F.F. Bruce on When is a Gospel Not a Gospel?

The following article is now available in PDF:

F.F. Bruce, "When is a Gospel not a Gospel?" Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 45 (1963): 319-39.

Here is Bruce's conclusion:

To sum up, then, we may say that, according to the general consensus of New Testament teaching, a gospel is not a gospel when—

1. it is detached from the Jesus of history;

2. it gives little or no place to the passion;

3. it exalts human achievement in place of the grace of God;

4. it adds other conditions to the one which God has declared acceptable (even if those additions be things good and desir­able in themselves); or

5. it treats righteousness and purity as things which the truly spiritual man has outstripped.

On the other hand, a gospel is a gospel when—

1. it maintains contact with the Jesus of history, affirming that “this same Jesus “who came in the flesh and died is the vindicated and exalted Lord;

2. it embraces and proclaims “the stumbling-block of the cross”;

3. it extends the grace of God to men for their acceptance by faith;

4. it relies upon the power of the Spirit to make it effective in those who hear it; and

5. it issues in a life of righteousness and purity which is sustained and directed by the love of God.