Is the Gospel, the Word, and the Good News all the Same?
Is the gospel, the word, and the good news all the same thing? What is a good definition of them? What is the difference between them?
The word “gospel” as an English word originates from the two words “good” and “spell.” In Old English, a “spell” was an announcement or message. The meaning has changed over the years. So, gospel is an abbreviation for “good message.” The expression “good news” is simply the same idea in modern English. So there is no difference between the meaning of the word “gospel” and “good news.” This is also reflected in the original Greek word, εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion). It also means “good message” or “good news.”
Paul tells us the significance of the word “gospel” (or “good news”) in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is good news because through Christ’s work, mankind may be saved from sins and have hope of eternal life with God. The bad news is that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). The good news is “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b).
Generally, “The Word” is a shortened expression for “The Word of the LORD,” an expression used 280 times in the Bible. It refers to God’s message to mankind as revealed through the prophets. In the New Testament, it centers around the prophetic messages related to God’s kingdom. Jesus spoke about hearing “the word” in the interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:18-23). Mark 2:2 says that Jesus “preached the word.” In Acts 6:4, the apostles talk about the “ministry of the word.” Here, the idea is that they wanted to devote themselves to preaching and teaching the gospel. In Acts 8:4, it says, “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” So, “the word” can mean more than just the gospel. It can refer to the Old Testament scriptures, the prophetic messages about the kingdom, or the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
There is a specialized meaning of “the Word” in John 1:1. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In this verse, John is speaking about Jesus before He was incarnated as the Son of God. He tells us “the word became flesh” in verse fourteen. So, this is the idea of the second person of the Godhead, but this is a specialized use of “the Word” and not the most common one. Nevertheless, the idea is that Jesus is the word of God in the flesh, not just written down on a piece of paper. He is also the “Word of God” from the standpoint that He inspired it to be written by the prophets and apostles.
Today, when we talk about preaching “the word.” We usually have reference to the message of the gospel, but the expression doesn’t necessarily exclude the Old Testament. We say things like, “The Bible is the Word of God,” and “The Gospel is the Word of God.” The focus is on the authority of the written scriptures. It isn’t just man’s word, but God’s word that we are discussing. God’s word has information that we need as human beings and Christians. That is why we want to pay attention to it, heed its warnings, and obey its commands. Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and “ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).