The Gospel is one of the most important concepts in the Christian faith. Yet, it is also one of the most misunderstood. For years, I thought of the Gospel—as many still do—as John Ortberg puts it, “the minimum requirements for going to Heaven when you die.” It was a ticket to an eternal destination, a transactional arrangement ensuring my post-mortem safety. But as I have come to see, this understanding falls far short of the richness and beauty of the Gospel that Jesus proclaimed. N.T. Wright explains why simply seeing salvation as how to go to Heaven when you die is such a big problem and so relevant to our daily lives:

As long as we see ‘salvation’ in terms of ‘going to heaven when we die’, the main work of the church is bound to be seen in terms of saving souls for that future. But when we see ‘salvation’, as the New Testament sees it, in terms of God’s promised new heavens and new earth, and of our promised resurrection to share in that new, and gloriously embodied, reality—what I have called ‘life after life after death’—then the main work of the church here and now demands to be rethought in consequence.

At this point the well-known slogan of Christian Aid, ‘We believe in life before death’, comes into its own. Life before death is what is threatened, called into question, by the idea that salvation is merely ‘life after death’.[1]

The Gospel, at its heart, is not merely about escaping hell or securing a spot in heaven, although it includes that. (There will come a day when that issue will become the most important issue in your life.) Instead, the gospel is an invitation to life in the Kingdom of God—a reality that begins here and now. Jesus didn’t come simply to prepare us for the afterlife; He came to make this world more like Heaven and show us how to live under the rule and reign of God.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

When Jesus began His ministry, He didn’t start by saying, “Here’s how you get to heaven.” Instead, His first public proclamation was this:

The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15, NIV)

Jesus’ Gospel was the “good news of the Kingdom.” Over and over again, He spoke of the Kingdom of God. He described it in parables, demonstrated its power through miracles, and invited people to enter into it through repentance and faith. This emphasis on the Kingdom is woven throughout His teaching and ministry.

Here are just a few examples:

• Matthew 4:23: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
• Luke 4:43: But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’
• Matthew 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
• Luke 17:20-21: The kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.

The kingdom was not only the message of Jesus, it was also the message of Jesus’s followers in the early church:

• Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
• Acts 14:22 Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 'We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,' they said.
• Acts 19:8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
• Acts 20:25 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
• Acts 28:23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.
• Acts 28:31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

The Kingdom of God is not merely a distant, future reality. It is the reign of God breaking into the present. When He taught about loving enemies, forgiving debts, and living generously, He was describing what life in the Kingdom looks like.

A New Way of Life

The Gospel of the Kingdom is an invitation to a new way of life—a life lived under God’s rule and aligned with His purposes. This is why Jesus called people to repent. The word “repent” (μετανοέωω) means to change your mind or turn around. It’s not just about feeling sorry for sin; it’s about reorienting your entire life toward God and His Kingdom. “Repent” does not mean to think badly about yourself; it means to change your stinkin thinkin.

Paul echoes this idea when he writes:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14, NIV)

This rescue isn’t just about being saved from something; it’s about being saved into something. It’s about stepping into the light and life of God’s Kingdom, where we experience redemption, healing, and purpose.