This is a very thorough study of what constitutes the gospel of Christ and His righteousness.

1. The GOSPEL God’s Unconditional Promise

2. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. KJV Mark 16:15

4. Gospel – Origin of Word When the people of Alexandria in North Africa saw the grain ships on which they depended for survival arriving, they would be excited and shouted for joy. The word that they would shout is the same word used by the angels when they announced the birth of Jesus Christ to the shepherds. That word in Greek was “euangelion” or gospel, which means good news. The New Testament writers used this word gospel to describe the unconditional good news of salvation for all mankind accomplished by the historical reality of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection.

5. Angelic Announcement: Luke 2:10 euangelizoo:

15. Gospel – The Mystery of God Eph 3:2-9 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation , as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. 7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things . NIV

18. The Gospel is the revelation of Jesus Christ (God’s righteousness) in men!

22. Gospel – An Objective Truth An Objective reality is a reality that exists irrespective of my knowledge of, my appreciation of, or my response to that reality. We were condemned objectively in the first Adam, and justified objectively in the last Adam. In Christ, God has realized an objective reality for humanity. In sending Christ, the Father did not consult with man and ask his opinion on the issue. In fact, God sealed his mind on that matter before mankind was created (Eph 1:1-3). While on earth, Christ never negotiated his life’s mission with the people around him. He came to do His Father’s will, and He was committed to doing just that, irrespective of our response to Him. In fact, what Jesus accomplished objectively was to become our righteousness before God. What the Bible teaches is that when Christ lived right, the entire human race, Christians and non-Christians alike, were all accounted as living right. When Christ died, the entire human race, died. When He was resurrected, the entire human family was resurrected also (2 Corinthians 5:4-19; Rom 6:3-10; Eph 1:1-7; 2:4-10; Col 2:10; 3:1-2). All humanity was bound up in Him before God, Christ was not just one person. He was humanity in one package (2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 Cor 15:47-48). This is the gift that must be received by faith.

24. Gospel – The “IN CHRIST” Motif When God preached the Gospel to Abraham, He preached salvation for the whole world in Abraham’s seed which was Christ. Gal 3:8: “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” KJV (Gen 12:3;18:18;22:18;26:4;28:14) Gen 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ; KJV Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ . KJV This indicates that the preaching of the gospel, is the preaching of the “IN CHRIST” motif. That is that “ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” KJV 2 Cor. 5:19. The fact that Nicodemus did not understand that he must be born again, or never heard it before, does not affect its truthfulness. Like Nicodemus, we must be willing to accept it because the Bible teaches it!

25. Gospel – The “IN CHRIST” Motif Heb 7:9-10 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. KJV The writer of Hebrews is indicating that Levi, although he was not yet born, paid tithe to Melchisedec when Abraham met him. Why was this so? Because Levi was yet in the loins of Abraham when Melchisedec met him. Levi was in Abraham. In the same way, when Adam was created all men were in Him. When Adam sinned, he had no children, so we (humanity) were all affected by the fall. All sinned in Adam (see Romans 5:12). This is why even babies are born sinners. Gen 25:21-23 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels ; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.KJV 1 Cor 15:21-22 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. KJV

28. The only Gospel - Paul’s Gospel. 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. NIV

30. Human Response to the Gospel Acts 2:37-39 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call." NIV The anguished cry of the people in response to the Spirit filled preaching of the gospel was “what shall we do?” This revealed a sorrow for sin and a realization of their hopeless condition, as well as a firm readiness to change the direction of their lives. They were now ready to accept and obey the gospel.

31. Human Response to the Gospel 2 Thess 1:6-10 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. NIV The gospel DEMANDS a human response

34. GOSPEL Righteousness of God The Cross of Christ Power of God Creative power Mystery of God Jesus’ Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection The Promise The Covenant Objective truth IN CHRIST JESUS

35. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matt 24:14

36. Righteousness of God Rom 1:16-17 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes : first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last , just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." NIV Rom 3:21-22 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known , to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, NIV Jeremiah 23:5-6 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness . NIV

37. Jesus Created all Things Col 1:16-18 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. NIV John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. NIV John 1:10-13 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. NIV