The Demise of Gospel Preaching Part 2: What the Gospel Truly Is — Christ, Cross, Resurrection, and Repentance

 

The Gospel Defined

The gospel is more than a message of moral improvement or personal fulfillment; it is the good news of what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ to save sinners from His wrath. The New Testament presents the gospel as the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah, the Son of God, and the call to respond in repentance and faith. Mark opens his Gospel by stating, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). These words reveal two foundational truths: Jesus is the promised Messiah, fulfilling the covenant promises to Israel, and He is the eternal Son of God, fully divine and fully human. Understanding both is essential.

Jesus the Messiah and Son of God

Jesus is not merely one among many “Christs” or a moral teacher; He uniquely fulfills God’s redemptive plan. The Old Testament anticipated the Messiah from the tribe of Judah and the line of David (Genesis 49:10; 2 Samuel 7:14; Jeremiah 23:5). By calling Jesus the Christ, the gospel proclaims that God’s promises have been realized. By calling Him the Son of God, the gospel affirms His eternal deity (John 1:1), His sinless humanity, and His miraculous birth. Modern preaching often assumes the audience already knows these facts, yet in today’s secularized culture, most hearers lack even basic knowledge about who Jesus is. Proper gospel preaching must clearly communicate His identity, as Peter did on the Day of Pentecost, proclaiming Jesus “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

Christ’s Substitutionary Death

Central to the gospel is the death of Christ for sinners. Paul summarizes the gospel succinctly: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and was buried, and was raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Jesus’ death was substitutionary: the just died for the unjust to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). Without this understanding, the gospel becomes hollow. Modern presentations often minimize sin and God’s wrath, yet Scripture is clear that humanity is guilty before God and under His judgment (Romans 1:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). Christ’s blood is the only means of averting God’s wrath (Romans 5:9). To omit this is to omit the very reason the gospel is good news. People must understand that they are sinners in need of a Savior, or they will see no need for the cross.

The Resurrection: Proof of Power and Victory

The resurrection is inseparable from the gospel. Paul emphasizes that if Christ has not been raised, faith is futile, and believers remain in their sins (1 Corinthians 15:17). The resurrection validates Jesus’ claims, demonstrates His victory over sin and death, and assures believers of eternal life (Romans 10:9). It is the foundation of Christian hope. Apostolic preaching made the resurrection central: Peter, addressing the crowd in Jerusalem, declared that God had “raised this Jesus” (Acts 2:32), and Paul preached the same to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15). To neglect the resurrection is to present an incomplete gospel that cannot save.

Repentance and Faith: God’s Gracious Response

Conversion is not a mere decision; it is a radical change granted by God. The gospel calls sinners to turn from self and idols to God—a true repentance (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10; Mark 1:14–15). Repentance does not earn salvation; it is the gracious work of God in the human heart (2 Timothy 2:24–26). Faith accompanies repentance, trusting wholly in Christ’s work on the cross. John MacArthur explains that conversion is “a complete turnaround, an absolute change of moral and volitional direction.” Both repentance and faith are inseparable aspects of God’s saving work. To remove repentance from preaching is to remove the essence of conversion, leaving people with a shallow or false sense of spirituality.

The Necessity of Law and Conviction of Sin

Before sinners can respond in repentance, they must understand their lost condition. Paul’s letter to the Romans demonstrates this method: humanity is condemned under God’s law before being offered salvation by grace (Romans 3). Evangelism that ignores the law or the reality of sin risks producing superficial converts. Ray Comfort’s experience interviewing passersby shows that most people do not perceive themselves as lost or under judgment. Preaching that focuses solely on happiness, meaning, or “better living” offers comfort but fails to communicate the urgency of salvation. Genuine gospel preaching confronts sin, reveals God’s wrath, and points the sinner to Christ’s provision.

Contrasting Modern Messages with the Biblical Gospel

Much contemporary evangelical preaching emphasizes decision-making, seeker-sensitive techniques, or “felt needs” over the hard truths of sin, judgment, and redemption. Stories of personal transformation or emotional response are common, yet many neglect to proclaim Jesus’ identity, His death, and resurrection. This approach may draw crowds or inspire temporary enthusiasm, but it does not bring about true conversion. Apostolic preaching, by contrast, confronted sin, proclaimed the cross, and called people to repentance and faith, trusting God’s sovereign power to save the elect.

Conclusion

The gospel is not a motivational slogan, a formula for success, or a cultural feel-good message. It is the good news of Jesus Christ: His identity as Messiah and Son of God, His substitutionary death for sinners, His bodily resurrection, and the call for sinners to repent and believe. Preachers must faithfully communicate these truths, ensuring that hearers understand their need for salvation and God’s provision through Christ alone. Only then does the gospel retain its power to save, as it did in the early church. To preach less is to do a disservice to the very message that God has entrusted to His people.


Rooted in Jesus Grace,

Mara Wellspring


Credit: Bob DeWaay, The Demise of Gospel Preaching in the Modern Evangelical Church

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