It is in three places that the Apostle Paul refers to the Gospel as “my Gospel.”  He makes that remark in Romans 2:16, Romans 16:25, and 2 Timothy 2:8 which says, “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to MY GOSPEL.”  This is such an interesting question and one that deserves an answer.  What does the Apostle Paul mean by this expression?  Is his Gospel different than what we read elsewhere in the Bible?  Let’s look in the Word of God and see if we can answer this question. 

The word Gospel literally means ‘Good News.’  Mark begins his writing of the life of Christ by writing, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”  (Mark 1:1).  The ‘Good News’ was that Jesus Christ had come into the world to save lost sinners.  It is said of the Lord Jesus that he went forth, preaching the “Gospel of the kingdom” as we read in Matthew 4:23, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”  We also read in Mark 1:14-15, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”  This Gospel message was that the promised Messiah had come, and that the kingdom of God was at hand because their king was among them…Christ Himself!  This offer of the kingdom to the nation of Israel was a legitimate offer, but Israel, as a nation, rejected the Lord as their Messiah. 

The saving ‘good news’ has not always been the same.  I hope that doesn’t sound like there is more than one way to be saved.  There isn’t, but consider this…what did Abraham believe that caused him to be saved?  Genesis 15:5-6 tells us, “And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”  The Lord spoke to Abraham of his great heritage and Abraham believed what the Lord said.  Because of this faith, he was counted as a righteous man!

In Matthew 16:13-20, the Lord was alone with His disciples and asked them, “…whom say ye that I am?”  When Peter answered that “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” the Lord told him that he had not learned that from someone, but that God had revealed that to him.  Surely, we would consider Peter to be a saved man at this point, but when the Lord told the disciples about His impending death, Peter tried to talk Him out of it. (Verses 21-23).  At this point, Peter did not believe that the Lord died for his sins and was raised three days later.  Peter did not understand, at this point, that it was necessary that the Lord Jesus would have to die in order that we might be saved.

So…what is Paul’s Gospel?  It is the Gospel message that we know today.  It is the complete Gospel message that tells us that Christ died for us, He bare our sins in His own body, He shed His blood to redeem us, and He was raised from the dead on the third day.  This is the Gospel message of our present age…the Church age.  Let’s read some verses that clearly tell us what Paul’s Gospel message is:

  • Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
  • Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
  • 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

The list goes on and on.  Paul’s Gospel is the Gospel of Jesus Christ…that He loves us, died for us, and rose again for our justification.  Do you believe this life-giving Gospel message?  Have you put your faith in the Lord Jesus as your savior and Lord?  Have you repented of your sins and trusted the Lord Jesus as the Son of God, who loved you and gave Himself for you? (Galatians 2:20).  (CC)  (617.4)