The Gospel and Why We Preach - Part I
by Ed Soto



I. What is the Gospel?
A. Gospel means good news (in the greek text it's called euangelion from where we get the word evangelism)
1. Why is it good news?
a. The bad news first: All men and women are guilty of violating God's moral law. Romans 3:23, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; What is sin? Sin is the transgression of the law. (The Ten Commandments - the moral law of God) - I John 3:4, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. James 2:10-11, For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder."Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. Have you ever lied, lusted, stolen, coveted and failed to put God first in our life, which is the first commandment? God will judge us by those standards. Our sins are the object of God's wrath. Romans 4:15 - Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Romans3:19, Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. We owe an eternal fine for sinning against an eternal and holy God. John 3:36 - He that believeth ( in the Greek text that means trusts) on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not (in the Greek text that means disobeys) the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Romans 2:8-9 - But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; Now, the keeping of law will not get you to Heaven. However, it's there as a mirror to show us our sins and to show us the length of how far we come short to keeping God's law, and deserving Hell. Now the good news.
b) The good news is: 2000 years ago, the God and Creator of the universe came down to this earth in human form in the person of Jesus Christ (Christmas) and paid our sin fine by shedding his blood and dying on a cruel cross, and then he rose again the third day and defeated death forever. (Easter) If we, in repentance put our trust in what Jesus did on the cross, we can be forgiven of all our sins and the debt that we owe will be abolished, and we will be given everlasting life. John 3:16 -For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth(trusts - like you would trust a parachute to save you) in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Romans 5:8-10 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 2 Corinthians 2:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. John MacAuthur in his commentary puts it this way about the greek meaning of "The Gospel": was used in classical Greek to express the good news of victory in a battle. The gospel is the good news of Christ's victory over Satan, sin and death."