We use the word "gospel" all the time in Karis Church. What does that mean? Why is it important? Gospel means "good news." It is the truth about what Christ came to do and how it changes everything. Here are two ways to think about it.

Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration

God created all things and made human beings as the pinnacle of that creation. He made Adam and Eve as His sons and daughters to rule under Him over all He had made. However, Adam and Eve spurned God's rule over them. They disobeyed. This affected their relationship with God, their relationship with each other, and their relationship with the creation. Through the disobedience of our ancestors, they fell, and we and all the creation went down with them.

The Lord, however, did not give up on that which He had made. He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to redeem His creation. Christ, unlike Adam (and Israel), never disobeyed God. He lived a perfect life. He died a cruel death on a cross. Through His life and death, God's people can have Christ's perfect life given to them, and His death also pays for their sins. Jesus then rose from the dead, demonstrating that the payment was received and that a new age of life had come. The Father then sent His Holy Spirit into His new people, His Church, to remake them into the image of God. God will use that community on mission, sharing the message of Jesus, until Christ one day returns to restore all He has made. Having first come in humility, He will one day come in glory, defeating His enemies and rescuing His people. He'll renew His creation. God will dwell with His children in a new heavens and new earth forever.

God, Sin, Christ, Response

God is holy. He is perfect in His character and in all His ways. We, however, are not. We are sinners by nature and by choice. For that reason, and because the Lord is just, we deserve death and judgment. The good news, though, is that the Father sent His Son, the Christ, into the world to live for us and die for us. He took upon His shoulders the punishment we deserved for our sins. Our response is to turn from our sin, what we call repentance, and have faith in Him. We trust in Christ's person and work. We can then be saved from the consequences of sin. We can live with God forever in His new creation. This is good news.

What is the Gospel?

The gospel is this good news about Jesus. It's both this story - about how He will come and restore His fallen world, and these truths - about who He is, who we are, and how He bridges the gap between us through Christ. This gospel rescues us. It then transforms us. As Tim Keller has wisely said, the gospel is not just the ABCs of the Christian life. It is the A to Z. It's everything. It's not just the doorway. It's the whole house. Our entire life is meant to be a journey in understanding the implications of this gospel. It is the answer to all of our questions. It's the source of joy and purpose for which we all seek. It's meant to be experienced in community. It's meant to be taken out on mission. This is the gospel. Join us in Karis Church as we ask the Lord to take us deeper into its glory.

Do you have further questions about the gospel and what it means for you? Send us an email.