Book by Greg Gilbert

Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Having had the great privilege of going on short-term missions, I’ve been blessed to have a good number of conversations with people in Argentina about the message most important to us: the Gospel. The Gospel, as preached in our church, deals with the person and work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. To be involved in any type of missions has to get you thinking and talking about the Gospel with those around you. It’s impossible not to. As a matter of fact, it should be that way not only during a missions trip, but every day of your life. I saw this as a constant theme throughout the trip, which is always a rebuke to how I live my life on a daily basis. Missions trips usually do that.

Having said that, reading books about the Gospel can continue to help foster a flavor of speech that is influenced by what the Gospel is all about, since you’re confronted with the claims of Jesus and how it should readily lead to faith and repentance on our part (though as sinners we never respond this way without God Himself intervening). It’s a blessing to have many works to choose from with regards to being very aware of what the Gospel message is (especially having the Scriptures). And yet, many professing Christians will give you puzzling looks when asked, “What is the Gospel?” They know they should know the answer, but always dread that question. I’ve had that encounter before, and it’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Imagine being asked that by a Mormon, or a Muslim, and the loss of credibility that follows when you cannot explain to another how one becomes a Christian.

Enter What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert. Weighing in at 114 pages, this book is a clear, deep (though not scholarly) look into what the Gospel message is all about. Pastor Greg is all too familiar with the problem many people in the church have in answering the most important question anyone can ask:

[H]ow firm a grasp do you think most Christians really have on the content of the Christian gospel? How would you answer if someone asked you: What is this news that you Christians go on and on about? And what’s so good about it? (p.15)

He knows, and gives many horrendous examples, of how people have answered that question before (and still answer to this day!). He doesn’t hold back what a sad reality it is when churches are filled with people who do not know the Gospel: unhealthy living:

There would be nothing healthy at all in Christians who couldn’t care less how we define and understand the gospel…Christians just don’t agree on what the gospel is–even Christians who call themselves evangelical. (p.17)

Because of this, Pastor Gilbert wrote this books for various reasons, of which are mentioned below:

• For the Christian, to cause your heart to swell with joy and praise towards Jesus Christ for what he has accomplished for you.
• It will give you a deeper confidence as you talk to others about the good news of Jesus.
• To see the importance of this gospel for the life of the church, and that as a result you will work to make sure that this gospel is preached, sung, prayed, taught, proclaimed, and heard in every aspect of your church’s life.
• To help to shore up the edges of the gospel in your mind and heart.
• For the non-Christian, to be provoked to think hard about the good news of Jesus Christ.

The book is broken into eight chapters, four of which explain the four components of the Gospel message: God, man, Christ, response. If you miss mentioning one, you get the message wrong. If you have the wrong view of any one of these components, you get the message wrong. The reason Pastor Gilbert believes this to be the case is because he sees this as being taught by Scripture itself (even if not in a slick presentation):

Whatever else [the apostles] might say, these are the issues that seem to lie at the heart of their presentation of the gospel. Contexts change, angles change, words change, and approaches change, but somehow and in some way the earliest Christians always seem to get at these four issues: We are accountable to the God who created us. We have sinned against that God and will be judged. But God has acted in Jesus Christ to save us, and we take hold of that salvation by repentance from sin and faith in Jesus. (p.32)

Obviously this God-man-Christ-response structure is not a slavish formula. The apostles don’t necessarily tick the points off like a checklist when they proclaim the gospel. Depending on the context, how long they have to preach, and who is included in their audience, they explain those four points at various lengths. Sometimes one or more of them are even left implicit rather than explicit–especially the fact that it is God to whom we are accountable and from whom we need the gift of forgiveness. (p.35)

Each component is observed through the Scriptures to point us to what God says will save a man who deserves His wrath. If God has plans to make life with Him available, wouldn’t you want to know how that is possible? Christian, what arrogance to assume you no longer have need of this! If Christ has demonstrated His love for you that is far greater than anything your spouse, brother/sister, pastor, parents, and friends can ever do for you (combined!), would you not want to know why?

The book also contains chapters dealing with what the Bible says the kingdom is all about (and the many misconceptions behind it), the importance of keeping the cross at the center of your life (and decentralized alternatives to the Gospel), and finally the power that the Gospel comes with. It is a short, yet clear, explanation of the good news of Jesus Christ that it will be a great read for your small group, for discipling a new believer, for comforting a seasoned/weary saint, or to introduce to someone who has no idea what Christianity is all about. There is much to chew on in this book, and God is to be praised for using sinners saved by grace to be a blessing to others.

There is no getting around it: if Paul, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles, calls this message “of first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3), how dare we go against him on this! I would highly encourage all to spend time to dig deep into the Gospel, and be humbled and grateful all over again to the glorious grace that God gave to you (and still gives today!).