Presenting the Gospel in Clear and Simple Language

The "Gospel" is an Anglo-Saxon term meaning "God's spell" or "good spell," translating the Greek euangelion, which signifies "good message" or "good news" ^{[4, 6]}. This good news centers on the salvation offered to humanity through Jesus Christ ^[4]. The concept of a "good message" was foretold in the Old Testament ^[2], with prophecies speaking of good tidings for all people ^[2].

The Gospel is described as the "welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers" ^[4]. It reveals the grace of God and brings to light life and immortality through Jesus ^[2]. The Gospel is considered the power of God for salvation, glorious and everlasting ^[2]. Preaching the Gospel is the ordinary means through which faith in Christ is produced ^[14].

Presenting this message in clear and simple language is crucial for its reception. The Bible itself suggests the importance of clarity, stating that "The opening of Thy words enlighteneth, Instructing the simple" (Psalm 119:130 YLT) ^[1]. This idea of making divine truth accessible to those who are simple or unlearned is echoed in other passages ^[5]. For instance, the prophet Zephaniah speaks of a time when God will "turne to the people a pure language, that they may all call vpon the Name of the Lord, to serue him with one cosent" (Zephaniah 3:9 Geneva1599) ^[3]. John Gill interprets this as God changing his speech towards the Gentiles, or their speech towards him, through the preaching of the Gospel ^[8].

The apostle Paul emphasized the need for understandable communication in preaching. He stated that unless words are uttered "easy to be understood," it is impossible to know what is being spoken ^[11]. This principle applies to the public ministry, where language should be clear and without difficulty ^[11]. Paul himself declared the Gospel "not with excellency of speech" or "arts of rhetoric," recognizing that the message's supreme excellence dignifies any language used to convey it ^[13]. The focus is on the content of the message—Christ and his salvation—rather than human eloquence ^[13].

Ministers are entrusted with the stewardship of preaching the Gospel ^[2], and this involves making it manifest ^[12]. This means delivering the message openly, publicly, and boldly, without adding to or subtracting from it ^[9]. The Gospel is preached when ministers proclaim Christ and salvation solely through him, rather than focusing on morality, mixing law and Gospel, or advocating for salvation by works ^[10]. The aim is to present the "word of truth and faith, the Gospel of salvation, the word of righteousness, peace, and reconciliation by Christ" ^[9].

The simplicity required in presenting the Gospel is contrasted with "fleshly wisdom" ^[5]. It is a call to be wise concerning good and simple concerning evil ^[5]. Those who embrace this simplicity are made wise by God and by His word ^[5]. The Scriptures are not merely a record of revelation but are the revelation itself in written form, intended for the accurate preservation and propagation of truth ^[7]. Therefore, the clear and simple presentation of the Gospel ensures that this divine revelation is accessible and effective in bringing about salvation ^[14].

