The gospel is not complex, advanced math, or a long-lost hidden Morse code requiring deciphering. The gospel is simple. However, its simplicity doesn’t mean that it is superficial. It is profound. So profound that you can never know its depth. The more you discover, the more there is to uncover. The foundation of what we believe runs deep.
John 3:16 is probably the most quoted scripture during evangelism. It not only carries the message, but it is also very simple to understand. But, as simple as it is to say, we must realize the difficulty of the scenario; for God to give up His only begotten Son for people who disregarded Him, and for an innocent Man to hang on a cross in humiliation and give up His life for the guilty (Rom. 5:8, Php. 2:8). These things are truly mind-boggling. When you sit to reflect on those simple words in the passage, you realise the unfathomable nature of it all.
From the moment man fell, God had promised the Messiah (Gen. 3:15). Until the appointed moment, He gave us mock examples of what was to come, whether through personal encounters—as is seen in Abraham’s story—or in commandments for a people. So the gospel isn’t just a nice story of someone dying for others; it is a revelation of God’s ultimate salvation plan.
To understand just how deep the gospel is, I advise you to read my blog post titled Jesus, the perfect sacrifice. But for the sake of those who won’t, here’s a quick recap:
God designed the world to be a perfect system and gave man free will—to either uphold that perfection or destroy it. Man chose the latter, and sin entered the world. There are also principles laid down by God, one of which is that the penalty for sin is death, both physical and spiritual. Everyone was on their way to death because everyone sins. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23, Heb. 9:22)
As a temporary solution, God commanded His people to offer animal sacrifices, but this still wasn’t enough. Ultimately, Jesus assumed human form, lived as such, and offered Himself as the blameless atonement for our sins. He died that we might live—taking our sins and reconciling us to God.
If you’re familiar with sacrifices, you know they’re usually not one-offs. They may be less frequent or occasional, but they’re never one-and-done; they are a continuous process. However, the gospel tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all. Not only did the sacrifice cover all people—past, present, and future—it also required no update. It was well thought out and perfectly executed, displaying the depth of God’s wisdom. The gospel is wisdom in itself. (Heb.10:10, 1 Pet. 3:18)
There are times when I try to understand why God would go this extent for man. I have even witnessed to an unbeliever who asked me, “Are you telling me that God Almighty would come to Earth in the form of man that He created and die for him?” As incredible as it may seem, the answer is yes.
This is what makes the gospel so great—it is beyond human understanding and wisdom. Scripture tells us that just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than ours. We cannot fully wrap our heads around it. Why God would choose to do something as great as this for mere man is a mystery we may never uncover. (Isa. 55:8-9,1 Cor. 2:7)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV
As simple as the gospel is, it takes God’s wisdom to understand it. Many people have overemphasized the simplicity and forgotten its weight. For this reason, some people—even preachers—read it like a book, and overlook the deep spiritual wisdom within it.
In Acts 8: 25-35, we see a certain Ethiopian eunuch who was reading the book of Isaiah. It was one of the parts that spoke of the Messiah. Yet, as simple as the words were, the eunuch just couldn’t understand. It took God’s help through Philip for him to finally grasp the message. The gospel has a simple message, but it is rooted in deep spirituality and wisdom. Beneath the simple words in John 3:16 are layers upon layers of divine wisdom.
Here’s the bottom line: the gospel is simple yet profound. It is simple enough to declare in a sentence, yet deep enough to spend a lifetime uncovering. From the foundation of the world, God’s plan of salvation was set in motion, leading up to the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This was not a random act; it was a well-orchestrated display of divine wisdom and love that no human mind can fully comprehend.
Don’t forget to stay tuned to this series. In the next part, we will be unpacking the power of the gospel.
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