Being reminded of the gospel

It is easy to throw around terms and phrases in Christian circles. One such phrase is "the gospel" or "the good news." But what exactly is the good news? In Roman culture, the birth of a male heir to the throne was announced as "gospel"--and with good reason! Without a designated male heir, the kingdom could fall into anarchy. For Paul, however, the gospel was not about a future king over the Roman empire. The gospel is nothing short that God has reconciled us to himself, bringing us into God's own presence, and being considered holy (1:21-23). This news is so good for Paul that he considers it his life's work. He has become a slave to this news, proclaiming it wherever he goes (1:23).