The French mathematician and apologist Blaise Pascal reached a startling conclusion: ‘without Jesus Christ the world would not exist, for it would either be destroyed or be a hell.’

A full account of biblical teaching about God would cover a lot of ground: God’s identity (who he is), his character (what he’s like), his will (what he wants), his works (how he acts).

That sounds like a rebuke. It’s actually a relief — and it’s where most misunderstandings of the Christian message get sorted out.

The good news begins with God.

Some things can be left open. Others can’t.

On the Last Day we will see the full unveiling of the new creation.

‘Atonement’ is a big and multifaceted concept. In Christian theology it means ‘the reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ.’

The gospel tells us, fifthly, about how to respond: by whole-hearted, life-long belief, faith, repentance, obedience, discipleship and service to Jesus Christ.

The gospel tells us, thirdly, about Jesus Christ.

The gospel tells us, firstly, about God: that he is our Creator, through whose goodness and greatness we exist, in whose hands and by whose constant care every human person lives and breathes each moment.

So the gospel can be cast in careful formal language and in everyday informal language. It addresses all of us, and all of us can grasp hold of it at whatever level we choose.

The biblical gospel consists of several topics, heralded by multiple persons, written down by multiple authors in multiple types of literature, addressing a number of different subjects.