Christ is the Gospel

From the editorial of the January Banner of Truth magazine.

'When we see that the whole sum of our salvation, and every single part of it, are comprehended in Christ, we must beware of deriving even the minutest portion of it from any other quarter. If we seek ssalvation, we are taught by the very name of Jesus that He possesses it; if we seek any other gifts of the Spirit, we shall find them in His unction: strength in His government, purity in His conception, indulgence in His nativity, in which He was made like us in all respects, in order that He might learn to sympathize with us; if we seek redemption, we shall find it in His passion; acquittal in His condemnation; remission in the curse of His cross; satisfaction in His sacrifice; purification in His blood; reconciliation in His [suffering]; mortification of the flesh in His sepulchre; newness of life in His resurrection; the inheritance of a celestial kingdom in His entrance to heaven; protection, security, and the abundant supply of all blessings in His kingdom; secure anticipation of judgment in the power of judging committed to Him. In fine, since in Him all kinds of blessings are treasured up, let us draw a full supply from Him, and none from any other quarter.
[Calvin: Institutes 2.16.9]

 

From this premise of the Lord Jesus as the Gospel come the understanding of several other passages:
Colossians 1:28. 'Him we preach......' Not 'which we preach,' nor 'about whom we preach.' We preach Jesus, the Son of God crucified, risen, ascended and reigning in heaven.
2 Timothy 1:12. 'For I know whom I have believed.......' Again, it is not 'what I have believed,' inasmuch as I have swallowed a systematic theology book and I know all te doctrines. Nor even, 'I know about whom I have believed.' What sustained Paul in his trials and imprisonments was the personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course you cannot really know someone if you don't know anything about him, but to know about him is not enough. To believe that there was such a person as Jesus of Nazareth, and even that He is the Son of God is insufficient. To be able to recite the whole of Mark's Gospel will not save you unless you know Him and are trusting in Him to save you.