The Gospel: Not just Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

The other morning I started reading the gospel of Mark and was struck by a familiar theme: The entirety of Scripture, not just the four books formally titled as 'The Gospel', is the gospel! The book starts with:

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet:
"I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way" -
"a voice of one calling in the desert, ' Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " (Mark 1:1-3).

Admittedly, the author may have been referring simply to the beginning of the written text of his gospel, but it also seems to me that Mark may be referring to the fact that the gospel was prepared long before Christ physically appeared on earth. Paul declares that the gospel was promised beforehand, stating that he was set aside for "the gospel he promised beforehand through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son" (Romans 1:2-3). Upon searching, we find these promises all over Scripture, starting as early as Genesis 3. Reading on we see that God has been working out his perfect plan ever since. Even as I read through Leviticus (trying to imitate David's attitude towards the law throughout Psalm 119), I am constantly blown away by God's sovereign plan that everyone would come to repentance, accepting the atonement for their sins which He has provided and then trust and follow Him as he desires.

Along these thoughts, I've been mulling over these verses the past few days:

"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26)

Paul affirms that all the Law and the Prophets testify to and declare the righteousness which is available from God. (Christ agrees when he uses the Scriptures to explain himself in Luke 24:27). This righteousness is from faith alone! (Remember Abraham?) And why did God give this to us? Because of his justice. Through Christ, we have a righteous, legal standing before God. Through Christ alone we can walk with God in the way God intended from the beginnings when God created us in His image and called it "very good" (Genesis 1:31).

Praise the Father for his mercy and justice, the Son for his love and obedience, and the Spirit for his indwelling presence and wonderful counsel!