The gospel is a message that all Christians think they know, yet few can explain it clearly and concisely to others. This is a problem, because the first message that people hear before accepting Christ as their Savior, studying the Bible, and learning how God wants them to live is the gospel. For this reason, having a solid foundation when it comes to understanding the gospel will help followers of Jesus not only be better established in their faith but also know how to effectively share the gospel with others.

In The Purple Basics, bestselling author and pastor Rice Broocks draws on key passages in the New Testament to help followers of Jesus understand these foundations of their faith:

• The gospel is the good news that God became man in Jesus Christ.
• He lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died in our place.
• Three days later he rose from the dead, proving he is the son of God.
• He offers salvation and forgiveness of sins to everyone who repents and believes in him.

There is no other story in history that can compare to the gospel. While followers of Jesus can spend a lifetime studying the Bible and barely scratch the surface of God's knowledge, he has communicated enough for everyone to know that he exists and wants to have a relationship with all people. This is the message of the gospel that believers need to proclaim: God has come to make himself known!