The Gospel of God

What is the message of the gospel? What is its content? What is its purpose? These are important questions that our men have been discussing in a study on evangelism. One of the finest works ever written on evangelism is Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer. Packer correctly asserts that the gospel is made up of four essential ingredients:

1. The gospel is a message about God.
2. The gospel is a message about sin.
3. The gospel is a message about Christ.
4. The gospel is a summons to faith and repentance.

Another excellent resource on evangelism is Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person to the Whole World by Will Metzger. He uses a similar outline to what he calls the salient points of the gospel:

1. God - the Holy and Loving Creator
2. Man - the Sinful Creature
3. Christ - the Merciful Redeemer
4. Our Necessary Response to Be United to Christ

Both of these books should be a part of every believer's library - and not just to gather dust! If you are interested in a booklet that addresses the gospel and is an excellent tool for evangelism, check out Phil Newton's wonderful resource The Way of Faith.