The Gospel Choice

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17

Deuteronomy 30:15,16,19

“See I have set before you today life and good, death and evil…

therefore choose life”

To choose life is the ‘Gospel choice”. Today the word ‘gospel’ may be used of ‘gospel music’ or a message, “that’s gospel truth”. Gospel originates from an old English word “Godspell – God’s story.” Its true Greek origin is the word “evangel” –from which we get the words ‘evangelical’ and ‘evangelist’. Gospel simply means “God’s good news”, and the ‘Gospel choice’ is to make “God’s good choice”.

In Jesus day, a ‘gospel message’ was to announce a ‘significant message.” The Roman emperor sent a ‘gospel message’ on the birth of his son Augustus. That was soon outdone by the announcement of the birth of a Saviour, Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1). The Bible gospel is God’s ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ so you can choose life.

This Gospel is described three ways. It is “the gospel of God” (Rom 1:1) because God is the source of “the good news”. God’s message is true, authoritative, consistent, complete, distinct like no other message.

It is called “the gospel of His Son” (Rom 1:9, 3) because it is concerning His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Gospel message. The disciple Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion, saying it is the ‘good news of peace through Jesus Christ ” - for (1) God sent Him; (2) God was with Him; (3) God raised Him (Acts 10:36,38,39). Jesus Christ is the good message of God to us.

Thirdly, the preacher Paul called it, “my gospel” (Rom 2:16) for he proclaimed, “that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation received by faith (Rom 1:16). The Gospel is ours when we trust God’s message and believe in His provision of Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Christ came, died, and rose again, that you might have life.

The Gospel is a message of change. It changes my relationship to God, so now I call upon God as ‘Father”. It changes my guilt of sin because a sinless Jesus died in my place for my sin and in Christ I am forgiven (Acts 13:38). It changes my rebellion to God for through it I am born again by God’s Holy Spirit who produces within me new life, new love and new desires. It changes my eternal destiny from separation, judgment and the wrath of God, to peace with God (Rom 5:9).

This is the Gospel, the Gospel of God concerning His Son, for you.

Believe the Gospel, receive Jesus Christ, choose life!

Based on a Message 17 January 2021 ©John 2022