The Good News: From Jesus to Today

Jesus began his public work by announcing good news. His message was simple and powerful:

“The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.”

This meant that God was already ruling, right here and now. People did not have to wait for heaven or the end of the world. Anyone—rich or poor, sinner or saint—could enter God’s kingdom by changing their way of thinking and living. Jesus spoke about healing, forgiveness, freedom, and restored relationships. His good news was about life in the present, not escape in the future.

After Jesus’ death, his disciples began to preach. Peter’s message was different from Jesus’, though closely connected. Peter proclaimed that Jesus, whom people had crucified, had been raised by God and made Lord and Messiah. The good news, according to Peter, was that God had vindicated Jesus. Because Jesus is alive and Lord, people can repent, receive forgiveness, and be filled with God’s Spirit. The focus shifted from the kingdom itself to Jesus as the risen king.

Later, Paul took the message to the Gentile (non-Jewish) world. Paul explained the good news using ideas familiar to his audience. For him, the problem was not only wrong actions but powerful forces like sin and death that enslave humanity. Paul proclaimed that through Jesus’ death and resurrection, these powers were defeated. The good news was that a new humanity had begun, and anyone could belong to it through faith in Christ, without following Jewish law. Paul’s message was more theological and universal, explaining how Jesus’ work saves the whole world.

In modern Christianity, the good news is often reduced further. Many churches present it mainly as a way to avoid punishment after death and go to heaven. The kingdom of God here and now, repentance as a change of life, and transformation of society are often forgotten. The gospel becomes a personal transaction instead of a joyful announcement.

In summary, the good news developed over time:

Jesus announced God’s kingdom as a present reality.

Peter proclaimed Jesus as the risen Lord.

Paul explained how Jesus defeats sin and death for all humanity.

Modern Christianity often narrows the message to individual salvation after death.

The problem is not that later messages are false, but that the original message of Jesus has become smaller. Recovering Jesus’ gospel means rediscovering the good news of God’s reign, here and now, bringing life, freedom, and transformation to the world.

If James Had a Promoter Like Paul

Early Christianity was shaped not only by ideas, but by those who spread them. James, the brother of Jesus, led a form of Christianity that focused on living according to Jesus’ teachings—justice, obedience, and care for others. Paul, however, became the strongest promoter of another form of Christianity, centered on belief in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Paul traveled widely, started churches, wrote letters, and created a message that could easily spread across the Roman Empire. Because of this strong promotion, Paul’s version of Christianity became dominant.

James’ group stayed mostly in Jerusalem and did not spread widely. Their faith was practical and ethical, but it was not actively promoted beyond its local setting. As a result, it slowly faded from history.

If James’ group had a promoter like Paul, Christianity might have developed very differently. The teachings of Jesus could have become the main focus, and faith might have been defined more by how people live than by what they believe. Christianity may also have remained closer to its Jewish roots.

This shows that in history, survival often depends not only on truth, but on communication and promotion. The disappearance of James’ Christianity does not mean it was less faithful—it means it lacked a powerful voice.