Can You Explain "The Gospel" in 50 Words or Less?

Do you even know what the Gospel of Jesus is?

If you claim to be a Christian (Christ follower and believer), can you articulate "The Gospel of Jesus" succinctly and from memory? I believe this is something every Christian needs to be able to do. Sadly, too many people would fail miserably if asked to do this.

Here is a TEST and a challenge for you: Sit down right now and write out (or type) the Gospel of Jesus as quickly as you can in as few words as possible. See how long it takes you to write this and then count your words. Is it brief and concise? Would it play well to someone who has never heard of Jesus? Would it influence their thinking in a meaningful way? How did you do with this challenge? Poor, Fair, Or Good ?

I once heard a politician say in a speech: "Blessed are those who are brief, for they shall be re-elected." Like everyone else in the audience I laughed at his humorous statement, but then I thought seriously about what he had just said. It really was a profound and true statement, but why? Most people's span of attention is short and they value something that is succinct, short, meaningful and memorable. Many people also want to know the WIIFM of an issue: What's In It For Me?

Now this time, I challenge you to explain verbally from memory the "Gospel of Christ Jesus" in a way that satisfies the criteria of being succinct, short, meaningful, memorable and it includes the WIIFM. This should be a skill in every Christian's toolbelt.

I saw a bumper sticker that read "Jesus Saves." While this is a very short version of the fundamental Gospel message, it begs four important questions that a non-believer might want answered. 1) Who does Jesus save? 2) What does He save them from? 3) How does he do it? and 4) Why does he do it? These are good questions that should be answered in your verbal presentation of "The Gospel."

Okay, Mr. Writer of this post, what is your version of the "Gospel" in 50 words or less?

"Because God loves us, He visited Earth as a human named Jesus to give sinful mankind a supernatural way (faith in Jesus) to escape judgement and Hell, so we can go to Heaven. " Word count = 33

Of course, we should always be able to quote John 3:16, but the person who has never read the Bible or heard of Jesus might not understand the word "parish" and its context of going to Hell for eternity.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Word count = 28

The word gospel means "good news." Simply put, the good news is that God (the creator of the universe) loves us and wants to bless us so we can fellowship with Him eternally in Heaven. This is lieu of eternal separation from God in Hell. Mankind's sinful nature separates us from God and we deserve God's judgement. It is God's acts of love, grace and mercy that give us a way to escape the eternal fate we deserve based on our sins here on earth.

Over 2000 years ago, God made a historic visit to planet Earth and supernaturally took the form of a human named Jesus of Nazareth. (Jeshuah in Aramaic). Jesus' purpose was to save sinners (like you and me) by offering himself as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This satisfies God's justice. (Remember that God is a god of love and justice.)

It is our trust and belief in what Jesus did for us on the Cross of crucifixion that allows us to be forgiven and in right-standing (righteous) with God. This allows us to enter Heaven for eternity after leaving this world. It is our belief, faith and trust in what Jesus did for us (paid our penalty for our sins) that allows us to be forgiven and receive salvation. Salvation is a free gift for Believers and it is not earned by our good works. Part of this salvation process is that we become a "born again" believer in Jesus, repent of our sins, ask for forgiveness, and become obedient (to the best of our ability) to the spirit of God's laws and the teachings and commands of Jesus.

Basically, our faith in Jesus gives us a "Get Out of Hell Free Card." Thank God!

I hope you will take my challenge seriously and develop your ability to explain the "Gospel of Jesus" to anyone who needs to hear it. Almost everyone needs to hear it, and once is rarely enough. I welcome hearing your suggestions on how you explain the Gospel.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I value your comments, feedback and rating in the Comments Box immediately below the section on my other recent posts. Please share this post with others if you find it of value. I am a life coach who "helps people learn how to live a truly blessed life." My posts fall into four categories: 1) Spiritual Laws, 2) Christian Principles, 3) Servant Leadership, and 4) Life Lessons. Thanks again for reading and many blessings to you!