More than merely a doctrinal detail, the gospel is a dynamic force meant to reshape every facet of our lives. Yet, many of us tend to see and articulate the gospel through narrowed perspectives. Embracing the full scope of the gospel not only enhances our theological eyesight—it revitalises our faith. Our aim should not merely be to comprehend the gospel but to also allow it to permeate every aspect of our lives.
The gospel is more than a series of doctrinal points; it's a narrative infused with power, which reshapes lives. In 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, Paul declares that not only did the gospel come to the Thessalonians in word, but in power and with full conviction. By paralleling Colossians 1:5-6, we discover that the gospel bears fruit and multiplies. Rather than being static or passive, the gospel cultivates transformation.
Understanding the Comprehensive Nature of the Gospel
Grasping the breadth of the gospel requires seeing it as more than just the ABCs of the Christian faith, but as the A to Z. It encompasses past, present, and future realities. In Romans 1:16, Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." According to Francis Schaefer, this salvation is holistic—offering justification, fostering sanctification, and promising glorification. The gospel is not only the way we get into the Christian life, it is also how we grow in the Christian life.
There are three key tenets when it comes to the gospel: Jesus’ coming, Jesus’ dying, and Jesus’ rising. If we take any of these components away, we destroy the gospel. We need that perfect life because that is what gave us his righteousness. We need that substitutionary death on the cross because that is what appeases the wrath of God. We need that resurrection because this is what gives us power over death. We all tend to lean towards either a past-tense, present-tense or future-tense expression of the gospel. Some of us see the gospel more as good news about a person. Some of us see the gospel more as something to be proclaimed. Some of us see the gospel more as something which empowers. The gospel is all these things!
Experiencing Salvation Past, Present, and Future
If we fail to emphasise how God is actively delivering people from the power of sin, individuals may attempt to grow through their own efforts and miss the joy and freedom that Christ offers. This, in turn, may mean they are less compelled to share the gospel. If we fail to focus consistently on a past-tense gospel, people may question their salvation, feel overcome with guilt and shame, or try to save themselves through their religious activities. Some people in our churches are dealing with horrible injustices and pain. Without the proclamation of a God who has promised to make all things right, they may feel the need to take action and make things right for themselves.
Imagine you are counselling someone who has seen their home burned or their family raped. How will you stop them from retaliating? Will you tell them, “Violence doesn’t solve anything”? This response shows no concern for justice, and justice is an important aspect of the gospel. The only thing powerful enough to pacify someone’s desire for immediate justice is belief in a God of Justice—One who will judge the living and the dead and put all things right in the end. The future tense of the gospel can pacify a person’s need for retaliation and can provide the hope needed to persevere.
Allowing the Gospel to Dwell in us Richly
Colossians 3:16 says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Read any commentary on Colossians and it will tell you that ‘the word of Christ’ has the same meaning as the word ‘gospel’. Paul doesn’t say ‘dwell on the gospel’ — he says let it ‘dwell in you.’ It is like inviting a good virus into your body and allowing it to take over. Timothy Keller writes, “Colossians 3:16 literally says that—the gospel (the ‘word of Christ’) must ‘dwell in you richly.’ This means you must have your inner being and character shaped by the gospel. Everything you do must be ‘in line with the truth of the gospel’”.
Every day is an opportunity to preach the gospel to ourselves—this is how we combat our spiritual short-sightedness. Like the Christians in Rome (whose faith was famous), we need to keep being exposed to the gospel so it can renew us and reshape us (see Romans 1:8, 15). We need to be regularly reminded of the gospel because it transforms our lives, just as much as it transforms the lives of unbelievers. Romans 1:16-17 encapsulates this: the gospel is not just an introductory talk, but a life of faith by which God brings us from alienation to redemption, and into the fullness of His being.
Embracing a Gospel Lens
According to Romans 3:23-24, Jesus hung where we should have been hanging and suffered the wrath of God. Jesus took on our sin and punishment, while we received his perfect righteousness. This is the good news we celebrate. We are made beautiful and pleasing before our Heavenly Father. But what does this mean for us daily? It means God isn’t angry or disappointed anymore. Where did all that anger and disappointment go? It went on the cross. Unfortunately, many believers fail to enjoy the doctrine of propitiation. They wake up and spend the day feeling guilty. They go to sleep feeling God is disappointed. They have lost sight of the fact that Jesus satisfied God’s wrath, once and for all, and gifted us God’s constant love and favour.
The real problem with the human heart isn’t that we don’t believe in the existence of God, but that we don’t trust God (we don’t believe in His love and grace). Like the Israelites, deep down we tend to think ‘the Lord hates us’ (Deuteronomy 1:27). Despite everything God has done for us, we still believe he won’t come through for us. Embracing the truth of the gospel in thought, word, and deed assures a life and ministry shaped by good news. Without a rich understanding of the gospel, we can end up with a growing sense of pride and an identity which is tied to our ministry, and not to our Creator.
For further reflection:
Growing up in the Charismatic world, my maturity as a Christian was often defined by "how much fruit I bring to God and His local church." The gospel, of course, was the foundation of my salvation and faith. However, I believed these were just the basics, which we were supposed to move on from after becoming a Christian. One day, I realised that such an understanding of the gospel was toxic and dangerous. When I was removed from a church, where all my efforts to serve had been recognised and praised, I felt shame—-and eventually lost my confidence. I realised that my identity was defined by what I did for God and His church, not by what Christ had already done for me on the cross. I may have believed that Christ died for me and forgave my sins, but I failed to believe that Christ lived the life I should have lived, and that He had already imputed His perfect righteousness to me before I achieved anything for His glory.
Just as the members of the Corinthian church were rebuked when the maturity of their faith was characterised by those whose teaching they followed, my identity was characterised by my performance and results—-such as how well I preached and how big I could grow my small group. Timothy Keller said, "The Gospel is that Jesus Christ came to earth, lived the life we should have lived, and died the death we should have died." I may have applied the last part of this statement, but I failed to apply the rest of this statement. We often fail to apply the gospel holistically. Some people emphasise only the "love" aspect of the Gospel, but fail to understand that the Gospel is also truth about sin (the brokenness of the world and God’s wrath). Each of us needs to grow continuously in every rich aspect of the Gospel.
Author:CTCJ Collaborative Writing Team
In 2025, CTCJ set out a new vision to become a thought leader in the field of urban church planting in Japan. The Collaborative Writing Team (Co-writing Team) is one of the ways we are working towards this goal. The team is made up of a core group of staff members, as well as a number of writers and editors from diverse backgrounds, who work together to produce articles on topics that are useful for church planters, with the gospel as the foundation and focus.