What Is the Gospel? (9Marks)

A solid read that clearly outlines the gospel. Do not expect a theological treatise but a readable work for everyone in the church. Brief interaction with philosophies that seek to replace the centrality of the cross in the gospel. A good book to get started on the central truths of the gospel and start thinking about what threatens those truths even within the church.

A lot of Christians think a "Summary of the Gospel" IS the Gospel... this book will fight against that.
I've read most it so far and it's pretty amazing yet so ridiculously simple and logical. I've recommended it to a lot of friends in my college ministry. Enjoy it.

Anyone looking for a clear and concise understanding of the biblical gospel will find it here. The example are very helpful and the pastoral tone makes this book very accessible to people from various backgrounds and educational levels. I used this book with Middle School boys one summer and found it very helpful.

The modern gospel is overly simplistic, it is too self- absorbed, and wants to restore old things rather than create new ones. Making the gospel message succinct but accurate is the purpose of this book. At that it definitely achieves it's purpose!

Gilberts book is so clear and straight forward. He presents the Gospel with no gimmicks or un-biblical analogy's. This is a book that needs to be read by all Christians and given to all new believers and unbelievers alike.

Being able to articulate the gospel in the power of the Spirit is our greatest need in the Church today. As a T4T practitioner the key for reproducing multiplying disciple groups and churches is a Biblical understanding of the gospel.

I enjoyed reading through this book, and I think it is a great book to be given to those who maybe grew up knowing about Christianity but fell away. I will be buying a few of these to give to those who show interest in the Gospel.

I enjoyed reading through this book, and I think it is a great book to be given to those who maybe grew up knowing about Christianity but fell away. I will be buying a few of these to give to those who show interest in the Gospel.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gilbert's clarification of what the Gospel of the Bible really is. This is such a practical and helpful little book for anyone wanting to better understand and articulate the gospel.

Gilbert does a good job explaining justification for sinners by grace through faith; however, he misses the fullness of the Good News when he limits the Gospel to personal salvation, and does not connect the Gospel to history.

"What is the gospel?" The 9Marks blog asked the question and found that Christians who took the time to leave a response had very different answers. A quick survey of a dozen "What We Believe" pages on church websites will yield a dozen different explanations of the gospel. According to Greg Gilbert, an associate pastor for Capitol Hill Baptist Church, many of those explanations are not biblical. In his book, What Is the Gospel?, Gilbert turns to the Bible, specifically the sermons and writings of the apostles, as the ultimate authority for understanding the gospel. He writes, "We approach the task of defining the main contours of the Christian gospel by looking at what the earliest Christians said about Jesus and the significance of his life, death, and resurrection." Many in this generation are confused about the Gospel, for our traditions, reasoning abilities, and personal experiences have lead us astray. Gilbert encourages us to do our duty to preserve the gospel in our generation.

He first visits Romans 1-4. In Romans, Gilbert explains the purpose of Paul's writing and the main points he makes regarding the gospel in those opening chapters. Gilbert found that Paul asks and answers four key questions:

1)Who made us, and to whom are we accountable?
2) What is our problem? In other words, are we in trouble and why?
3) What is God's solution to that problem? How has he acted to save us from it?
4) How do I - myself, right here, right now - how do I come to be included in that salvation? What makes this good news for me and not just for someone else?

These four questions provide the frame for the rest of this book. Gilbert devotes one chapter to answering each question. In doing so, he explains the natures of God, man, and Jesus; he provides a detailed account of all that Christ accomplished for us on the cross; he explains why Christ's sacrifice is sufficient and satisfactory to a holy God; he teaches what saving faith is and is not; and, finally, he discusses why Christianity stands alone among the world's religions.

After answering the four questions, Gilbert continues by addressing what it means to be a part of God's kingdom. He answers the questions, What does Scripture teach about the kingdom of God? He offers a brief explanation of what the Bible teaches regarding the kingdom of God, living in the now and not-yet, and how Christians are to love one another and long for the return of our King.

In What Is the Gospel?, Gilbert hopes for four things: that, as Christians read, they will swell with praise and joy when they consider all that Christ has accomplished for them; that they will become more confident to share the gospel with lost people; that they will serve their churches by making certain the full gospel is preached, sung, prayed, taught, proclaimed, and heard in every aspect of their church's life; that the sharp contours of the gospel will be preserved, rather than sacrificed on the alter of making the gospel more palatable; and that unbelievers may read this book and be challenged to seriously consider the good news of Jesus Christ. Gilbert accomplishes all.

Each generation is faced with the task of preserving the Gospel, and, right now, too much of our generation is confused. This book will assist church leaders and laypeople in evaluating, on a corporate level and an individual level, their faithfulness to the Gospel. I can't improve upon C.J. Mahaney's blurb: "How I wish I could place this book in the hands of every pastor and church member."

Gilbert packs the basics of the gospel message in this small booklet. Its not very deep and for more depth I would recommend "The Gospel According to Jesus" and Paul Washer's books on the Gospel, but the focus of Gilbert's book was not a in-depth study of the Gospel, but a brief and to the point focus of the Gospel. Gilbert does not dodge the reality of man's sinful condition, man's destination in hell, nor does he dodge the core issue of FAITH AND REPENTANCE that so many gospel preachers miss today. He also hits on the power and sufficiency of the Gospel and it being enough to change lives. So many authors these days & books (one example is called "The Hole in Our Gospel") think that "moralism" is the answer to people coming to faith as they take verses like "let your light shine before men" and "you are the salt of the earth" too far and conclude people will come to faith solely by our example. This is not true as the Bible is clear about God granting people faith and repentance and turning them from darkness to light (Eze 36:26, 2 Cor 4:6). So overall a great synopsis of the gospel and a great book to pass out.

