What Is the Gospel?

Crucial Questions

by R.C. Sproul

Many people think that since God is good, He will accept us as long as we lead good lives. But this isn’t good news, because none of us is as good as God. If left to ourselves, we will receive what our lives actually deserve: His judgment.

In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul explains the gospel, God’s good news for sinful people like us. While we could never save ourselves from His just condemnation, God calls us to trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, who alone can redeem us through His righteous life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection.

The Crucial Questions booklet series by Dr. R.C. Sproul offers succinct answers to important questions often asked by Christians and thoughtful inquirers.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Theology, Faith, Spirituality, Christianity

107 pages, Paperback

Published August 12, 2020

About the author

Dr. R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. He was founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.

Ligonier Ministries began in 1971 as the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Ligonier, Pa. In an effort to respond more effectively to the growing demand for Dr. Sproul’s teachings and the ministry’s other educational resources, the general offices were moved to Orlando in 1984, and the ministry was renamed.

Dr. Sproul’s radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. Dr. Sproul produced hundreds of lecture series and recorded numerous video series on subjects such as the history of philosophy, theology, Bible study, apologetics, and Christian living.

He contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and academic institutions around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. He signed the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and wrote a commentary on that document. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible, previously known as the New Geneva Study Bible.

Dr. Sproul had a distinguished academic teaching career at various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and Jackson, Miss. He was ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Reviews

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great booklet by Sproul

This is a great little book that well explains what the Gospel is and what the Gospel isn't, and the importance of studying doctrine.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sproul's "What is the Gospel?" is summary of, and elaboration upon the 1998 document "The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration." It is written primarily for those well-versed in the church, but perhaps without great theological clarity.

The book is mostly a theological defense of the true gospel. It is a very clear and concise defense of what the gospel is, and is not. This is a good, short work to use to teach and articulate the gospel in theological categories. It is not the kind of book to give to a new believer or especially an unbeliever.

[Rebecca Borghini · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What is the Gospel?" is a concise yet profound exploration of the core message of Christianity. With his characteristic clarity & depth, R.C. Sproul unpacks the essential elements of the Gospel, making it accessible to both new believers & seasoned Christians.

The book begins by addressing the nature of God, emphasizing His holiness & justice. Sproul then moves to the human condition, detailing the reality of sin & the need for redemption. He explains the significance of Jesus Christ’s life, death, & resurrection, presenting a compelling case for why these events are the cornerstone of Christian faith.

One of the strengths of this book is Sproul’s ability to explain complex theological concepts into understandable & relatable terms. His writing is both scholarly & pastoral, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the Gospel while also encouraging personal reflection & spiritual growth.

Sproul’s emphasis on the necessity of grace & faith for salvation is particularly impactful. He underscores that the Gospel is not about human effort or morality but about God's initiative & provision through Jesus Christ. This focus is a refreshing reminder of the heart of the Christian message.

Overall, "What is the Gospel?" is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand or communicate the essence of the Christian faith. R.C. Sproul’s engaging writing makes this book an excellent choice for individual reading, group study, or as a tool for evangelism. It’s a timeless work that reaffirms the beauty & power of the Gospel.

[Peter Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is the Gospel? by R.C. Sproul

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What is the gospel? I couldn't tell from this book since no definition was provided. It seems that we are just supposed to know what the gospel is because we are told that the "Gospel is the saving power of God." But it isn't clear what the gospel is.

At times, it seems that the Gospel is the content of a message. At times it seems that the gospel may be the story of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. However, this may not be correct because we are told that the deity of Christ is essential to the gospel ("The deity of Christ is an essential point of the gospel"), but is not the same as the gospel. At other times, it seems that the "gospel" is a set of Reformed Protestant doctrines, including sola fide,sola scriptura, and the doctrine of imputation, but not infusion, of grace, which most certainly are not the life of Christ. These latter points go beyond the life of Christ and seem to be theological proposition deduced from presuppositions inherent in Reformed Protestantism rather than the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

So, I was left befuddled on this point.

The gist of the book is an explanation of the 1998 Reformed publication of “The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration.” This publication consists of 16 positive and negative propositions about the Reformed Protestant understanding of the Gospel.

As is typical of these kinds of publication, quite a bit is said about faith alone as being the key to justification. What is interesting is that while something like 15 of the question do not give any indication of something other than faith being involved, Sproul does acknowledge that "faith alone" is not sufficient for salvation. As he says:

"Now we get to a tricky part. Our document makes a distinction between what we call justification and sanctification. Affirmation 14 reads:"

Sproul, R.C.. What Is the Gospel? (Crucial Questions) (p. 72). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.

