The short answer is that the gospel is the good news that those who trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior can become part of the family of God and enjoy life in his presence, starting now. The longer answer is that the Father almighty – the maker of heaven and earth – sent his Son to represent the fallen human race, to identity with us to the point of death itself, and then be raised to new life, defeating the evil powers and principalities, including death itself, so that those who put their faith in him can, through the Holy Spirit, experience his new life and so finally fulfill their original purpose, which is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, with others. The gospel is the true story of who God is, who Jesus Christ is, and who we can be in Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is the true story of what God did to repair his relationship to a humanity that had lost its way. The practical implication of the gospel is that we no longer have to live our lives anxious about tomorrow. The future – fellowship with God and the people of God – is not something to fear but to anticipate with hope, patient endurance, and joy.
Kevin Vanhoozer born in Oakland, CA, and teaches systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 30 miles north of Chicago. His favorite movie is City Lights (Charlie Chaplin), his favorite smell is coffee, his first job was at at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School teaching systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (hey, when you like what you do...), and when not engaged in academic rigor he enjoys hanging out with his wife; playing the piano (working on a Beethoven sonata); reading novels; watching indie or foreign films. Kevin is working on a 3 volume Systematic Theology Trilogy and you can follow along in real time as he blogs about it at his site www.KevinVanhoozer.com
