Above all else, the gospel is a truth claim. As simple and obvious as this statement may seem, the Christians faith is a based upon objective historic events.
For example, consider the claim:
Jesus was born to a virgin girl named Mary, and lived in Nazareth during the first century.
This is an objective truth claim which is either true or false. It either happened, or it did not happen. This is not a subjective “religious” claim subject to preference, rather it is an objective truth claim about an actual historic event that is either true or false.
The way that we talk about our faith as Christians is important, because too often we can see religious beliefs like a buffet of options for us to choose from to better suit our preferences, rather than objective truth claims.
Pecan Praline Ice Cream or the St. Louis Cardinals?
Sharing our faith can become a lot like trying to convince people that Pecan Praline ice cream is the best flavor of ice cream. Of course I believe it is the best flavor (because it is), but as compelling as I can argue this opinion, it is simply my subjective preference. As a result, you can feel free to differ. For example, you can say that Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is the best, and although I would strongly disagree with you, you are entitled to your opinion. In the world of ice cream, subjectivity makes perfect sense.
However, Jesus Christ is not like a preferred flavor of ice cream.
Instead, sharing the Gospel should be much more like sharing the news that the 1967 World Series was won by the Saint Louis Cardinals over the Boston Red Socks in a hard fought 7 game series. This is an objective historical event. You either deny the truth of the news reports (despite the overwhelming evidence that the news is true), or you simply accept the news to be true irregardless whether or not you are a fan of the Cardinals. In other words, irregardless of your subjective opinions about the 1967 Series, you accept the outcome as truth because it is objectively true.
Although subjectivity works well with our preferences in the ice cream shop, actual news events, such as the winner of the 1967 World Series, call for objectivity as we are dealing with objective events.
Our faith is not based on subjectivity, (like a preferred flavor of ice cream), rather our faith is founded upon objective events, objective news, objective truth.
The Greatest Example
No example of this can be found greater than the central claim of Christianity that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Christianity is built on the central truth claim that Jesus Christ literally and bodily rose from the dead, and all of Christianity rests on this single event in human history. If Jesus did not literally raise from the dead, then Christianity is D.O.A. In the words of the Apostle Paul himself,
“Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
1 Corinthians 15:12-19 (ESV)
The resurrection of Christ is a truth claim. It is objective. It is historic. It is news of an actual event, witnessed by hundreds of actual people (1 Corinthians 15:3-11), in an actual city (the city of Jerusalem), in an actual moment in history (AD 30).
Our Response
Because of this, the predominant question for us today in response to the gospel is not: How do I feel about the God of the Bible? Or, do I agree with the teachings in Scripture? Or, do I believe that the Christian life is right for me? All of these questions are subjective, and treat the Christian faith as though it were one of many ice cream flavors from which we can choose at the ice cream shop.
The predominant question that we must answer today in response to the gospel is this: Did Jesus Christ actually raise from the dead? Because if he did, then He is not a subjective option among many. Rather, He is the objective Lord. He is the Christ. In the words of Christ himself,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 (ESV)
Just as our subjective belief in the Cardinals as the 1967 World Series Champions makes no difference on the objective reality that they in fact won over the Red Socks in a seven game series, our subjective response does not change the objective truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, if / since the resurrection of Jesus Christ actually took place, then He is objectively true, objectively Lord, and objectively God irregardless of whether or not we acknowledge him as such today.
This is crucial to understand! We do not stand on good advice, on a good option, or on a good life. We stand firmly on the good news. The Gospel!