The "tricky part" is that although most Protestants think that "justification" means "salvation," it doesn't. Sproul is to be commended for the clarity of his admission:

"The New Testament calls us to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Sometimes we get confused when we read that language because the words justification and salvation tend to be used interchangeably. It’s true that in a certain sense we enter into salvation the moment we put our faith in Christ. But our final and full salvation doesn’t take place until we enter into our glorification in heaven. So, part of the process of salvation is sanctification. But justification comes first. We are not working to achieve our justification. We are working to bring the fruits of that justification to bear in our sanctification.

Sproul, R.C.. What Is the Gospel? (Crucial Questions) (pp. 75-76). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.

This raises the issue of sanctification:

"The moment we embrace Christ with true faith, God declares us just by virtue of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. But even though we have been justified, we continue to sin. The lifelong process by which we are made holy and brought into conformity to the image of Christ, which begins at the moment of our justification, is called sanctification. Article 15 addresses the relationship between justification and sanctification. Affirmation 15 reads: We affirm that saving faith results in sanctification, the transformation of life in growing conformity to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification means ongoing repentance, a life of turning from sin to serve Jesus Christ in grateful reliance on him as one’s Lord and Master (Gal. 5:22–25; Rom. 8:4, 13–14).

Sproul, R.C.. What Is the Gospel? (Crucial Questions) (pp. 77-78). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.

What's interesting is that after explaining that "the gospel" means that grace is imputed, not infused, and anyone who denies that claim denies "the gospel," Sproul turns around and demands that we accept that a person is transformed by actual grace before becoming capable of faith. So, why the insistence on damning those who believe in infused grace - like Catholics do ?

"Certainly, someone who has been justified has experienced a significant change, a change from someone who is under God’s curse to someone who is righteous in His sight. A person cannot be justified without possessing true faith. But Christians disagree about when that faith happens in relation to rebirth or regeneration. Regeneration refers to the work of the Holy Spirit by which a person is quickened from a state of spiritual death and transformed into a state of spiritual life. Some believe that a person has faith first, and then, as an immediate consequence of that faith, he is not only justified but also regenerated. That would mean two significant changes that are related to justification. As soon as a person has faith, he is a believer rather than an unbeliever, and he’s now regenerate rather than unregenerate.

Sproul, R.C.. What Is the Gospel? (Crucial Questions) (pp. 79-80). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.

The Reformed faith reverses the order of these two elements of faith and regeneration. We say that regeneration precedes faith. When we say precedes, we don’t mean chronologically; we don’t mean that a person is regenerated and then fifteen years later has faith, or someone is regenerated and five minutes later has faith. We’re talking about simultaneous actions. But when we look at it in terms of a logical order, we say that regeneration comes before or precedes faith in the sense that regeneration is a necessary condition, a prerequisite, for the presence of faith. Reformed theology teaches that the only way true faith can be manifested in the life of a person is if God first works a work of grace in his soul through the operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he is quickened from spiritual death to spiritual life and is therefore reborn. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). A person who has true faith is also a regenerate person, a person who has been reborn. And that’s why we see that sanctification must follow from justification: if faith is present and a person has been reborn, that means that person has been changed in his inner being through the operation of the Holy Spirit, and the process of sanctification, or growing in conformity to the image of Christ, has most surely begun.

Sproul, R.C.. What Is the Gospel? (Crucial Questions) (pp. 80-81). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.

One gets the feeling that these sections on regeneration and sanctification are not where Sproul lived. He seems to find it "tricky," which makes sense since it runs counter to the "faith alone" doctrine that seems to be a far more straightforward proposition. Sproul doesn't do much to explain the inconsistencies; his goal seems to be to present the doctrines of his faith in a way that leaves followers as little disturbed as possible.

This is a short book that does a good job of setting forth Reformed doctrines. I was disappointed that Sproul wasn't more forthcoming in his definition of the "gospel" or in his failure to explain the anomaly between regeneration and infusion.

[Liz Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book!

Every single person should read this book, Christian and non-Christian. RC Sproul does a wonderful job of breaking down each aspect of the gospel to a way where it's so understandable.

[Clay Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great synopsis of nearly every relevant angle of the gospel in its purest form.

[Chloe Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

R.C. Sproul provides a concise yet rich explanation of the biblical gospel, structuring his discussion around The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration, a statement drafted by evangelical leaders in 1998. Sproul walks through the affirmations and denials outlined in the document, carefully unpacking what the gospel is—and what it is not.

