Mixed Up About the Gospel

There seems to be some confusion about what the Gospel of Jesus Christ actually is in this world thought process today. Let me just clarify....it is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus! Gospel means good news or good message. 

So many seem to be mixed up about this. Many think that the gospel is "love your neighbor", or doing charity work, or giving to the poor, or don't judge others. However, that's not it. Those things come as a result of becoming a Christian...really those things should be a result of just being a decent human being! But that is not the gospel. 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15 This is referred to as the "Great Commission". The gospel is the good news that Jesus is the Son of God (and He is God in the flesh!) and that He came being born of a virgin, was crucified and died for the sins of mankind and rose the third day to conquer death for us. That's it! Telling people about this and having them believe in it to have their sin debt paid in full is what the command above is about. This will change the population of heaven. This and nothing else is the gospel! 

Now, should the other things mentioned above be taught to new believers? Absolutely! Should we all live it? Absolutely! But, telling people to do the things that Jesus did while He ministered for 3 1/2 years is NOT the gospel. Conducting yourself in a Christlike manner is something we should strive for every minute of every day but those things come as a result of the gospel. No one is saved to heaven from hell because they do any of those things mentioned. It is ONLY by believing and trusting in what Jesus did to pay our sin debt. He came, He died, He rose again to remove what separates us from a Holy God that demands perfection. We can only stand perfect before God by having the righteousness of Jesus covering us. It's called imputed righteousness...which simply means when someone gets saved or trusts in what Jesus did, and when they stand before God, He doesn't see them and their filthy sins, He sees His Son. That's the ONLY way to enter heaven! 

Just felt the need to do some clarifying.