By Michael Mushinski '26
For many people, the word ‘Christianity’ has negative connotations. It might evoke thoughts of uptight, strict religion; of corrupt bishops and money-hungry pastors; of old hypocrites with piercing gazes, of judgmental, holier-than-thou sorts of people. Frankly, I can’t blame you, even as a Christian myself. Throughout history, the Christian religion has been manipulated and used wickedly in countless ways, and to this day there are many professing believers who are some of the most immoral people you will meet. In spite of this, however, I believe you should not let that dissuade you from learning more about the faith with an open mind. Why is this? Because the Christian faith is a faith for the imperfect and the incomplete. It beckons for broken people - evil people, no less - to come forward. It was Jesus himself who “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10), “not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” So just because someone says they’re Christian (regardless of whether their faith is sincere or not), doesn’t mean that everything they do will be perfect. Therefore, it's not helpful to judge Christianity solely by the actions of its followers; as with any ideology, the followers and confessors of a certain belief system can misrepresent or be unfaithful to what is actually taught. Therefore, consideration must be given to what Christianity teaches about itself, and that is found in the Bible.
Like any other religion or spirituality, Christianity has its distinct practices and traditions which play an important part in the church and a believer’s life as a means of grace. But Christianity, at its most fundamental, does not consist of religious ritual, but the intimate experience of God through living out a relationship with him. This relationship is not transactional, as if one has to do something to earn God’s favor or be accepted by him. God’s favor is given freely by grace, which is most clearly demonstrated through the “gospel,” the heart of Christianity. Gospel is the English translation of the Greek Εὐαγγέλιον (pronounced evangelion), a compound word comprised of the suffix εὐ, denoting good, and αγγέλιον, meaning message or news. Combining the two terms, we get Εὐαγγέλιον - good news. So what is the good news of Christianity?
Humanity’s Sin and God’s Grace
Before we can appreciate the Good News, we must first understand the problems which it solves. As the Bible teaches, humanity’s greatest issue is that it is sinful. Human history, for all of its accomplishments and triumphs, is remembered for its great struggles and horrors. War, murder, greed, and corruption have plagued human society since the beginning of time, and at the root of it all is the sinful human heart. Irrespective of whether a person is a relatively good or bad person according to their peers, everyone has fallen short in some respect. Some are murderers, some are adulterers and cheaters, some are thieves, some are liars, others are prideful, slandering, and dishonest. Of course, there are different degrees of sin - murder is infinitely more severe than stealing bread, for example - but all sin is deviation from what is right. Its consequences are sweeping. Sin impairs interpersonal relationships with others, leading to a life of strife, enmity, and unfulfillment. But above all, sin impairs the human relationship with God, our creator. Sin is an act of moral defiance against what God asks of people, and this ultimately damages their connection. A son who constantly disobeys his father will surely have a strained relationship with him, and so it is with God our ‘Heavenly Father.’ At the heart of Christian religion is the relationship which God desires to have with each and every person, and the abundant life of joy which he promises to them. Yet such joy is compromised greatly by sin. Now that we know the issue at hand, we can look to appreciate the solution.
The Good News of Jesus Christ
The Good News is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who the Bible teaches is the Son of God. Jesus of Nazareth was born into a lowly family in Bethlehem, a town in Roman Judaea, around 6-4 B.C. For the first three decades of his life, he lived in relative obscurity, working as a local carpenter or mason. He began his ministry in his early 30’s, preaching the good news of God’s kingdom, forgiving sins, and performing miracles of healing and restoration. He challenged the oppressive, exclusive traditions of the pharisaical religious authorities, and despite being innocent was charged with blasphemy. Jesus, the God-man, was crucified and died on the cross. His death was not an easy one. In fact the English word ‘excruciating’ comes from crucifixion, known for the intense pain which it inflicted and its victim’s prolonged physical and mental suffering. This, however, was according to God’s plan of redemption: in dying, Jesus died for our sins in our place. He paid the debt of humanities evil, he canceled the punishment which was due to us, and opened the floodgates of God’s mercy, allowing us to return to a right personal relationship with God. By death he conquered death, and ushered in life for all when he rose again on the third day.
This Good News of Jesus’ life and suffering is the ultimate demonstration and proof of God’s unfailing love. He was not a criminal, and yet charged. He was without sin, and yet punished. He committed no atrocity, and yet on his shoulders he bore our souls, and suffered the ultimate punishment, a painful death by crucifixion and abandonment by the world. Without looking back, Christ entered into and endured the world of hardship owed to the broken human race. He did all of this for our sake, and because he loves us. Moreover, God’s great love is extended to all people everywhere. God makes no distinction between race, age, ethnicity, or class background, rather he loves impartially and unceasingly. The Bible proclaims that in God’s eyes, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for all are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). This does not imply that ethnic, gender, and social distinctions are not real, rather it means that God’s self-sacrificial love transcends boundaries and is directed at each and every person, regardless of who they are.
God also by his gospel declares that people are not defined by their mistakes, but by his infinite love for them. People are intrinsically worthy, not because of the good things that they do, but because they have been created with a purpose: to know God, to love him, and to love each other. The good news of Jesus Christ brings comfort and rest to every downcast and hurting soul, for it assures them that they are loved unconditionally. In a world characterized by the crisis of identity and acceptance, especially among teenagers and young adults, Jesus offers assurance through an unchanging measure of love without condition.
How the Good News should be received
When someone comes to you with good news, the best thing to do is believe them. In the same way, we should respond to the gospel in faith–in fact faith is all that is required. Paul, the disciple of Jesus, made it abundantly clear when he said, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” This might be the most magnificent part of the Christian message: that it is not by merit, extravagant works, or religious rituals that people earn favor with God, but simply by believing. All the benefits of the good news - redemption from sin, a personal relationship with God, and true freedom - are received and secured by faith in Jesus and what he has done for the world.
This is the heart of Christianity, that God’s love compelled him to unite himself to us in Jesus Christ, who for our sake lived obediently and died to deliver us from sin and restore our relationships. After that, Christ rose from the dead so that we could share in the same hope of eternal life and unending joy. The forgiveness of God is able to overcome all of our sin, mistakes, and hurt, and is gifted freely to whoever receives it by faith. With its promise of personal redemption and forgiveness, and with its comforting assurance to hurting souls everywhere, the Christian faith is certainly worthy of further consideration. The gospel Good News, if true, is the most important message in the entire universe.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Senior Editor: Alex Wang ‘26
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