Book Review

By Jason Scott

What is the Gospel?
By Greg Gilbert

This short book (121 pages) is a must read for both Christians and non-
Christians. Greg Gilbert masterfully explains the gospel in a balanced and crystal clear manner. Gilbert uses this book to answer four important questions: 1) Who made us, and to whom are we accountable to? 2) What is our problem? 3) What is God's solution to this problem? 4) and how do I became a part of this solution? Pg. 31

Gilbert explains that before we can talk about the good news (the gospel) first we must have an understanding of what the bad news is. Gilbert takes us on a journey through the creation of man, the fall of man, the redemption of man through the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and ultimately our restoration with our Creator in His Kingdom.

Gilbert rightly emphasizes that the only way we can have restoration is through faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance for our sin that separates us from God. He also rightly emphasizes that the Cross of Christ must be the center of the Gospel. This is refreshing as there are many out there who are offended by stark cruelty of the cross and attempt to reach God in their own way. The cross is offensive, why should someone have to suffer in such a horrible way for us? Only when we understand how offensive our sin is to God, and realize that man had to suffer for their sin, will we humbly bow before Jesus and thank Him for what He did on the cross.

Gilbert concludes this book by encouraging Christians to share the Gospel with others:
"If you are a Christian, realize that you
hold in your hands the only true message
of salvation the world will ever hear.
There will never be another gospel, and there is
no other way for people to be saved from
their sins. If your friends, family, and
coworkers are ever to be saved from their
sins, it will be because someone
speaks the gospel of Jesus Christ
to them." Pg. 120

And finally Gilbert admonishes believers to long for Christ's return "not so much for the kingdom as for the King." Pg 121

The “gospel” is certainly a word most Christians are familiar with. After all, at some point we responded to the message of the gospel, we are commanded in Scripture to declare the gospel, and it is the gospel that is supposed to be preached and understood as a foundational element of the faith. With that said, is the “gospel” more of a theological buzzword or do we truly understand what this term is all about, how it shapes our lives as believers and more importantly, what we are supposed to be doing with this thing called the gospel. In short, what is the big deal about the gospel? In his short yet engaging book aptly titled What is the Gospel?, pastor and author Greg Gilbert examines the issue of the gospel, answering the important question of why we must care about the gospel.

Gilbert begins this excellent book by noting something of extreme importance, namely that in order to understand what the gospel is we have to go to the only source of authority on the subject and that is the word of God. Traditions and the opinions of man when it comes to what the gospel is just do not cut the proverbial mustard. Furthermore, Gilbert rightly notes that simply doing a word search for “gospel” arguably will provide some element of information; however, developing a holistic definition and understanding of the term must be accomplished by “looking at what the earliest Christians said about Jesus and the significance of his life, death, and resurrection.” Building on that premise, Gilbert examines the message of the gospel found in Romans 1-4 and then expanding his discussion to the numerous other New Testament passages that outline the core truths of the gospel message. When one digs down to the core message of the gospel, they are left with what Gilbert describes as the bad news, namely “God is your Judge, and you have sinned against him”, followed by the good news of the gospel, that of the fact that “Jesus has died so that sinners may be forgiven of their sins if they will repent and believe in him.”

Part of grasping what the gospel is about is the needed starting place of the opening chapters of Genesis. God is Creator. Those three words carry an enormous level of importance when it comes to getting to the root of what is the message of the gospel. Gilbert notes “Because he created us, God has the right to tell us how to live…The gospel is God’s response to the bad news of sin, and sin is a person’s rejection of God’s Creator-rights over him. Thus the fundamental truth of human existence, the well from which all else flows, is that God created us, and therefore God owns us.” There are many who have no issue viewing God as a loving and compassionate God but that do have difficulty grasping that this same loving and compassionate God is the Creator and thus gets to define how His creation acts. The message of the gospel strikes at the heart of how we as His creation are to relate to this holy, loving, and righteous God who has provided a way for sinners to have a restored relationship with their Creator.

Understanding that God is the authority, that His word must be obeyed, and that anything falling short of His perfect standard is sin also flows into the message of the gospel. Gilbert walks through the concept of sin, making the important statement that sin is far more than just a “relational tiff” between God and man. The true impact of sin is more than that. In fact, Gilbert rightly avers that “If we reduce sin to a mere breaking of relationship, rather than understanding it as the traitorous rebellion of a beloved subject against his good and righteous King, we will never understand why the death of God’s Son was required to address it.” Furthermore, Gilbert makes it clear there is nothing we can do to rectify this broken relationship by our own efforts. The sobering verdict as he calls it is we are vile sinners in need of salvation. Thankfully, God in his grace and mercy provided a way to fix this problem.

Now that the bad news has been established, the good news can be better appreciated. As Gilbert saliently notes, “Thank God the bad news of human sin and God’s judgment is not the end of the story.” Hope has been provided through our Savior Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice for our sins on the cross. This is the good news side of the gospel message. Gilbert does a great job of tracing the promise of the Messiah in Scripture to the coming of the Lamb of God to deal with this sin and relationship problem. Something needed to take place on our behalf because there was nothing man could do to earn back a right standing with God. Thus, the Son of God needed to come to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He is the suffering Savior. Gilbert comments that the idea of a suffering Savior is at times repulsive to some who still seem to perceive Jesus as just that little baby lying there in the manger. Jesus came to be the substitutionary atonement for our sins and Gilbert aptly states that to leave out this important concept is to leave a giant hole in the message of the gospel. In fact, “A righteous and holy God can justify the ungodly because in Jesus’ death, mercy and justice were perfectly reconciled. The curse was righteously executed, and we were mercifully saved.”

