What is the Gospel, According to Got Questions?
The word “gospel” means “good news,” and few questions are as important as understanding what the Bible means by it. Got Questions explores the gospel from multiple angles [1][2][3][4][5][6]: the gospel of Jesus Christ, the true gospel, the essentials of the message, the gospel of the kingdom, the everlasting gospel, and how it is presented in the Gospels of Matthew and John. Taken together, their explanations form a unified picture: the gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, offered freely by God’s grace and received through faith.
1. The Gospel as Good News of Salvation
Got Questions begins by stressing that the gospel, at its core, is “good news.” But it is not good news in a vague sense—it is the announcement that sinful humanity can be reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Human problem: The Bible teaches that all people are sinners by nature and by choice (Romans 3:23). Sin separates humanity from God and results in death (Romans 6:23).
God’s provision: Out of His love, God sent His Son to bear the penalty of sin. Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross was a substitutionary payment, fully satisfying God’s justice.
Gift of grace: The gospel makes clear that reconciliation with God is not earned by human works, religious rituals, or moral achievements. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, received by faith (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Victory of resurrection: The resurrection of Jesus guarantees triumph over sin and death, confirming that His sacrifice was accepted and that eternal life is possible.
Got Questions highlights that this good news transforms the despair of guilt into the hope of forgiveness and eternal fellowship with God.
2. The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Among the various ways the Bible describes the gospel, one of the clearest is “the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Got Questions explains that this phrase centers on the person and work of Jesus as the heart of the good news.
Core message: The gospel of Jesus Christ is summarized by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4:
Christ died for our sins.
He was buried.
He was raised on the third day.
These truths are “of first importance” for the Christian faith.
Freedom from sin’s penalty: By dying in the place of sinners, Jesus paid the full debt owed to God’s justice. Trusting in Him brings justification—a legal declaration of righteousness before God.
Center of biblical hope: The gospel of Jesus Christ is not an optional teaching or a minor theme; it is the foundation of Christianity and the central thread of Scripture.
According to Got Questions, all other doctrines flow from or point back to this central message: salvation is found only in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
3. The True Gospel and Its Essentials
Got Questions warns that not every message labeled “gospel” is truly the gospel. The Bible itself anticipates distortions and false gospels (Galatians 1:6–9).
What the true gospel is not:
It is not salvation by human effort or good works.
It is not law-keeping as a means of righteousness.
It is not a promise of earthly wealth or prosperity.
What the true gospel is:
Humanity is sinful and helpless apart from God.
Jesus’ death and resurrection provide full atonement for sin.
Salvation comes only through repentance and faith in Christ.
Got Questions emphasizes both the exclusivity and inclusivity of the true gospel:
Exclusive: There is no other way to be saved (Acts 4:12).
Inclusive: The offer of salvation is extended freely to everyone who believes, regardless of background, ethnicity, or past sins.
The essentials of the gospel message are simple but non-negotiable. To alter them is to present a different gospel entirely.
4. The Everlasting Gospel
Revelation 14:6 describes an angel proclaiming an “everlasting gospel.” Got Questions interprets this phrase in light of the broader biblical witness.
Continuity of salvation: From Genesis to Revelation, God’s plan of salvation has always been the same. Old Testament saints looked forward to the Messiah, while New Testament believers look back to His finished work.
Eternal foundation: The Lamb was “slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), showing that redemption in Christ was always at the center of God’s eternal purpose.
Unchanging message: The gospel is called “everlasting” because it never changes. Whether in the Old Testament era, the present age, or the end times, salvation is always by grace through faith in the one Savior God has provided.
Got Questions stresses that the everlasting gospel is not a different gospel but the same unchanging good news of Christ’s death and resurrection, proclaimed in every age.
5. The Gospel of the Kingdom
Another biblical phrase highlighted by Got Questions is the “gospel of the kingdom,” a central theme in the teaching of Jesus, especially in Matthew’s Gospel.
Present reality: The gospel of the kingdom declares that God’s reign has broken into the world through Christ. Those who repent and believe enter into His kingdom now, submitting to His lordship in their lives.
Future hope: The kingdom is not yet fully realized. Believers await the day when Christ will return to establish His reign in fullness, bringing perfect justice and restoration.
Call to repentance: This gospel emphasizes turning from sin, embracing redemption, and living as citizens of God’s kingdom.
Comprehensive good news: The gospel of the kingdom is not limited to individual salvation. It proclaims God’s ultimate rule over creation and His plan to restore all things under Christ.
Got Questions underscores that the gospel of the kingdom bridges the present and the future: it is both the good news of what God has already done and the promise of what He will complete. Ultimately, I don’t find this explanation of the Gospel of the Kingdom to be complete, as the Kingdom of God and the Kingship of Jesus are at the heart of the Christ narrative. For a more thorough treatment of the Gospel, see The Gospel is Bigger than You Think.
Conclusion
According to Got Questions, the gospel is the good news that God saves sinners through Jesus Christ. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the true gospel, the everlasting gospel, and the gospel of the kingdom. It is revealed in the pages of the Gospels themselves, where John stresses faith in Jesus as the Son of God and Matthew proclaims Him as the Messiah and King. At its heart, the gospel is simple yet profound: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, offering forgiveness and eternal life to all who believe.
Bible verses related to the topic
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 – “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures… he was buried… he was raised on the third day.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 20:31 – “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Matthew 28:19–20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Mark 1:15 – “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Acts 4:12 – “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Romans 5:8 – “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Ephesians 2:8–9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God, not a result of works.”
Revelation 14:6 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth.”