A key strength of this book is its theological clarity. Sproul, known for his deep commitment to Reformed theology, presents the gospel with a strong emphasis on God’s holiness, human sinfulness, Christ’s atoning work, and the necessity of faith alone in Christ alone. He does not shy away from critical doctrines like justification by faith and penal substitutionary atonement, ensuring that readers grasp the weight of the gospel’s message.

The book’s structure, following the affirmations and denials, helps clarify common misunderstandings and distortions of the gospel, making it a valuable resource for those seeking theological precision. Additionally, Sproul’s engaging and accessible style makes complex theological concepts understandable for both new believers and those more theologically trained.

The reason for a four-star rating rather than five is its brevity. While it serves as an excellent introduction, some readers may desire a more extended treatment or additional exposition of key biblical texts. However, as part of the Crucial Questions series, the book achieves its goal of providing a clear, biblical answer to one of the most important questions anyone can ask.

Overall, What Is the Gospel? is a trustworthy and edifying resource, reinforcing the essential truths of the gospel while guarding against distortions. It is highly recommended for personal study, small groups, or as a tool for evangelism and discipleship.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was nothing unuseful in this book. The last 16 pages of this very short book were an absolute gut check. To summarize those pages, witnessing about the things God has done in our personal lives is not Gospel.

The Gospel is that the Jesus, the eternal God, humbled himself and was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life from first to last breath, died on a cross as the payment for our sin, was buried and bodily rose again. After his resurrection he ascended into heaven where he waits for his return. When he returns he will judge the entire earth. Only those who believe that Jesus' death is the only payment for their sins, accept the gift of his righteous life, and willingly submit to his divine authority will escape the wrath of Jesus' judgment.

For more on what the gospel is ... read the book.

[Bill Pence · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this new book in R.C. Sproul’s Crucial Questions series (all of which are free in the Kindle edition), he looks at the important issue of the gospel. We often talk about the gospel, but if asked, would we be able to tell someone just what the gospel is? The gospel isn’t our personal testimony, for example.
Sproul indicates that there is perhaps no more important question for us to answer than what the gospel is, because the answer we give will help to determine our eternal destiny. The gospel tells us how we can be saved from our sin. It is therefore crucial that we search the Scriptures carefully in order to clearly articulate what God tells us about how we may be saved.
Sproul writes of two meetings of evangelical leaders in the late 1990’s. As a result of the meetings, a unified statement of faith was drafted in order to restore unity among evangelicals, particularly in the understanding of justification. The document is called “The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration,” and it is divided into two parts. The first part is a summation of the key points that were affirmed. It explains the gospel in the language of the laity, avoiding technical theological statements. The second part provides a statement in more precise theological language, following the format of affirmations and denials. This book explores the affirmations and denials in order to provide a clear articulation of the message of the gospel.
Among the topics addressed in this book are justification, sanctification, the deity of Jesus, the person and work of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, imputation, evangelism, doctrine and repentance.
Sproul had the gift of being able to communicate theological subjects in a way in which the layperson could easily understand. This would be an excellent book to read and discuss with a new believer about what the gospel is, and isn’t.
Below are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
• The gospel’s authority rests on God and God alone.
• If we understand that God is just and we are not just, then the question of how an unjust person can be justified in the sight of a holy and just God becomes the most important question we will ever deal with.
• We affirm that Christ is the only way of salvation because He alone in His person has the credentials necessary to do the work of mediation that must be done to bring about reconciliation.
• There’s only one God, and God has only one Son, and there’s only one Mediator between God and mankind.
• The Bible offers no hope that sincere worshipers of other religions will be saved without personal faith in Jesus Christ.
• Evangelism is never optional for the church.
• The content of the gospel as we find it in the New Testament focuses on the person and the work of Jesus Christ. And though we distinguish between the person of Christ and His work, we dare not separate them.
• A confession of the full deity of Jesus Christ is foundational and essential to gospel faith.
• The gospel, therefore, is not just a message about the death of Christ; it’s also a message about the life of Christ. Both the life of Christ and the death of Christ are necessary for our salvation.
• To believe the gospel is to despair of ever living righteously enough to satisfy the demands of God’s justice and instead to trust in and rely on what Christ did for us in His life as well as in His death.
• If you deny the real bodily, historical resurrection of Christ, you have denied the very essence of the gospel.
• If we don’t understand justification, we don’t really understand the gospel.
• In our justification, there is a double imputation. On the one hand, our guilt is imputed or transferred to Christ, and on the other, His righteousness is imputed to us.
• Without this doctrine of imputation, you don’t have the gospel, for the gospel stands or falls on this idea of the transfer of Jesus’ righteousness to our account.
• The lifelong process by which we are made holy and brought into conformity to the image of Christ, which begins at the moment of our justification, is called sanctification.
• Sanctification is a lifelong process that is not completed until we die and enter into what the Bible calls glorification. Glorification is the conclusion to the lengthy process of sanctification.
• Sanctification involves ongoing repentance.
• The Christian life is a penitent life, because as long as there remains sin in our lives, the need for confession and turning from that sin remains.
• To be saved, someone has to actually agree in his mind that the statements about Jesus and about His work are true.
• We are justified by faith, by the possession of authentic faith, and not by its mere profession.
• Doctrine doesn’t save us, but it is vital for spiritual health and well-being.
• To reject the gospel after hearing it is to embrace spiritual ruin and to stand exposed to God’s judgment.