Such a glorious message of redemption demands a response, one of faith and repentance in recognition of what God has done for us. It demands a life lived in service and to the glory of God because of the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus. The message of the gospel is far more than just hearing a message, coming down to the front of a church and praying a prayer. It involves a life that is radically changed. Gilbert reminds the reader that real change will result in real fruit, noting “When a person genuinely repents and believes in Christ, the Bible says that he is given new spiritual life…When that happens, our life changes – not immediately, not quickly, not even necessarily steadily. But it does change. We begin to bear fruit.” We become a people who long to love and serve God and who have a deep seated desire to share this glorious news of redemption with a world that so desperately needs to hear it.

What is the Gospel is a wonderful tool for understanding both the bad news and the good news that is subsumed within the gospel message. Gilbert does a marvelous job of tracing the fundamental truths of the gospel from the beginning pages of Genesis to the closing pages of the Bible and the return of the King. Enlightening and informative, scholarly yet accessible, this book brings into clear focus what the gospel is, why it is important, and why it needs to be shouted from the rooftops at every opportunity. I highly recommend this book for all believers.

Truth is being assaulted from all sides in our day. From the capitulation of the Biologos cadre, to the crass man-centeredness of Osteen, to the "God is an American conservative Republican" cultural Christianity crowd, there are voices out there to confuse believers, distort the truth, and eviscerate biblical Christianity. It's time someone wrote a book reminding us what the gospel is, and what it isn't.

Greg Gilbert's brief (124 pages), accessible offering, published by Crossway under the 9Marks imprint, is just what the doctor ordered. Gilbert carefully points the church back to a biblical understanding of the gospel, and along the way he manages to distinguish between the results of the gospel and the gospel itself. It does not help people much if we talk in glowing terms of kingdom and cultural transformation if we haven't made clear how one gets through the door. As he gently corrects, Gilbert's tone is not polemical; he's not going to alienate anyone, whether they are lost or merely confused about the gospel.

The book contains but eight chapters, four of which cover these topics: God's righteousness, man's sinfulness, Christ the Savior, and the response of faith and repentance. Gilbert reminds us that one does not need to be a Princeton grad to understand that Jesus died for my sins.

One of the great things about this book is that you can give it to an earnest seeker, and know that they will be exposed to a simple, solid, accurate, biblical, and compassionate explanation of gospel. I plan on keeping a box of these things in my study for just that purpose.

Published last year, Greg Gilbert's book, _What Is The Gospel?_, is a short read (under 100 pages in epub format). As the reader might expect, the author seeks to provide an answer in rather broad strokes to the question posed in the book's title.

But why does a question about the essence of the Christian gospel even need to be raised? Isn't the answer straightforward enough? Well, you'd be surprised. Says D.A. Carson in the foreword to the book:

"More than thirty years of teaching theological students have shown me that the most controverted questions they ask vary from generation to generation--and the same is true of the broader Christian public. At one time you could guarantee a heated debate by throwing out the question, What do you think of the charismatic movement? or Is inerrancy worth defending? or What do you think about seeker-sensitive churches? It is easy enough to find people willing to discuss these questions today, but there is usually little heat left in them and not much more light. Today the question most likely to light a fuse is--as the author of this volume points out--What is the gospel?" (p. 13)

It seems today that even Christians are hazy in their minds as to the essence of the gospel.

To fill this vacuum, Gilbert takes the reader on a brief tour through the Bible and concludes that the core features of the gospel are: God, man, Christ, and response (p. 26). To whom are we accountable? God. How has that been going? Well, man has rebelled against God and now there's a problem of sin and wrath and judgment. What's the solution? Christ. His substitutionary atonement removes the punishment owing to rebel sinners and reconciles them to their Creator. How do sinners come into the solution? Salvation is through repentance and faith. Repentance referring to a turning from sin. Faith referring to a turning to Christ.

Very simply, then, there's a God-man-Christ-response structure (p. 28) to the gospel, argues Gilbert.

Along the way, Gilbert takes a few swipes at presentations of the gospel which, he believes, fall short of including all four core elements of the gospel. For example, those who frame the gospel in terms of deliverance from the purposelessness and emptiness of life confuse the effects of sin with sin itself, contends Gilbert. The latter (sin) being, of course, being more fundamental than the former (sin's effects) (p. 41).

Presentations of the gospel which frame the problem as essentially one of a lover's quarrel where sinners need simply to apologize to God and accept his forgiveness are also woefully inadequate says Gilbert. Such framings of the gospel almost assume an equality of status in the relationship between God and man. According to the Bible, however, the relationship between God and man involves concepts of kingship, covenant, law, judgment, etc. The lover's quarrel, then, is not an adequate framing of the gospel (p. 42).

Overall, a very good introduction to the "edges" of the gospel. This book would be ideal, in my opinion, for younger Christians or non-Christians.

***

I don't want to end on a negative note. So regard this as the appendix that no one ever reads. :)

I have several issues with Gilbert's understanding of the Kingdom of God. For starters, he says that while the Kingdom of God is not of this world, it's not to say that it will "never be of this world." (p. 50) He goes on to imply that when Jesus reigns over the new heavens and the new earth, the Kingdom of God will then of this world.

This is an incorrect reading of John 18.36 in my opinion. When Jesus says that his Kingdom is not of this world, he's referring to its nature and origin, not its extension in time and space. The Kingdom of God will never be of this world in terms of its nature and origin. On the other hand, the Kingdom of God extends even now in time and space.

