Monday, July 15, 2024

Bruce McConkie (March 28, 1937) on the Meaning of "Gospel"

  

Meaning of "Gospel"

 

The term Gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon "godspell"—meaning the "God Story." Jesus Christ is that God; and the Gospel is the story of Jesus Christ. In its fullness it embraces everything connected with Him, and His mission—past, present, and future. It was in full effect when He said unto those who were with him: "We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth where on these may dwell." It is the plan under which this earth was created. It was a signal and memorable day in the Eternal Gospel Plan when the Beloved Son volunteered: "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." The Gospel is based and founded upon this free agency. It embraces the Son's entire career, from the time he left his celestial throne, came to earth and set a perfect example for men, and atoned for their sins, put all enemies under His feet, and ascended up to that glory which was His before the world was.

 

It is written: "And this is the Gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—That He came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness." These words of the voice from heaven crystalize the God-Story. If men do not believe in the deity of Christ and the atonement, and the redemption of men they have not the faintest glimmering of the saving power of the Gospel. The very Gospel is that great story of the redemption, salvation and exaltation of man. It was formulated in the heavens before the creation of the earth, and has been revealed from God out of Eternity in a series of dispensations, as those periods are called in which God dispenses or gives to man the priesthood and the truths and powers that save. (Bruce R. McConkie, "From Eden to Cumorah," March 28, 1937, repr. Deseret News, Church News Section [April 10, 1937)], 4)