What Is the Gospel?

Do All Churches Preach the Gospel?

Ask ten different churches what they believe, and you’ll get ten different answers. Ask them whether they preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, however, and every single one will say yes.

At first, that seems strange. The gospel is supposed to be one message—fixed, unchanging, and handed down from Christ Himself. So how can churches that teach contradictory doctrines all claim to be preaching the same gospel?

There is only one way to discover the truth: stop asking churches what they believe and start asking what the gospel actually is—not according to tradition, not according to denomination, but according to its true source. The true owner of the gospel is Christ Himself.

If a church cannot clearly and specifically define the gospel, then its claim to be preaching it is nothing more than a label without substance. That is why we must go back to the very beginning and ask the foundational question:

What, exactly, is the gospel?

Biblical Definition of the Gospel

The gospel is the good news through which we receive salvation and enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ Himself is the source and owner of the gospel, and He came to earth to preach this good news—the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, those who believe in Jesus Christ and follow Him must clearly understand the gospel that He Himself preached.

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

If we say that we believe in Jesus and follow Him, then we must know the gospel that He preached—not what a church says, not what tradition has assumed, but what Jesus Himself taught in His own words.

What Is the Importance of the Gospel?

One might think that the gospel Jesus proclaimed is merely a message or a doctrine.

However, the gospel is not merely a doctrine; it is life itself. For this reason, it is also called the truth of life. Likewise, it is called the good news because it contains the blessings and promises given to those who long for the kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 3:2–6 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 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.

Think about that: through the gospel, we are welcomed into God’s family. We are no longer outsiders; we are heirs of heaven, united with Christ, and given the promise of eternal life. That is not just a blessing—it is the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. Indeed, the gospel contains God’s abundant blessings.

Because the gospel is so precious, God does not entrust it carelessly. He entrusts it to those who carry it with love, sincerity, and truth.

What an honor it is to be approved by God! Preaching the gospel is one of the greatest privileges and is most pleasing to God.

Now, let us look at another verse.

1 Thessalonians 2:1–4 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

Preaching the gospel is not a burden; it is the most valuable work, the greatest joy, and the act that is most pleasing to God.

Paul reminds us of this truth in the following passage:

Romans 15:14–16 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

The book of Romans was written by the Apostle Paul. How did the Apostle Paul become a minister with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel? It was by the grace of God.

We, too, should participate in the work of the gospel with joy, always giving thanks to God for His grace in entrusting us with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel.

The Relationship Between the Gospel and the New Covenant

Then, what does this precious gospel specifically refer to?

What is the best way to find the answer? Should we seek it from a famous religious leader, a well-known preacher, or a Bible scholar?

Although such people may provide wise answers, the best answer comes from the Word of God, because the Word of God is absolute.

Therefore, let us discover the answer through the Bible—the absolute Word of God.

Colossians 1:21-23 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

What did the Apostle Paul call himself? He described himself as a servant of the gospel. The gospel, to which he devoted his life, was proclaimed to people everywhere, and Paul dedicated his entire life to advancing it.

Let us take a look at the following passage.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

What did Paul call himself? He called himself a minister of the new covenant.

In one place, Paul calls himself a servant of the gospel; in another, he calls himself a minister of the new covenant. He uses these terms almost interchangeably, and that tells us something profound: the gospel and the new covenant are one and the same. They are not two separate ideas standing side by side, but two names for a single truth. When Scripture speaks of the gospel, at its heart it is speaking of the new covenant.

Through these verses, we can understand that the gospel in the Bible refers to the new covenant.

The Core of the Gospel Is the Passover

Then, what exactly does the new covenant refer to? According to the Gospel of Luke, the Passover is revealed to be the core message of the new covenant.

Luke 22:7-20 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover. ‘Where do you want us to prepare for it?’ they asked. He replied, ‘As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.’” They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” . . . “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Picture it for a moment: Jesus is sitting at the table with His disciples, sharing the Passover meal. The atmosphere is solemn and sacred. After they eat, He picks up the cup of wine and says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for you.” Right there, in that quiet room, Jesus establishes the new covenant. The Passover is central to the gospel of the new covenant.

That is why the Passover is not merely one tradition among many; it is central to the gospel itself. Any church that claims to preach the gospel yet does not uphold the truth of the Passover is missing its very core.

Sadly, many churches today have abandoned the new covenant Passover yet still speak of “good news.” But without the Passover, their message is incomplete. It is a painful contradiction—speaking of hope while leaving out the very promise that gives the gospel its meaning.

Those Who Do Not Obey the Gospel

The Bible does not describe this gently; it issues a warning out of love, because this matter is more serious than we might realize. Turning away from the Passover of the new covenant is not a small thing. Scripture says that those who reject it will face everlasting destruction.

Furthermore, the Bible warns that if people claim to believe in God but do not obey the gospel, they will be punished with everlasting destruction. That is why it warns that neither we nor an angel from heaven should dare to preach a “different gospel” (2 Thess. 1:7–9; Gal. 1:6–9).

In summary, what is this gospel that carries such weight? It is the new covenant Passover that Jesus established with His own blood. And what happens to those who turn away from it or do not keep it? The Bible does not soften the answer: they will be condemned and face eternal destruction.

This is a solemn truth, but not a hopeless one, because the same Scripture that warns us also shows us what we must hold onto and invites everyone back into that one true gospel.

The True Church That Preaches the Gospel

In the world we live in today, it is estimated that there are around 30,000 Christian denominations worldwide, with each church teaching different doctrines.

Among so many churches in the world, which one practices, preaches, and maintains the pure gospel that Jesus established at His first coming? It is the World Mission Society Church of God (in short, the “Church of God”), which was established by Christ Ahnsahnghong in 1964.

The Church of God, which we belong to, is the only church in the world that celebrates the new covenant Passover—the core truth of the gospel—in accordance with the absolute teachings of the Bible.

Among so many churches in the world, it is quite possible that you may not yet have heard of the World Mission Society Church of God, which keeps the truth of life, the Passover of the new covenant.

As it was at the time of John the Baptist and Jesus’ first coming, so it will be in the last days: the truth will not come from a large church but will be proclaimed in the wilderness.

Now, the truth of the new covenant Passover is being preached in 175 countries wherever the Church of God has been established.

The goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls. This salvation cannot be attained without the truth of the new covenant Passover, which is the gospel preached by Jesus.

Now that we have found the church that keeps the gospel of Christ, we no longer need to worry about being lost; instead, God has instilled in us the hope of the kingdom of heaven.

Let us keep the truth of life—the new covenant Passover in the Church of God—until the very end and enter the eternal kingdom of heaven prepared for us.