Another issue I have with Gilbert's understanding of the Kingdom of God is that he prefers to look at it as less of a kingdom and more of a kingship (cf. pp. 66-67). This seems like little more than a distinction without a corresponding difference. And he makes no attempt to clarify. But further, he says the Kingdom of God usually refers to "God's rule over his own people, over those who have been saved through Christ." (p. 67) Yet two pages later he quotes Matthew 13.41-43 where we read of angels weeding people OUT OF the Kingdom who do evil. Well, how did they get into the Kingdom if it's more of a kingship than a kingdom and if it usually has to do with God's people who have been saved?

A third issue has to do with the scope of the Kingdom. While Gilbert doesn't view the Church and Kingdom as coterminous, it's unclear what the Kingdom looks like outside the Church (cf. p. 74).

Granted, this is a small book and not intended to deal extensively with concepts like the Kingdom of God. Still, the sharp reader will feel like he's been left with several loose ends as it relates to the Kingdom of God.

"What is the gospel?" The answer to this question might seem obvious to some, although they might have a hard time really explaining it clearly. Others, influenced by post-modern thought or new-age spirituality, might define the gospel (if they think it can be defined at all) with vague terms about the Kingdom of God or the redemption of the world that leave the hearer wondering what exactly they are really espousing. There are a plethora of "versions" of the gospel out there, and it's vital that we understand and can explain the true one, because, as Greg Gilbert points out in his new book What Is The Gospel, "An emaciated gospel leads to emaciated worship" (p. 20).

This superb little book is probably the clearest, most concise, yet thorough explanation of the gospel I've seen. Gilbert takes on many of the false versions of the gospel, but he only does so via clear articulation of the biblical truth. After establishing the bible as our authority when it comes to defining the gospel, the chapters simply walk through the biblical narrative:

* God the Righteous Creator
* Man the Sinner
* Jesus Christ the Savior
* Response - Faith and Repentance
* The Kingdom

He also takes on those who would want to diminish Christ's cross and has a final chapter on the power of the gospel and our response to it as believers.

As Gilbert walks through these issues, clearly showing the bible's teaching, he also tackles some of the subtle ways that people have subverted and distorted (intentionally or otherwise) the true gospel. For example, did Christ die to save us from our sins or from the effects of sin? Is sin simply a broken relationship with God or is it "traitorous rebellion" against our King that required Christ's death to fix it? How do we gain access to the "Kingdom of God?" There are subtle differences in how we answer these questions that can have a giant impact on how we view and worship God, and ultimately whether or not we're even Christians. Gilbert tackles the tough questions head on, providing gentle, yet firm corrections where needed.

This book has great potential as an evangelistic tool as one cannot read it and fail to hear the true gospel. For believers, it can serve as a great means to learn how to articulate the truths of the gospel better. It's a simple message, really, but one that we need to make sure we have right. After all, if we don't get the gospel right, everything else is ultimately pointless.

Periodically I check out Tim Challies Friday giveaway. If I think I might enjoy what's offered, I put my name in the hat. A few weeks ago, I thought I might be interested in the titles being offered--I didn't pay much attention to the author names. Imagine my surprise when my name was chosen and on top of the stack of books was this little volume by a name I knew from "way-back-when". While Greg was already preparing to graduate from a small east Texas high school where I started a short teaching career, I did get to know him (and I did get to teach his brother). Greg has since moved on to higher education and deeper thinking than what we offered at the high school, and everyone can be glad that he did.

The personal connection prompted me to set aside other reading and dive head first into this little book, and it was a superb decision. Gilbert addresses the title question in a most succinct, clear manner. He does it with the clarity of a seasoned theologian. In a day when people--including evangelical Christians--have muddied the waters and frayed the edges of the biblical understanding of the gospel, this easy read brings us back into focus. The author challenges readers to re-focus our understanding of God, Man, Christ, and our Response to Christ. Two points that have been blurred over years of semi-theologians' treatment are a proper view of sin, and a misplaced focus (leaving the cross of Christ as an afterthought in the backroom of theology). Gilbert takes the evangelical church to task on just these issues.

This book is an excellent resource--for one who has yet to respond to the gospel, it is a clear presentation of God's plan and good news; for the Christian, it is a wakeup call to what the gospel really is, as well as a challenge to return, to refocus, and to make the gospel (the good news) the core of our being and our living. With the exception of the gospel itself, this may be the most important book to read in the twenty-first century. Read this book and then give a copy to a friend. (Since I've limited myself to a 5-reading glasses rating system, I give What Is the Gospel? a five +++ reading glasses rating.)

--Benjamin Potter, October 22, 2007

Published last year, Greg Gilbert's book, _What Is The Gospel?_, is a short read (under 100 pages in epub format). As the reader might expect, the author seeks to provide an answer in rather broad strokes to the question posed in the book's title.

But why does a question about the essence of the Christian gospel even need to be raised? Isn't the answer straightforward enough? Well, you'd be surprised. Says D.A. Carson in the foreword to the book:

"More than thirty years of teaching theological students have shown me that the most controverted questions they ask vary from generation to generation--and the same is true of the broader Christian public. At one time you could guarantee a heated debate by throwing out the question, What do you think of the charismatic movement? or Is inerrancy worth defending? or What do you think about seeker-sensitive churches? It is easy enough to find people willing to discuss these questions today, but there is usually little heat left in them and not much more light. Today the question most likely to light a fuse is--as the author of this volume points out--What is the gospel?" (p. 13)

It seems today that even Christians are hazy in their minds as to the essence of the gospel.

