Is the Gospel simply about being saved?

Many have heard the gospel—from a passionate preacher on a busy street, a grandmother who faithfully brought them to church, or a friend unafraid to speak about Jesus. There are countless approaches to sharing the gospel message, whether emphasizing God’s judgment, love, or grace. However, ultimately, the message is always about Jesus of Nazareth.

The traditional understanding of the gospel often centers on a three-part story: Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, and our response to it. Yet, the gospel encompasses much more than this.

The word "gospel" itself means "good news." In Roman culture, it referred to joyful proclamations, such as the emperor's birthday or celebrations of his reign. In the Old Testament and Greek literature, it often referred to news of victory in battle. But the gospel writers, like Mark, drew on Isaiah’s use of the phrase "good news" (Isa. 53:7, 61:1-3). In their hands, the gospel becomes deeply Christological and eschatological—centered on Christ and looking toward the fulfillment of God’s plan.

The Bible contains four books called "the Gospels" (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which tell the story of Jesus from His birth to His resurrection, including His teachings and actions as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Jesus is the focus of all Scripture.

"Then beginning with Moses and with all the Prophets, He explained to them the things written about Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:27 NASB)

In Mark’s gospel, we find insight into what "gospel" means to him.

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1 NASB)

According to scholars, this verse can be interpreted in two ways: as "the gospel Jesus brings" or "the gospel about Jesus Christ." However, Mark intends to merge these meanings: The gospel that Jesus proclaims is, in fact, the gospel about Himself.

The gospel that Jesus proclaims is, in fact, the gospel about Himself.

What is this gospel that Jesus proclaimed, and how is it about Himself?

“Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mark 1:14–15 NASB)

“Jesus was going about in all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23 NASB)

For Mark and Matthew, the gospel centers on the sovereign rule of God. In Mark 1:15, Jesus declares that the decisive moment has come: God’s promise of redemption is being fulfilled. As James R. Edwards (PNTC) writes: "In Jesus’ proclamation of "the good news of God," the reign of God foreseen by the prophets has arrived".

"Regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth." (Ephesians 1:10 NASB)

The kingdom of God is more than a spiritual concept; it is a tangible reality with governance and order. It represents God’s reign over creation, and humanity’s original calling was to extend the boundaries of this kingdom in partnership with the King. The kingdom belongs to the God who comes and invades history to secure redemption for mankind.

The kingdom of God is the central theme of the gospel message – J.a. Crutchfield

However, this isn’t always the main interpretation of the church. In many churches, the gospel is often reduced to the message of personal salvation—what God has done for sinners by sending His Son to be their Savior. While true, this is only part of the larger story.

Paul defines the gospel in two key passages: 1 Corinthians 15:1-3 and Romans 1:1-4. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul describes the gospel in terms of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection—the familiar three-part story. This is the gospel message that many Christians follow when proclaiming the gospel, and it is reflected in the "sinner’s prayer": Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose as Lord (Phil. 2:6-11). Yes, this is the gospel (good news) for salvation.

"That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation… for 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" (Romans 10:9–13 NASB)

Where in Romans chapter ten, Paul describes salvation. In chapter one, he defines the gospel. Our reading of chapter ten has to be informed by all of the book’s context.

"Paul, … set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised… in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 1:1–4 NASB)

Paul defines the gospel as concerning the Son of God. After that declaration, he describes who the Son is. The focus of the gospel is a person, God’s Son. If the gospel is about Jesus and Jesus said that it’s about the Kingdom of God. It goes back to Mark 1:1. The gospel which Jesus proclaims is in fact, the gospel about himself. As Douglas J. Moo (NICNT) writes: "Being appointed (declared) Son has to do not with a change in essence—as if a person or human messiah becomes Son of God for the first time—but with a change in status or function." His new function is that Jesus is the Lord of all.

The kingdom of God has a King, and His name is Jesus.

If we define the gospel of the kingdom of God by salvation, it could lead us to interpret that the work of God in us is done. I believe that is why many people in the church believe that "going to heaven" and escaping hell, is the reward of what salvation and Christianity are all about.

Well, it is not. It is about partnering with God to bring heaven and earth together in perfect unity, to restore everything created, and to establish God’s kingdom and His reign. The first step is to ask ourselves, is Jesus king? Am I living in partnership with God to establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven?

Jesus brings the kingdom of God, not just salvation and forgiveness of sins. The kingdom of God is an active transformation from one state to another, not just spiritual, but also physical. For us, the gospel comes from God; it starts in the heart, and like a light in a city on a hill, it shines as far as the eye can see. In this way, it will expand to the corners of the earth to all nations, tribes, and tongues.

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isa. 6:3).

In light of this, the power of God within us calls us to live in holiness. To live as if God is actually King.

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References:

Bible Project

Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Mk 1:1.

James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 45.

Joshua A. Crutchfield, “Divine Sovereignty,” in Lexham Theological Wordbook, ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014)

Douglas J. Moo, The Letter to the Romans, ed. Ned B. Stonehouse et al., Second Edition, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018), 46.