The Gospel of God (v. 1)
First of all, Paul says that he has been set apart for the "gospel of God." The gospel is God's good news for man. He is its source; He is its originator; He is it instigator. When the angel appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Christ, it proclaimed to "bring good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10). It wasn't just announcing good news, it was bringing the good news from the Father. Because the gospel is God's gospel, I can be know it is sufficient, perfect, complete, holy, just, and faithful.
The Gospel According to the Scriptures (v.2)
God didn't just reveal the good news at the coming of Christ, it has been revealed through the prophets in the inspired writing of the Old Testament. Paul says that it was promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Wouldn't you like to have walked with the two travelers going from Jerusalem to Emmaus when Jesus joined them and expounding upon the Scriptures? It must have been incredible. Luke records that Jesus started with the Law and worked His way through the Prophets explaining what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself (Luke 24:27). A same type occurance happened with the disciples. Jesus appeared to them and said, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." The Scripture then says that He opened their minds so that they could clearly understand what He was talking about concerning the Old Testament (Luke 24:44-45). Again, I would love to have been in the room with the disciples after Jesus opened their minds. From cover to cover, the Bible is God's recorded goods news to us.
The Gospel About Jesus (v.3-4)
As already alluded to in the previous paragraph, the gospel points to Christ. Jesus fulfills the gospel. It is God's gospel, according to the Scriptures, regarding His Son. The good news is Jesus Christ - period. All of God's promises are "yes" in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). The eternal beginning and end of the gospel is Jesus, the Alpha and Omega.
The Gospel for the Nations (v. 5)
The target of the gospel is the nations. Paul said that through the grace and authority of God he is calling people from among all the Gentiles to the gospel. Back in the mid 90s I went to a missions meeting here in NW Arkansas that greatly impacted my view of the gospel for the nations. I cannot remember the speaker or even the topic. The one thing that was branded upon my heart was when the speaker began sharing numerous passages throughout the Bible that related to the gospel for the nations. He then showed us his Bible that had every passage highlighted that focused upon this truth. I've now done the same thing with my Bible; in fact, as I read through the Bible again, I'm working on it a second time. Everytime I come across a passage that speaks of the inclusiveness of the gospel for all the nations, I highlight it. By fanning through the Bible, it is easy to then see that from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with this theme. The gospel is for every tongue, tribe, and nation.
The Gospel by Faith Unto Obedience (v. 5-6)
The gospel is through faith alone resulting in obedience. Paul will later say that we are justified and made righteous by faith alone. Some say that the gospel is a combination of faith and works. Pulling a few verses from the book of James may seem to support this faith plus works idea. Yet, James is emphasizing the point that genuine faith in Christ will produce a changed life and good works (James 2:20-26). Genuine faith results in good works. Paul says it similarly in this passage when speaking of "obedience that comes from faith." Therefore, the gospel is faith alone in Christ alone resulting in a life of faithful obedience.
The Gospel for His Name's Sake (v. 5)
Though this phrase is at the beginning of verse 5 in the NIV translation, it actually belongs to the end of the verse. The gospel's aim, goal, and ultimate purpose are the glory of God. The gospel begins with God and comes back to Him in endless glory and honor. Though man is in desperate need of the gospel, that isn't is whom it's for - it is for the fame, praise, exaltation, honor, blessing, and glory of His name. This truth keeps me humble and put God in His rightful place.
Let's summarize: The gospel is...
- of God
- about Christ
- according to the Scriptures
- for the nations
- by faith unto obedience
- for God's glory
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