To fill this vacuum, Gilbert takes the reader on a brief tour through the Bible and concludes that the core features of the gospel are: God, man, Christ, and response (p. 26). To whom are we accountable? God. How has that been going? Well, man has rebelled against God and now there's a problem of sin and wrath and judgment. What's the solution? Christ. His substitutionary atonement removes the punishment owing to rebel sinners and reconciles them to their Creator. How do sinners come into the solution? Salvation is through repentance and faith. Repentance referring to a turning from sin. Faith referring to a turning to Christ.

Very simply, then, there's a God-man-Christ-response structure (p. 28) to the gospel, argues Gilbert.

Along the way, Gilbert takes a few swipes at presentations of the gospel which, he believes, fall short of including all four core elements of the gospel. For example, those who frame the gospel in terms of deliverance from the purposelessness and emptiness of life confuse the effects of sin with sin itself, contends Gilbert. The latter (sin) being, of course, being more fundamental than the former (sin's effects) (p. 41).

Presentations of the gospel which frame the problem as essentially one of a lover's quarrel where sinners need simply to apologize to God and accept his forgiveness are also woefully inadequate says Gilbert. Such framings of the gospel almost assume an equality of status in the relationship between God and man. According to the Bible, however, the relationship between God and man involves concepts of kingship, covenant, law, judgment, etc. The lover's quarrel, then, is not an adequate framing of the gospel (p. 42).

Overall, a very good introduction to the "edges" of the gospel. This book would be ideal, in my opinion, for younger Christians or non-Christians.

***

I don't want to end on a negative note. So regard this as the appendix that no one ever reads. :)

I have several issues with Gilbert's understanding of the Kingdom of God. For starters, he says that while the Kingdom of God is not of this world, it's not to say that it will "never be of this world." (p. 50) He goes on to imply that when Jesus reigns over the new heavens and the new earth, the Kingdom of God will then of this world.

This is an incorrect reading of John 18.36 in my opinion. When Jesus says that his Kingdom is not of this world, he's referring to its nature and origin, not its extension in time and space. The Kingdom of God will never be of this world in terms of its nature and origin. On the other hand, the Kingdom of God extends even now in time and space.

Another issue I have with Gilbert's understanding of the Kingdom of God is that he prefers to look at it as less of a kingdom and more of a kingship (cf. pp. 66-67). This seems like little more than a distinction without a corresponding difference. And he makes no attempt to clarify. But further, he says the Kingdom of God usually refers to "God's rule over his own people, over those who have been saved through Christ." (p. 67) Yet two pages later he quotes Matthew 13.41-43 where we read of angels weeding people OUT OF the Kingdom who do evil. Well, how did they get into the Kingdom if it's more of a kingship than a kingdom and if it usually has to do with God's people who have been saved?

A third issue has to do with the scope of the Kingdom. While Gilbert doesn't view the Church and Kingdom as coterminous, it's unclear what the Kingdom looks like outside the Church (cf. p. 74).

Granted, this is a small book and not intended to deal extensively with concepts like the Kingdom of God. Still, the sharp reader will feel like he's been left with several loose ends as it relates to the Kingdom of God.

"What is the gospel?" The answer to this question might seem obvious to some, although they might have a hard time really explaining it clearly. Others, influenced by post-modern thought or new-age spirituality, might define the gospel (if they think it can be defined at all) with vague terms about the Kingdom of God or the redemption of the world that leave the hearer wondering what exactly they are really espousing. There are a plethora of "versions" of the gospel out there, and it's vital that we understand and can explain the true one, because, as Greg Gilbert points out in his new book What Is The Gospel, "An emaciated gospel leads to emaciated worship" (p. 20).

This superb little book is probably the clearest, most concise, yet thorough explanation of the gospel I've seen. Gilbert takes on many of the false versions of the gospel, but he only does so via clear articulation of the biblical truth. After establishing the bible as our authority when it comes to defining the gospel, the chapters simply walk through the biblical narrative:

* God the Righteous Creator
* Man the Sinner
* Jesus Christ the Savior
* Response - Faith and Repentance
* The Kingdom

He also takes on those who would want to diminish Christ's cross and has a final chapter on the power of the gospel and our response to it as believers.

As Gilbert walks through these issues, clearly showing the bible's teaching, he also tackles some of the subtle ways that people have subverted and distorted (intentionally or otherwise) the true gospel. For example, did Christ die to save us from our sins or from the effects of sin? Is sin simply a broken relationship with God or is it "traitorous rebellion" against our King that required Christ's death to fix it? How do we gain access to the "Kingdom of God?" There are subtle differences in how we answer these questions that can have a giant impact on how we view and worship God, and ultimately whether or not we're even Christians. Gilbert tackles the tough questions head on, providing gentle, yet firm corrections where needed.

This book has great potential as an evangelistic tool as one cannot read it and fail to hear the true gospel. For believers, it can serve as a great means to learn how to articulate the truths of the gospel better. It's a simple message, really, but one that we need to make sure we have right. After all, if we don't get the gospel right, everything else is ultimately pointless.

Periodically I check out Tim Challies Friday giveaway. If I think I might enjoy what's offered, I put my name in the hat. A few weeks ago, I thought I might be interested in the titles being offered--I didn't pay much attention to the author names. Imagine my surprise when my name was chosen and on top of the stack of books was this little volume by a name I knew from "way-back-when". While Greg was already preparing to graduate from a small east Texas high school where I started a short teaching career, I did get to know him (and I did get to teach his brother). Greg has since moved on to higher education and deeper thinking than what we offered at the high school, and everyone can be glad that he did.

