Everything we are as believers in Christ is defined by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is all-encompassing. Everything hinges on the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus revealed to us through the written Word. The Bible does not just contain the Gospel; the Bible is the Gospel. Genesis through Revelation, every word, every letter, inspired by God is the Gospel or good news of Jesus Christ.

                In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he reminds the church of how the Gospel has come to them. The same manner in which the Gospel came to the Thessalonians has also come to us today.

                The Gospel comes not in word only. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, “The response of his converts was a supernatural work of God, not a natural response to a clearly delivered sermon. When Paul preached to them, he did not just share human opinion and philosophy.”^[1] 1 Corinthians 2:1-4a says, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom…”^[2] It is important to note that the Gospel originated with God. It is not a manmade philosophy or an eloquent sermon. The Gospel is so unique and beautiful that it could not have come from man. No man would have ever invented the idea that a Holy God who is the creator and sustainer of all things would humble Himself and become a man and allow Himself to make the ultimate sacrifice so that sinful man could be reconciled unto Himself and be given citizenship in His Kingdom. You cannot make that up. No man would ever write such a story.

                The Gospel comes in power. 1 Corinthians 2:4b-5 says, “…but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power…”^[3] The Evangelical Commentary says, “Only when the gospel is preached by “demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Cor. 2:4–5) does it generate true faith in its hearers.”^[4] The word ‘power’ in scripture is the Greek word ‘dynamis’. It is from which our English word ‘dynamite’ is derived. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”^[5] The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power to transform a life. It can do what no other religious word or philosophy can do. It changes everything. It makes all things new!

                The Gospel comes by the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of Jesus Christ preached in power comes by the Holy Spirit. The preacher or messenger is the vehicle through which the Holy Spirit communicates the Gospel to an unbeliever, however, it is the Holy Spirit only that breaks the hard heart of the unbeliever to receive the Gospel. John 16:8-11 says, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”^[6] You and I can share the Gospel with the lost in the most creative ways possible, but ultimately it is the Holy Spirit that convicts the unbeliever of sin and convinces them of their need for Jesus. It is a team effort. The believer filled with the Spirit proclaims the Gospel while the Spirit brings the conviction and does the work of regeneration in the heart of one who responds to the Gospel.

                The Gospel comes with assurance. The one who preaches the Gospel must be convinced of its validity. He must preach with confidence. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, “Paul’s message was marked by his own certainty that this message would change their lives as it had radically changed his.”^[7] The power of the Gospel coupled with the confident assurance of the messenger whose life has been changed by the Gospel brings a compelling argument which the Holy Spirit can use to penetrate the heart of an unbeliever to bring him to a place of repentance. Has the Gospel radically changed your life? Are you convinced of its power? Do you have the assurance that the Gospel you proclaim is true?

                The Gospel comes with transformation. The reason the Gospel was accepted by the Thessalonians was due to the obvious life change demonstrated in the messengers. Paul’s life was obviously changed by the Gospel and he demonstrated that change in his behavior. Thus, the change in Paul’s life was compelling to the Thessalonians. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, “Not only did Paul and his traveling companions preach a convincing message, but they also lived lives consistent with that message when they were in Thessalonica. The Thessalonians were fully aware of their teachers’ manner of life and that their motive was to benefit the Thessalonians.”^[8] When the Gospel transforms a life it produces an imitator of Christ that displays a reputation of Christ-likeness. The Holman Commentary says, “The church works most effectively when it follows the “imitation model” and the “reputation model,” as the Thessalonian church demonstrated.”^[9] Are we imitating Christ? Do we have a reputation of Christ likeness? The Gospel does not come by our eloquent words and creative methods. The Gospel enters the mind of the unregenerate through the compelling demonstration of a life that has been changed and flows to the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit when the lost is convinced and by faith receives its message and is then immediately regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The unbeliever will not be convinced of the life changing power of the Gospel unless it is demonstrated in the lives of believers. We cannot just talk the talk; we must also walk the walk. People need to see the change that the Gospel has made in our lives.

                The Gospel came to you not by man’s wisdom but by the power of God and the convicting of the Holy Spirit through an obedient believer who demonstrated the power of the Gospel both in word and in action. Are you living such a life that has been transformed by the Gospel that others are convinced of its power?

---

^[1] Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Thessalonians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 691–692). Victor Books.

^[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., 1 Co 2:1–4). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (1 Co 2:4–5). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.

^[4] Ewert, D. (1995). 1-2 Thessalonians. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 1070). Baker Book House.

^[5] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ro 1:16). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[6] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 16:8–11). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[7] Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Thessalonians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 692). Victor Books.

^[8] Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Thessalonians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 692). Victor Books.

^[9] Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol. 9, p. 9). Broadman & Holman Publishers.