Sources

Psalms “Psalms 119:130 (YLT) — The opening of Thy words enlighteneth, Instructing the simple.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gospel, The — Is good tidings of great joy for all people -- Lu 2:10,11,31,32. Foretold -- Isa 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3; Mr 1:15. Preached under the old testament -- Heb 4:2. Exhibits the grace of God -- Ac 14:3; 20:32. The knowledge of the glory of God is by -- 2Co 4:4,6. Life and immortality are brought to light by Jesus through -- 2Ti 1:10. Is the power of God to salvation -- Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1Th 1:5. Is glorious -- 2Co 4:4. Is everlasting -- 1Pe 1:25; Re 14:6. Preached by Christ -- Mt 4:23; Mr 1:14. Ministers have a stewardship to preach -- 1Co 9:17. Preached before”
Zephaniah “Zephaniah 3:9 (Geneva1599) — Surely then will I turne to the people a pure language, that they may all call vpon the Name of the Lord, to serue him with one cosent.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gospel — A word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and meaning "God's spell", i.e., word of God, or rather, according to others, "good spell", i.e., good news. It is the rendering of the Greek evangelion, i.e., "good message." It denotes (1) "the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers. (2.) It was afterwards transitively applied to each of the four histories of our Lord's life, published by those who are therefore called Evangelists', writers of the history of the gospel (the evangelion). (3.) The term is often used to express collecti”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Simplicity — Is opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Necessity for -- Mt 18:2,3. Should be exhibited In preaching the gospel. -- 1Th 2:3-7. In acts of benevolence. -- Ro 12:8. In all our conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. Concerning our own wisdom. -- 1Co 3:18. Concerning evil. -- Ro 16:19. Concerning malice. -- 1Co 14:20. Exhortation to -- Ro 16:19; 1Pe 2:2. They who have the grace of Are made wise by God. -- Mt 11:25. Are made wise by the word of God. -- Ps 19:7; 119:130. Are preserved by God. -- Ps 116:6. Made circumspect by instruction. -- Pr 1:4. Profit by the correction o”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Gospels — The name Gospel (from god and spell, Ang. Sax. good message or news, which is a translation of the Greek euaggelion) is applied to the four inspired histories of the life and teaching of Christ contained in the New Testament, of which separate accounts are given in their place. They were all composed during the latter half of the first century: those of St. Matthew and St. Mark some years before the destruction of Jerusalem; that of St. Luke probably about A.D. 64; and that of St. John towards the close of the century. Before the end of the second century, t”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Revelation — An uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times (Heb. 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD OF [532]GOD.) The Scriptures are not merely the "record" of revelation; they are the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate presevation and propagation of the truth. Revelation and inspiration differ. Rev”
Zephaniah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Zephaniah 3:9: For then will I turn to the people a pure language That is, at or about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; when the Jews, both in their own land, and in the Gentile world, would have the Gospel first preached to them, but would reject it; upon which the apostles and first ministers of the word would turn to the Gentiles, as the Lord commanded them; when he would turn or change his speech and language towards them, and their speech and language towards him would be turned and changed also: for the words may be taken either way; either of God's sp”
2 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Timothy 4:2: Preach the word,.... Either Christ the essential Word, who is the sum and substance of the Gospel ministry; or the word of truth and faith, the Gospel of salvation, the word of righteousness, peace, and reconciliation by Christ; which is to be preached, or published, in like manner as heralds proclaim the will of their princes; openly, publicly, and with a loud voice, without adding to it, or taking from speaking out the whole, and keeping back no part of it; and that with all courage and boldness: some copies read, "the word of God"; and the Ethiopic version, "his ”
Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 4:2: For unto us was the Gospel preached,.... The Gospel is the good news and glad tidings of salvation by Christ; and this may be said to be preached, when men preach not themselves, nor read lectures of morality, nor mix law and Gospel together, nor make justification and salvation to be by works, nor set persons to make their peace with God, or get an interest in Christ; but when they preach Christ and salvation alone by him; and so it was preached to the Hebrews, and that more fully, and with more clearness, power, and success than formerly; and which is a privilege an”
1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 14:9: So likewise you, unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood,.... This is an accommodation of the foregoing similes to the case in hand: for as unless there is a distinction of notes and tunes, it cannot be music, nor it cannot be known what is piped or harped; and unless the trumpet gives a certain sound, none can know when to prepare himself for the battle; so unless in the public ministry and service a language is spoken, and words made use of, which are understood without difficulty: how shall it be known what is spoken? the subject matter o”
Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 4:4: That I may make it manifest,.... It being a mystery, a secret, which was hid in God from everlasting, and, during the legal dispensation, was wrapped up in types, and shadows, and sacrifices, and is still hidden unto the natural man. Wherefore the apostle was desirous of making it manifest in a ministerial way; for God only, by his Spirit, makes it manifest in a spiritual, experimental, and saving way. As, says he, I ought to speak. The Arabic version adds, "concerning it", the Gospel, the mystery of Christ. The apostle's meaning is, that he might deliver it wi”
1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 2:1: When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, Co1 1:17. I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed. See the Introduction, Section 2.”
Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing - Preaching the Gospel is the ordinary means of salvation; faith in Christ is the result of hearing the word, the doctrine of God preached. Preaching, God sends; if heard attentively, faith will be produced; and if they believe the report, the arm of the Lord will be revealed in their salvation.”

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