The personal connection prompted me to set aside other reading and dive head first into this little book, and it was a superb decision. Gilbert addresses the title question in a most succinct, clear manner. He does it with the clarity of a seasoned theologian. In a day when people--including evangelical Christians--have muddied the waters and frayed the edges of the biblical understanding of the gospel, this easy read brings us back into focus. The author challenges readers to re-focus our understanding of God, Man, Christ, and our Response to Christ. Two points that have been blurred over years of semi-theologians' treatment are a proper view of sin, and a misplaced focus (leaving the cross of Christ as an afterthought in the backroom of theology). Gilbert takes the evangelical church to task on just these issues.

This book is an excellent resource--for one who has yet to respond to the gospel, it is a clear presentation of God's plan and good news; for the Christian, it is a wakeup call to what the gospel really is, as well as a challenge to return, to refocus, and to make the gospel (the good news) the core of our being and our living. With the exception of the gospel itself, this may be the most important book to read in the twenty-first century. Read this book and then give a copy to a friend. (Since I've limited myself to a 5-reading glasses rating system, I give What Is the Gospel? a five +++ reading glasses rating.)

--Benjamin Potter, October 22, 2007

"What Is The Gospel?" by Greg Gilbert is a succinct title on just what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is.

Indeed, many in the church community have either trivialized what Jesus Christ did for us. He did not come just to change our thinking about ourselves, make us materially rich (spiritually, we can become rich), help our self-esteem, or anything else that stops short of what He did on the cross for humanity.

In a nutshell, the gospel is:

1. We were born sinners and apart from God are still sinners separated from a loving, yet holy and righteous God.
2. We are reconciled only through what Jesus Christ did by taking the punishment for our sin and dying on a cross to provide a way into heaven that we can never earn or deserve in our own goodness. The only thing we need to do is to accept Him as Savior of our lives - in other words, He provides the way into heaven for us and He has the right to run our lives as He sees fit.

The book is around 121 pages and contains 8 chapter entitled (along with some of my own comments in parenthesis):

1. Finding the Gospel in the Bible.
2. God the Righteous Creator. Yes, God is loving, but He is also righteous and expects the same of us)
3. Man the Sinner. Sorry folks, good works or thoughts will not earn our way into heaven! We cannot be righteous in our own goodness).
4. Jesus Christ the Savior.
5. Response - Faith and Repentance. Turn from our evil ways and turn towards Jesus Christ and let Him transform our lives. Contrary to what many people believe, there is a literal hell for those who reject Jesus Christ).
6. The Kingdom.
7. Keeping the Cross at the Center. Do not add and subtract from what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us. Beware of any ear candy some preachers may try to feed you that minimizes or trivializes Jesus' death on the cross for our sins.)
8. The Power of the Gospel.

The book may be read in a few sittings and will challenge you to remember that Jesus' death on the cross is what provides the way into heaven for those who receive Him as Savior.

Recommended.

What is the Gospel? That's a tough question especially for someone to attempt to answer in their first attempt at a book. Greg Gilbert has had some training for sure, however, in his work with Mark Dever, so I was pretty confident that he could do it.

Actually, this is not my first experience with Gilbert answering this question. I have recently read his addendum to Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Gospel where he takes this question on and I've had the privilege to hear Gilbert speak recently on this very topic. In his addendum to the written version of the T4G2006 conference, he addressed the debate as to whether the Gospel was the announcement of the Kingdom or the message of how to enter the Kingdom. In a nutshell, he answered that it is both and that either side by itself is tragically in error. When I heard Gilbert speak, he used to book of Romans to outlines his "four crucial questions."

The questions are brought out early in this book:

1) Who made us and to whom are we accountable
2) What is our problem?
3) What is God's solution to that problem?
4) How do I come to be included in that salvation?

In this book, he does a good job showing how many passages throughout Scripture outline the gospel in the form of answering those questions. He devotes a chapter to each. First he discusses God as the Righteous Creator. With some clever satire, he shows how many Christians have reduced God to a "kind, affable, slightly dazed and needy but very loving grandfather who has wishes but no demands." Gilbert argues that in order to understand salvation, we must understand "that this loving and compassionate God is also holy and righteous, and that his is determined never to overlook, ignore, or tolerate sin."

Next, the book moves to sin. Gilbert explains the severity of sin, far beyond even the consequences of various sins one might commit. Sin is a condition; a rotting of creation, and a righteous God must judge sin.

Having covered the "bad news" Gilbert moves on to the good news: Jesus Christ the Savior. He explains the person and nature of Jesus and the significance of the doctrine of substitutionary atonement.

Next is the response of faith and repentance. Gilbert does a very good job explaining these concepts as two sides of the same coin; that to have faith is to repent. He carefully explains that true salvation will result in fruit, but that the fruit is never the cause of salvation.

Having presented the Gospel, Gilbert then goes on to discuss the Kingdom of God. He explains it in three ways: "that it is the redemptive rule of God over his people," that it has come, and that it will not be complete until Jesus returns. Ultimately he points to the church as the intended display of life of the Kingdom.

This book also contains a plea to keep the cross at the center of the message of the church. He discusses three "substitute" gospels. This is the one area of weakness that I found in this book. Its not really weak, but I would have preferred more concrete examples of where Christians have been tempted to substitute the Gospel.

Finally, Gilbert includes a challenge for his readers. First, to the non-Christian, he asks to repent and believe. To the Christian, he asks to rest and rejoice, fully believing in what Christ has done. Finally, to the church, he exhorts to speak the Gospel to the world.

As a pastor, I wish everyone in my church would read this book. It is a wonderfully simple book and pretty quick to read. However, it very precisely explains the very core of the Christian faith: the Gospel.

This short volume is a great summarization of the Gospel. I was actually given this book because I considered attending Gilbert's church and wanted to make sure there was an accurate portrayal of the Gospel. Rather than a quick summary, the short book talks about the need for the Gospel. Then, once the need is exposed, he shows why other remedies fall short (including false gospels). Finally he presents what has been done and the future hope that is enclosed in what we call the Gospel.

