The Gospel and the Gifts of God

 

The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. The foundation of the gospel message are the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Strong’s definition of the word “gospel” is G2097, translated euangelizō, which means: to announce good news; to evangelize (Blue Letter Bible). The Bible says, “. . . How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things” (Rom. 10:15)!

There are many reasons that the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news. Just to name a few, the gospel is good news because: there is atonement for sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:12); believers are justified righteous by God through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:23); there is redemption from the law of sin and death by the penalty paid by Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:13); believers are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:18-19); and through Jesus Christ believers have liberty from the bondage of sin (Rom. 8:36).

The gospel is also good news because of the many gifts of God, which are a direct result of salvation through Jesus Christ. This article will focus on what The Bible describes as gifts of God, which are eternal life, righteousness, salvation, the Holy Ghost, gifts of the Spirit, and the five-fold ministry gifts.

THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE

As a result of Adam’s sin of disobedience in the Garden of Eden, mankind was separated from God, which resulted in his spiritual death. Paul writes, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ” (Rom. 6:23). Through God’s plan of salvation mankind is reconciled to God and will receive the gift of eternal life. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not parish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The Bible says, “Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36).

THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden brought condemnation and death to all mankind. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ brought grace and the gift of righteousness to all that will receive him by faith. Strong’s Concordance translates the word “righteousness” as G1343, dikaiosynē which means, justification: righteousness (Blue Letter Bible). Paul writes, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:17).

THE GIFT OF SALVATION

God’s entire plan of salvation by grace through faith is the free gift of God, and not the result of any works we have done. Paul writes, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). In addition to all the benefits and gifts of the gospel of Jesus Christ that have already been discussed in this article, there is much more.

God’s plan of salvation also includes adoption into God’s family (Gal. 4:6); glorification into the image of Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 3:2); propitiation through Jesus Christ who paid the penalty for sins (Rom. 3:25-26); regeneration from being dead in sin to becoming alive through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:17); and sanctification through continual progression into the image of God (2 Cor. 3:18).

THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST

The Holy Ghost is a gift to mankind that operates through mankind. After the initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost, The Bible records, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

The Old Testament prophet Joel records that God promised to pour out his Spirit upon all flesh. “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams” (Joel 2:28).

In the New Testament Jesus Christ promised to send another comforter; the Holy Ghost when he went away (Jn. 14:26). After an individual receives the indwelling spirit of the Holy Ghost, they become one with God’s Spirit. Paul writes, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Gal. 4:6).

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

The manifestation of the Holy Ghost in all believers are spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:7). The Bible says, “God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will” (Heb. 2:4). According to the following passages of scripture in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, spiritual gifts are given to all spirit-filled believers.

“7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will”

(1 Cor. 12:7-11).

THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY GIFTS

The distinction between the five-fold ministry gifts and the gifts of the Spirit described earlier is that the five-fold ministry gifts are gifts to the church. Paul writes, “And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-12).

The five-fold ministry gifts are commonly referred to as offices held in the church. God can use anyone to speak a word of prophecy, but that does not mean that they are called to hold the office of a prophet. For example, God used an ass to speak to the wicked prophet Balaam when he disobeyed God (Num. 22:28). Obviously, the ass was not called to hold the office of a prophet. However, there are some in Christendom that God have used to speak a prophetic word, who then mistakenly identify themselves as a prophet based on one experience. Those called to the five-fold ministry are appointed and anointed of God to fulfill those offices.

In this article we discussed the reasons that the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news, and the wonderful gifts of God that are a direct result of salvation through Jesus Christ. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ we are given exceeding great and precious promises (2 Pet. 1:4). However, there are those that will reject this free gift of salvation. The Bible says, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Heb. 2:3).

If you would like to have a personal relationship with Jesus, you must be born-again according to Acts 2:38 which reads, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Please share your comments and questions in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.


Diane Margo Penny is an author, content creator, social media specialist, and Web Designer.

Works Cited:

The Holy Bible, King James Version. Giant Print Reference ed. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Publishers, 1990.

[BlueLetterBible.org]

Image Citation:

dawn-65480_1920. Pixabay.com. Web. 10 Jun. 2024.