lost son.
Primary Scriptures
In Luke 15, the father receives the returning son with compassion, restores him, and celebrates his return. The parable should not be forced into every detail of the doctrine of adoption, but it powerfully displays God’s joy in receiving the repentant sinner.
Jesus promises that He will never cast out the person who comes to Him. Revelation ends with the invitation for anyone who is thirsty to come and freely receive the water of life.
Conclusion
The message of “What Is the Gospel?” can be summarized from these passages:
God created us in His image and for fellowship with Him. We rebelled against Him through sin and could not restore ourselves. The eternal Son of God became human, lived without sin, died for our sins, and bodily rose from the grave. Salvation is offered by grace and received through repentance and faith. Those who receive Christ are forgiven, made new, reconciled to God, given the Holy Spirit, adopted as His children, and promised resurrection and an eternal inheritance.
We are not merely rescued from judgment and left at a distance.
Through Jesus Christ, we are brought home, received as children, and adopted into glory.