What is the Gospel?

International (MNN) — Sometimes intentions can be good, but the application–well, not so good.

Lately, Ron Hutchcraft with Ron Hutchcraft Ministries has been noticing at times, we as Christians think we’re sharing the Gospel when really, we’re not.

“[Satan is] the blinder, and he would love to have us settle for something less, something nice, something even Biblical, but maybe something less than the message that changes lives and hearts. And so I think it might just be good for us to review what the Gospel is and then maybe talk about what it isn’t,” explains Hutchcraft.

What isn’t the Gospel, then?

Well, it’s not just sharing encouraging stories, Christian music, and books, or even telling someone what God has done in your life.

Instead, it’s this: “The Gospel is very clearly defined in 1 Corinthians 15 where Paul says that the message–the Gospel–that was delivered to us is this: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day. No more, no less. That is the Gospel,” explains Hutchcraft.

Though many know this, it’s the application of sharing it where things seem to fall apart.

“We need to be looking and saying, ‘Is the Gospel there? Are we actually intentionally getting out what was Jesus’ orders us to get out?” asksHutchcraft.

Why is this a big deal?

According to Hutchcraft, “The activity without the message is not what Jesus’ had in mind, and it will have no eternal impact.”

“We built a bridge with the things we’re doing to meet all kinds of people’s needs. But did we cross the bridge? The purpose of building a bridge is to cross it, and you cross it to be able to plant the Gospel in somebody’s heart. The greatest sin against the Gospel is to not deliver the Gospel,” says  Hutchcraft.

For a better understanding of how to share the Gospel, Ron Hutchcraft has an e-book titled, “Bringing Back the Gospel.”

Download a copy of it by clicking here.