What is the Gospel is a fantastically, clear, concise, articulate and engaging little book! What is so engaging is that Gilbert begins the book by presenting multiple views of the Gospel by "self-proclaimed evangelicals." As you read each point, you may recognize some of these popular explanations. With this "fog of confusion," Gilbert begins his book explaining man's sinfulness, Jesus atoning work at the cross and moves into the topic of conversion (faith and repentance).

I think this would make a great book for new believers who want a clear understanding of the Gospel and older believers who need the reminder to live a Gospel centered life. This book would also be excellent for a discipleship class on evangelism. It presets clearly what to communicate to others in a sea of confusion.

Here is one my of favorite quotes where Gilbert presents the Gospel, "You can live like Jesus lived all you want, but unless you have come to the crucified King in repentance and faith relying on Him alone as the perfect sacrifice for your sin and your only hope for salvation, you're neither a Christian nor a citizen of His kingdom."

Buy it, read it, pass it along to your friends and teach from it. I cannot recommend Gilberts book more highly for understanding and comprehending the Gospel!

Pastor and author Greg Gilbert asks a pertinent question in his newly titled book "What Is The Gospel?". This book is part of the 9marks series which is a series of books go in depth on what the ministries proclaimed 9marks of a healthy church are. One would think that would be the simplest question to answer for the evangelical church but many times we hear wrong answer or non biblical partial truths. Gilbert begins the book by presenting multiple false positions of what the Gospel is from liberal theologians and health & wealth preachers.

To answer the question of the gospel and what is so good about this news he starts with what is going to be our authority, for the Christian it is the Bible. The author then proceeds to give four questions through which he demonstrates his outline to demonstrate the gospel. (1) Who made me, and to whom are we accountable? (God) (2) What is our problem? (man) (3) What is God's solution to that problem? (Christ) (4) How do I come to be included in that salvation? (response).

These four questions provide the frame for the rest of this book in which Gilbert devotes one chapter to answering in more detail. Within the chapters he explains the holy righteous nature of God and Jesus and man's depravity. He also gives a thorough account of the redemptive work accomplished on the cross for Christ followers. Shows how Christ's penal Substitutionary atonement is the only thing sufficient to satisfy a holy God. Then in concluding the chapters on answering the four questions he demonstrates what is saving faith and also what is not saving faith.

Gilbert then continues the book by writing what it exactly means now to be a part of God's kingdom. Once again he reverts back to the text of scripture and what does it say about the kingdom of God. His brief explanation of the kingdom revolves around the idea of the kingdom now and the kingdom which is not yet. He finishes how the kingdom citizen's should live cross-centered lives by loving one another and longing for the return of their King.

The audio book by Christianaudio was splendidly narrated by Lloyd James whose was a superb addition to the book. What is the Gospel? is a enjoyably clear, concise, well-articulated and engaging little book which I highly recommend. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from ChristianAudio as part of their book review program.

Every Christian needs to have a firm grasp on the essentials of the gospel. Sadly not all do. In What is the Gospel, Greg Gilbert does an admirable job of helping Christians to grasp the essentials of the good news without over-simplifying things to a few booklet points.

Positives

This book is simply fun to read. Gilbert illustrates well, but not too much. He takes us on a simple tour of the atonement, pointing out the complexities without hurting our brains in the process. The author neither hides from difficult issues nor bogs down in minutia.

While I could write much that I affirm about each of Gilbert's points, the thing that I will highlight here is different. This book was simply good for my soul. As I read through the essentials of the gospel, I was again reminded of God's greatness, my sinfulness, Christ's perfect work, and my need to trust in Jesus. I truly did praise God as I walked through this wonderfully familiar story.

Negatives

In the small details, one might find a point or two to pick at. I have a post-millennial friend (not my view) who would not like Gilbert's handling of the kingdom of God or the believer's role in bringing it about. I felt like Gilbert made a mistake when he identified the Passover as an example of "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," as the Passover lamb was not a sin offering but rather a picture of substitution. Yet, these points would not in any way keep me from using this book in multiple settings.

Honestly, the greatest single weakness of this book is its brevity. This was intentional, obviously. Yet, it also is true that we are bound to miss points or gloss over points too quickly when we make a work as accessible as this one. I certainly could not have done it better, but we need to be honest about the limitations of a work of this size on a topic of this depth.

Recommendation

I highly enjoyed this work and strongly recommend it to others. This book would be perfect for a church's new members class in order to see to it that those who join the church agree on the essentials of what it means to be saved. It would make a fine evangelistic tool for a person to work through with a lost friend, coworker, or family member. The chapters would make excellent background for a pastor's teaching through the gospel. The book is readable enough for student ministers to make use of. Yes, it may be brief, but the book is power-packed, joy-filled, and God-glorifying.

A good Christian book is easy to find” figure out the problem and then see if the author solves it. In short, this is a good book for those reasons. The question of “What is the Gospel?” is simply explained. I can see this being a good resource for churches to give out to visitors on a Sunday morning or to anyone looking to know more about salvation.

If someone were to ask you what the central theme of the Bible or Christianity is, what would you say? If you were asked to articulate the gospel to someone, how would you do it? What would you point to as the source of authority for your claims?

