The Gospel of God
God’s Word is truth. Unlike information that originates with man that may be factually true, information from God is eternal. His Word is the same yesterday, today and forever because God Himself is the same yesterday, today and forever. Information from God is His message. His message is not only truth, it is the truth!
His message makes Himself known to man, whom He created, and also makes known His relationship with man to help him. He knows His creation. He knows we need His help. Since we need His help both presently and eternally, His message gives us His answer for our needs both presently and eternally. That is why His message is about His plan to redeem man.
In revealing this message about His plan, God uses many distinct and unique terms to describe the distinct and unique realities of man’s singularly distinct and unique redemption. We must diligently endeavor to understand these unique terms according to their Scriptural use and meaning, not necessarily that which is current or popular.
One such term is ‘the gospel’, which is ‘the good message’. Although the word gospel is only found in the New Testament (King James Version), the same message of God’s plan to redeem man is expressed throughout God’s Word in both the Old and New Testaments.
The noun ‘gospel’ is translated from the Greek word euangelion. In the Greek culture and language of Ancient Greece, the word euangelion meant ‘the reward paid for a good message’. Later Greek writers used it simply in the sense of ‘the good message’ itself.
How did the Greek euangelion become our English word gospel? ‘Gospel’ originated from the Old English word ‘gōdspel’. The word ‘gōdspel’ was formed from the combination of gōd, meaning ‘good’, and spel, meaning ‘news’ or ‘message’. This Old English term gōdspel was retained as gospel in Middle English Bible translations and remained in use also in Modern English translations.
From the Greek word euangelion to the Old English gōdspel and now gospel, the essential meaning is ‘a good message’. In the Greek text from which the New Testament was translated into English, ‘gospel’ almost always has the definite article ‘the’: the gospel. ‘The gospel’ is the good message. ‘The gospel of God’ is God’s good message.
That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the nations, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the nations might be acceptable, being sanctified by holy spirit. ROMANS 15:16
‘The gospel of God’ is the good message originating from God which reveals to man God’s answer to man’s need. What is man’s ultimate need? The victory over death. God’s answer? His ‘anointed one’: the man set apart to fulfill all the work required in order to accomplish that victory. In remarkable detail, God’s message made known and makes known the one He promised and the things his accomplished work would make available.
The Hebrew word for ‘anointed one’ is mashiach, translated Messiah. The Greek word for ‘anointed one’ is christos, translated Christ. Both languages say the same thing: ‘the Anointed One’. God anointed His son with holy spirit and asked him to be the sacrifice for the redemption of man.
God’s son Jesus is ‘the Christ’, the Anointed One of God. This is the gospel message.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of (the) Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation (deliverance) to every one that believeth; to the Judean first, and also to the Greek. ROMANS 1:16
God’s message of the Anointed One is not just words but power, the power of God unto deliverance for man, both in the present and for eternity.
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of (the) Christ. ROMANS 15:19
After the outpouring of the gift of holy spirit on the day of Pentecost, all who believe are enabled with the power of the spirit of God to do mighty signs and wonders. The apostle Paul fully preached and demonstrated God’s message of deliverance. God is the author of the message, therefore it is called ‘the gospel of God’. God’s Anointed One, the Christ, is the subject of the message, therefore it is called ‘the gospel of the Christ’.
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of (the) Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your believing. I THESSALONIANS 3:2
As I mentioned before, although the word ‘gospel’ is not found in the Old Testament, the same message is declared in both the Old and New Testaments. A verse in Romans 10 quotes Isaiah 53, “Lord, who hath believed our report?” The phrase ‘our report’ is similar in meaning to ‘the gospel’. God’s message was being spoken by Isaiah and others to God’s people.
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith [in Isaiah 53:1], Lord, who hath believed our report? ROMANS 10:16
Romans 10 also quotes from the previous chapter of Isaiah. Here is the section from chapter 52 of Isaiah which Paul quotes from in his Epistle to the Romans:
Therefore My people shall know My name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation [deliverance]; that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. ISAIAH 52:6-8
Look at the many references in verse 7 to God’s message: 1) “that bringeth good tidings”, 2) “that publisheth peace”, 3) “that bringeth good tidings of good”, 4) “that publisheth salvation [deliverance]”, 5) “that saith unto Zion [God’s people], thy God reigneth!”
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written [in Isaiah 52:7], How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.
ROMANS 10:14-15
The message of ‘glad tidings of good things’ in Isaiah’s day is the same ‘gospel of God’ of today. God’s message is “the gospel of peace” because man’s redeemer is the “the way of peace”.
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. LUKE 1:79
