Understanding the Gospel in Simple Biblical Terms

The term "gospel" originates from the Anglo-Saxon "God's spell" or "good spell," meaning "good news," which translates the Greek euangelion ^{[1, 3]}. In its broadest sense, the gospel refers to the welcome message of salvation for humanity, as proclaimed by Jesus Christ and his followers ^[1]. This good news is for all people ^[2].

The gospel is understood as the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation through Christ ^[12]. It reveals the knowledge of God's glory [2 Corinthians 4:4, 6] and brings life and immortality to light through Jesus [2 Timothy 1:10]. It is described as the power of God unto salvation [Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18] and is considered glorious and everlasting [2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 14:6] ^[2]. The gospel is not merely a set of moral teachings but focuses on Christ and salvation through Him alone ^[11].

The Bible, a collection of sixty-six books, contains this divine revelation ^[4]. The gospel was foretold in the Old Testament [Isaiah 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3] and preached even under the Old Covenant [Hebrews 4:2] ^[2]. Christ himself preached the gospel [Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:14] ^[2]. The apostle Paul emphasized that there is only one true gospel, warning against those who would pervert it [Galatians 1:7] ^[7].

The gospel brings the blessing of Abraham to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, allowing believers to receive the promise of the Spirit through faith [Galatians 3:14] ^[8]. It is a message that bears fruit and grows throughout the world among those who truly understand the grace of God [Colossians 1:6] ^[9]. For those whose understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God, the doctrines of the gospel are plain ^[15]. The gospel is often referred to as the "wisdom of God in a mystery," particularly the doctrine of salvation by Christ ^{[10, 13]}. It is considered the highest wisdom to know Christ and Him crucified ^[10].

The New Testament contains four historical accounts of Jesus's life and teachings, known as the Gospels, written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John ^{[3, 6]}. These accounts present Christ as the promised King, a mighty prophet, and the one who came to save ^[6]. The central fact of Christian preaching is the intelligence that the Savior, Immanuel ("God with us"), has come into the world ^{[5, 6]}. The commandment under the gospel dispensation is to believe in the name of God's Son and to love one another, with faith and love being inseparably united ^[14].

Sources

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: 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”
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: Bible — Bible, the English form of the Greek name Biblia, meaning "books," the name which in the fifth century began to be given to the entire collection of sacred books, the "Library of Divine Revelation." The name Bible was adopted by Wickliffe, and came gradually into use in our English language. The Bible consists of sixty-six different books, composed by many different writers, in three different languages, under different circumstances; writers of almost every social rank, statesmen and peasants, kings, herdsmen, fishermen, priests, tax-gatherers, tentmakers; e”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Immanuel — God with us. In the Old Testament it occurs only in Isa. 7:14 and 8:8. Most Christian interpreters have regarded these words as directly and exclusively a prophecy of our Saviour, an interpretation borne out by the words of the evangelist Matthew (1:23).”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gospels — The central fact of Christian preaching was the intelligence that the Saviour had come into the world (Matt. 4:23; Rom. 10:15); and the first Christian preachers who called their account of the person and mission of Christ by the term evangelion_ (= good message) were called _evangelistai (= evangelists) (Eph. 4:11; Acts 21:8). There are four historical accounts of the person and work of Christ: "the first by Matthew, announcing the Redeemer as the promised King of the kingdom of God; the second by Mark, declaring him a prophet, mighty in deed and word'; th”
Galatians “Galatians 1:7 (ASV) — which is not another gospel: only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Galatians “that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. -- Galatians 3:14”
Colossians “Colossians 1:6 (BSB) — that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God.”
Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 8:5: O ye simple, understand wisdom,.... The Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery, particularly the doctrine of salvation by Christ; it is the highest wisdom to know Christ and him crucified: and they are "the simple" who are weak and easy to be imposed upon, who are here called unto; and generally speaking such are they to whom the mysteries of grace are made known, while they are hid from the wise and prudent; and ye fools, be of an understanding heart; or "cause the heart to understand"; or "get an understanding heart" (t); make use of all means to get spiritual wi”
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”
2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first, they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject m”
Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 2:10: When wisdom entereth into thine heart,.... Either Christ, the Wisdom of God; who enters there at conversion, and sets up a throne in the heart, and dwells there by faith: or else the Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery; which enters not into the head only, as in hypocrites and formal professors; nor into the natural affections, as in the stony ground hearers; but into the heart, opened by the Spirit of God to receive it, so as to have a spiritual understanding of it; which is done when the Gospel comes not in word only, but in the demonstration and power of the S”
1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:23: Summing up of God's commandments under the Gospel dispensation in one commandment. this is his commandment--singular: for faith and love are not separate commandments, but are indissolubly united. We cannot truly love one another without faith in Christ, nor can we truly believe in Him without love. believe--once for all; Greek aorist. on the name of his Son--on all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Him, and on Himself in respect to His person, offices, and atoning work. as he--as Jesus gave us commandment.”
Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 8:9: They are all plain to him that understandeth,.... Whose understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God; who is a spiritual man, that has a discerning, and can judge of spiritual things: as for the carnal man, let him have what natural knowledge or wisdom he will, he cannot know these things; for they are spiritually discerned, and can only be discerned by spiritual men. The Bible is a sealed book to others, learned or unlearned; the mysteries or doctrines of the Gospel are hid in parables from such; but those to whom Christ has given an understanding to know him, ”

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