In this book, Greg Gilbert addresses the problem that many are facing in the church today. For some, this is just a refresher, but for others, this will give a newfound tangible understanding that you can hold on to and know for certain what the foundation of what the Christian faith rests on.
In a culture where pragmatism (what works must be right), liberalism, and secularism are infecting how people see and even live the Christian life, where is the solid ground on which we can stand?
Greg gives what should be the obvious answer......The Bible. God's inerrant Word given to mankind.
If you want to know about Christianity, read the Bible. Not very profound, but this is certainly the minority view in comparison to the differing views within "Christianity" (If you're lumping catholicism, orthodox, protestants and the rest in the same category).

"Tradition leaves us relying on nothing more than the opinions of men. Reason, as any freshman philosopher will tell you, leaves us flailing about in skepticism... And experience leaves us relying on our own fickle hearts to decide what is true-a prospect most honest people will find unsettling at best."
So, as Christians, we find our authority in God by His revealed Word.

There are numerous places, in the Scriptures, that we can point to as defining markers for what the gospel is (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Peters message in Acts 2, Romans 1-4 etc...), but it is in there we can observe a general principle that is both explicit and implicit throughout the Bible. That being God, Man, Christ, and Response. Simple, yet each point has immense substance to it and addresses the most important questions of the human experience (who am I? What is my purpose? And what happens to me after all of this is over?).

God:
There is a Creator-creation distinction between us and God. We are His ownership, since He created us. This is evident by what we observe in nature (creation demands a Creator......Nothing does not simply spring up to a complex and organized everything). It is simple cause and effect. The Creator owns the creation.
Romans 1:19-20
"What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made."

Man:
Though man was created good at the start, we rebelled, we turned on God, and have thus committed high treason against the Holy God of the universe and have committed infinite offenses against that infinitely Holy God. When we break His law and violate our consciences (that inner understanding of right and wrong) we are further separating ourselves from a right standing with God and no amount of good deeds can atone for these crimes.
Romans 1:21-23
"Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things."

"This is the Bible's sobering verdict on us. There is not one of us righteous, not even one. And because of that, one day every mouth will be silenced, every wagging tongue stopped, and the whole world will be held accountable to God.
But..."

Christ:
If you were to look at the fulness of the Bible, you would be able to see Christ at every corner. The Old Testament is full of promises made, and the New Testament is all about Promises kept (with a few yet to come .
The gospel is rooted in this NT scene. Jesus, God himself became a man....Walked the world as a sinless physical human being, but was then tortured and nailed to a cross. This was not meant to show us what sacrifice looks like, but to pay the debt we have incurred on our lives. We broke God's law and Jesus paid our fine in His life's blood. He was then resurrected on the 3rd day, and has thus defeated the death deserved at our fall.

Response:
"Becoming a Christian is not some laborious process. There's nothing to earn. Jesus has already earned everything you need. What the gospel calls you to do is to turn your heart away from sin and toward Jesus in faith-that is, trust and reliance. It calls you to come to him and say, "I know I can't save myself, Jesus, so I'm trusting you to do it for me." And then a whole world opens up before you. But it all begins with repenting of sin and trusting in Jesus to save you."
The response is simply repentance and trust alone. And by that He frees you, cleanses you, and adopts you to be His own. And that is the good news of the gospel!

2 Corinthians 5:21
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. "

The question of the title, for all its apparent simplicity, is by no means one that can be easily answered winsomely, directly, and clearly. That our author manages it so well here is a great credit to him. He does so by calling us back to the authority of the Bible and setting out some of the foundational realities of the human condition. Those established, he very warmly depicts Christ Jesus as the answer to man's sin in accordance with God's holiness, before driving home the urgent necessity of both faith and repentance in response to the gospel as the God-appointed route of entering the kingdom. Taking a little time to clear away well-meaning but flawed alternatives to Christ and him crucified, he concludes with some applications to various classes of reader. Intelligent without being highbrow, simple without being overly simplistic, and clear without being shallow, this is an excellent resource both for the people of God in knowing their Saviour and his salvation, and as a gift for those asking sincere and pointed questions about what this good news is, and what it means to be saved.

"What is the Gospel?" This is a question of utmost, eternal importance. Souls are at stake when this question is answered wrongly. This is why it is absolutely critical that Christians are able to articulate the Gospel clearly and accurately. To do so we must first understand what the Gospel is, which is what Gilbert's short book does a great job of explaining. It is by no means exhaustive, but serves as a great start in understanding the four main components of the Good News: God-man-Christ-response. He shows from Scripture that this is the central of the Gospel. It is a message that is simple enough to be understood by all, yet so profound that we can study it for a lifetime its truths will never be exhausted. I highly recommend this book to believers and unbelievers alike!

There are many things I liked about this book. But let me just highlight a few:
1. It is God-Centered. The gospel is anchored in the character of God. You wind up better understanding and loving God for his marvelous grace.

2. Emphasis upon Repentance. The response to the gospel is to repent and believe. Unlike Jesus (Mark 1.15) many fail to emphasize this today.

3. Sanctification. The gospel is not just for unbelievers in this book but rather for believers. Gilbert works hard to remind us that the gospel is the foundation for everything!
4. Simplicity. I gave this book to my 11 year old son as he made a profession of faith. We used it to prepare for baptism. He was able to understand and digest it.

Many people look for a book to go through with an unbeliever or new believer; this one would serve you well.

What is the central message of Christianity? The good news. What is the Good News? Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for my sins. This book does an excellent job of presenting the Gospel in a clear and straightforward way. It is yet another great book that helps to keep the main message in Christianity the main message, and I don't think there can be enough of this.

The book is very clear, soundly biblical, fairly engaging, and is a quick read. I always enjoy reading anything that has to do with the Gospel, since as a Christian I hope to glory and rejoice in this message my whole life. I definitely recommend this for some quick reading, and to give this book out to friends, both believers and non-believers alike, for a clear presentation of the Gospel.