The Gospel - Essence & Fullness

I have often explained the gospel in this way…

There is generally agreement that there is only one gospel and that is very important to “get it right” (Galatians 1:6-9.) But what is it?

It is helpful to think in terms of the both the gospel essence and the gospel fullness.

On one hand, there is an essential core that the gospel can be distilled to include. We may not say it exactly the same (every time), but the essential elements would always be there. What is that essence? I suggest you compare Jesus’ summary statement in Luke 24:45-49 with Paul’s in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. There are common elements in both:
• Who is Jesus: The Christ
• What has he done: Died and rose again.
• Why: Forgiveness of sins
• How do we know: OT Scriptures and resurrection appearances
• How are we to respond: Repentance (so Jesus, in Luke) and Faith/belief (Paul)

Test those. Do we find these same essential elements in our Four Gospels? Certainly. Think of Mark, for example. The first eight chapters move thematically toward the answer of “who is Jesus.” As Peter said, “You are the Christ” (8:27-30). From that point, Mark moves toward the cross and his resurrection (three predictions of his death and resurrection in chapters 8-10, followed by their fulfillment in the remaining chapters.) Mark is a narrative of who Jesus is, what has done and why – the essence of the gospel. So also, Matthew, Luke or John. Or “gospel messages” of Acts – whether to Jews (say in Acts 2) or Gentiles (like Acts 17:22-32), they declare who is Jesus, what has he done and why. It is at its core a message about Jesus. Even Romans begins with Paul declaring "the gospel of our God...concerning his Son who..." (Romans 1:1-6).

But to speak of the “essence” of the gospel, is not to say everything about the gospel. We may also speak of the fullness of the gospel. Its truths, themes and implications are so vast that it will take a lifetime to explore and experience. Indeed, we never master the gospel and move on (to some other truth). It is not the initial message for the follower of Christ, it is the only message. We are gospel people. And so, we dig deeper and deeper and become richer and richer (for an analogy, think a vein of gold), always growing in our understanding. So Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are full (narrative) presentations of the same gospel truth as Paul proclaimed. Romans is all gospel truth, unpacked in its theological implications (as also Galatians and the other epistles.) Jesus enabled the disciples to see that the Law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms (the OT Scriptures) all spoke of him (gospel truth), as in Luke 24:44-49. It is all gospel truth!

While I don’t want to press this too far, I would suggest that it is our mastery of the essence of the gospel that enables us to communicate accurately and it is our growing understanding of the fullness of the gospel that enables us to communicate relevantly. We get the message right if we understand the essence, but we can share that in a wide array of effective ways (as many of you suggested) because of its fullness. Thus you can tell the story of redemption (the biblical storyline), or you can explain the gospel thematically (perhaps the theme of the promise of the Spirit – Acts 2 – or perhaps Steps to Peace with God – Billy Graham). You may share it in a testimony (even the Samaritan woman pointed to Jesus as the Christ) or theologically (as Paul does in Romans. Think of how many have come to faith simply reading the truths of Romans.) You may declare the good news of the Kingdom with the same essence within the context of God's glorious reign! It always the same in essence and but the audience and context determines what form of presentation is most appropriate (thus achieving relevance.)

If this is accurate, then our witness is always who is Jesus, what he has done and why. But we have an unending array of possibilities as to how we can accurately and relevantly communicate and apply this one gospel.