The Gospel - Part 2: Foundations of the Gospel Message
The story of the Bible—including the cross and resurrection of Jesus—doesn’t just start in the New Testament. It begins way back in Genesis, the very first book of the Bible. And from beginning to end, it tells one big story: how God created the world, how things went wrong, and how He’s working to make everything right again.
In the beginning, God made a beautiful, orderly world and said it was “very good.” If you're not familiar with the creation story or how sin first entered the world, I encourage you to read Genesis chapters 1 through 3. These foundational passages provide essential context for understanding humanity’s relationship with God and why we need the Gospel.
Genesis 1–3 tells us that in the beginning, God created people in His image and gave them a unique role: to reflect His character and care for His creation. But humanity chose to go their own way. When they disobeyed God, sin entered the world. Sin is simply going against God’s commands and desires. That first act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden created separation between humanity and God that introduced death, pain, and brokenness into the world.
Genesis chapters 3 through 11 show us how quickly things spiraled out of control: people hurt one another, turned away from God, and filled the earth with violence and pride. But even in the middle of all that brokenness, God never gave up on His creation. These early chapters show us something really important: the problem of sin is not just about bad behavior or a sinful nature—it’s about our relationship with God being broken, generation after generation. And we can’t fix it on our own. We need help. We need a rescue plan. All of humanity’s attempts to fix this problem on our own fall short. Only God can save us—and He has a plan.
Jesus is the centerpiece of God’s plan. He is the one whom God appointed as Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). But before we can fully understand who Jesus is and what He came to do, we need to look at how the Bible sets the stage for His arrival—and the rescue plan He came to fulfill. We also need to understand the broader story—the nations, as the Bible calls them—and how Israel fits into that story. Like pieces on a game board, each part has a role, and seeing how they relate to one another helps us grasp the full picture of God’s plan.
After the creation story and the growing spread of sin throughout the world, the biblical narrative shifts in Genesis 11 to a pivotal moment—a story about a place called Babel:
1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:1-9, ESV Bible)
This story might sound strange at first. Why would building a tower be a bad thing? Well, here’s what’s going on: the people at Babel were trying to build a life without God. Instead of spreading out across the earth like God had told them to (Genesis 1:28, 9:1), they wanted to stay in one place, build a great tower, and make a name for themselves. They were doing their own thing.
Even more than that, many Bible scholars believe the tower they were building was a kind of ancient temple called a ziggurat. It was meant to attract the attention of the gods, to bring divine power down to the city. In other words, they weren’t just being proud—they were creating their own religion. This was the first major act of idolatry in the Bible. It was a clear rejection of the one true God.
When the people at Babel built their tower, God didn’t destroy them in anger. Instead, He stepped in to stop their rebellion before it grew worse. He confused their language, making it impossible for them to keep working together on their plan to live without Him. Then He scattered them across the earth—which, interestingly, is what He had wanted from the beginning.
The Bible often describes life with God as walking on a narrow path. That means we don’t just get to go any direction we want. Humanity has a long history of choosing the wide, easy path that leads away from God—toward pride, idolatry, and spiritual confusion. The story of Babel is one of many moments where people chose rebellion. But each time, God responded—not to destroy, but to redirect.
There’s a short verse in Deuteronomy 32:8 that helps us understand what happened at Babel from heaven’s perspective:
“When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.” (Deuteronomy 32:8, ESV)
This verse is referring to the same moment as the Tower of Babel. When God scattered the people, He divided the nations and allowed them to go their own way. But here’s the interesting part: He also appointed divine beings—called the "sons of God"—to oversee those nations.
Yes. The Bible teaches that God created not just humans, but spiritual beings too. These are often called elohim, or “gods,” though they are not equal to the One True God. They were meant to serve under God’s authority, helping care for creation and even overseeing different regions of the world.
But like humans, some of these spiritual beings rebelled.
They didn’t lead people toward God—they led them away. They encouraged false worship, injustice, and pride. Over time, they accepted worship for themselves and became corrupt rulers. This is why some parts of the Bible describe these beings as enemies of God—they were originally good, but they turned away.