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was given to me by a dearly loved person on their faith journey. It did several things for me - it reminded me of the depth and detail of the theology that I learned as a young person and remains the foundation of my faith. And it also reminded me of the things that have developed as an integral part of my faith since then that were not doctrinal. I was reminded that everyone's faith grows in a different way. And it gave me assurance that God has this young family in his hands and will lead them with all the love and patience that He showed me.

[Nick Suire · Rating 5 out of 5]

RC Sproul is one of the greatest Church teachers of our day. This book is another great example of how RC can take a serious topic and explain it so clearly, and with so much simple joy and passion. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to gain a more clear understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Cassie Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus told his followers to go out and spread the gospel, so a very important question would be this: what is the gospel? In one of the longer entries in the Crucial Questions Series, R.C. Sproul answers this question by reviewing and explaining the affirmations found in the famous document “The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration.” Using clear language, he goes over all eighteen points to explain clearly what the gospel is. This booklet has crucial information about what is and isn’t the biblical gospel, and so I would recommend this to new Christians as well as seasoned Christians.

[Elliott Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Excellent explanation of the gospel, walking through the 1998 document, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration.” Sproul is thorough and especially emphasizes the logic of the gospel and the theological terms related to it. And he includes some history, illustrations, and application along the way. Only gripe - unnecessarily difficult vocabulary throughout.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this one to the entire family and it prompted many good discussions and questions. It can feel a bit overwhelming when all the qualifications are made but the important things is that one doesn't deny certain vital elements of the Gospel, not that one has every single aspect of Christ's humanity, divinity, resurrection, means of grace, etc. in mind constantly.

[Nehemiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book for a believer who wants to equip him or herself for beholding the good news along with the Scriptures. This book is not a replacement, but serves a guide. As for how the content is given, I'm expecting the author will do exposition from known Bible verses something like that but he use an affirmation and denials from The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soteriology

This is maybe the longest book in this series. The book talk about soteriology, not that deep but with the explanation of document The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration, the explanation became long yet structural.

[David LaLone · Rating 3 out of 5]

R.C. Sproul does a good job of explaining the gospel through the lens of biblical theology as if he was explaining it to someone that had a fair understanding of theology. I think it lacks the heart of the good news messenger.

[Jennifer Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear articulation of aspects of the Gospel using a document of Agreement formed by Evangelicals with certain affirmations and denials - meant to bring further clarity on key elements about Jesus and the Gospel from a reformed perspective.

[Floyd Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowing the gospel

This book is a must read for anyone desiring to share the gospel with others. I also recommend it to one who is not a Christian so they will understand what it means to know God and for coming to grips with their eternal destiny.

[William Blanchette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. Not too long, but really presented the gospel well with the affirmative statements as well as the corresponding denial statements were very helpful in understanding each of the articles.

[Timothy Coplin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Affirm or deny

A thorough yet concise treatment of the inter-denominational creed on the doctrine of the Gospel, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration".

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent breakdown of the essential elements of the Gospel

[Romey H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necessary Reading

There is no more important a subject to know and understand than understanding, knowing amd being able to communicate the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful and easy read.

People think R.C. Sprout will be a hard read and avoid it. He's really easy to understand and makes it easy for anyone. Highly recommend his works.

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book that clearly outlines the gospel. Highly recommended

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed academic-like reads and this book over the gospel gave both an academic side as well as a Biblical perspective on the gospel.

[Esther Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful

The Power of the Gospel that infiltrates our hearts & mind so we can make a distinct difference in our daily lives

[Hernan Rueda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page turner

[Michael T Moos · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorites from the RC Sproul little book collection.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great outline of fundamental doctrine for Christian faith. Great reminder!