What is the Gospel?

by John Piper

What is the Good News (the Gospel)? It’s this: Although sin is great and universal and deadly (Romans 3:23; 6:23), Jesus, the Son of God, has come into the world to save sinners (Matthew 25:46). Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). God made him to be sin who knew no sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are justified by his blood and reconciled to God (Romans 5:9-10). There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). The just has died for the unjust, to bring us into fellowship with God (1 Peter 3:18). This Jesus, Lord of the universe, has been raised indestructibly from the dead and cannot die or be defeated (Romans 6:9; Hebrews 7:16). The way to be saved by him is not works of merit, but faith in the God who justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5; 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9). No human has ever conceived the greatness of what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

(A Godward Life, Book Two by John Piper, Multnomah Publishers, page 151)