Psalm 82 gives us a powerful picture. God stands in a heavenly courtroom, confronting these corrupt spiritual rulers:
6 “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” (Psalm 82:6–7, ESV)
In other words, God had placed these beings in charge, but they failed. They used their power for evil, and God holds them accountable. Their judgment is coming.
I bring up this concept of the 'sons of God' because it’s a common perspective in Jewish thought. While it's an important part of the foundational worldview behind the Gospel message, we won’t be diving deeply into it at this time. You might be wondering, “But what about Satan?” He also appears in the Bible as a spiritual being, and even he has to present himself before God (see Job 1). He is limited—he can’t do whatever he wants. Because the pressure, hardship, confusion, and deception these spiritual powers create on the earth actually set the stage for real faith to be formed in people. It creates the conditions where genuine trust, obedience, and love for God can be tested and refined. In that sense, their rebellion—even though it's evil—is being used redemptively by God.
It might sound strange, but Scripture teaches that the world is still under the influence of some of these rebellious spiritual powers. The New Testament calls them “principalities and powers” (Ephesians 6:12). These are the unseen forces that influence culture, systems, and sometimes even spiritual blindness.
But here's the good news: if you belong to Jesus, you are no longer under their rule. Even though the kingdom is not fully realized, you have been brought into God’s kingdom. You now live under the authority of the Messiah—the rightful King of heaven and earth. This King is not absent—He is enthroned and waiting to fully assume His reign:
“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.” (Hebrews 10:12–13, ESV Bible)
You don’t need to be afraid of these spiritual powers. You just need to stay aware and live in alignment with Jesus. Walk in truth. Walk in love. Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
So even early in the Bible story we see that history is not random. The Bible presents a big, sweeping story—one with a clear beginning, a definite purpose, and a promised ending. God is taking the world somewhere, and the Gospel is part of that journey.
Right now, we live in what the Bible calls “this present age.” It’s a time where death, injustice, and brokenness are all around us. Just look at the world: people die, innocent people suffer, and evil often goes unpunished. Even our everyday lives remind us something is off. Why do we lock our doors at night? Why do we have to teach children to share and control themselves? It’s because the world isn’t as it should be.
But here’s the good news: this age is not the end of the story. God has promised an “age to come”—a future era marked by life, peace, justice, and restoration. That’s where the Bible says everything is headed.
Reflection Questions for Personal Study
Why do you think disobedience to God has such far-reaching consequences?
How does understanding the story of Babel and the scattering of nations help you appreciate God’s redemptive plan?
How do you see spiritual rebellion affecting the world today?
What does it mean that Jesus is the rightful King but is still waiting to fully reign?
Key Scriptures for New Believers to Read and Meditate On
Genesis 1:26–28 – Humanity created in God's image and given dominion.
Genesis 3:6–7, 14–19 – The fall and consequences of sin.
Genesis 11:1–9 – The Tower of Babel and the scattering of nations.
Deuteronomy 32:8 – God divides the nations and appoints the “sons of God.”
Psalm 82:6–7 – God's judgment on rebellious spiritual rulers.
Ephesians 6:12 – Our struggle is against spiritual forces.
Hebrews 10:12–13 – Jesus seated at the right hand of God, awaiting His full reign.
Acts 10:42 – Jesus appointed as Judge of the living and the dead.
Romans 5:12 – Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin.
Prayer Topics
Thanksgiving – Thank God for His patience and long-term plan to rescue humanity.
Repentance – Ask forgiveness for personal rebellion or attempts to live independently from God.
Submission – Invite God to lead your life and teach you to walk in His ways.
Awareness – Pray for discernment against spiritual deception and for strength to resist it.
Hope – Ask God to keep your eyes on the promise of the “age to come” and the full establishment of His kingdom.
Group Discussion Prompts
Why do you think God allowed humanity to be scattered at Babel instead of destroyed?
In what ways do people still “build towers” in today’s world—seeking to make a name for themselves apart from God?
How do the concepts of spiritual beings and principalities affect your understanding of spiritual warfare?
What comforts you about knowing that Jesus is already enthroned and waiting to return?