What does the gospel teach about salvation?

The gospel, as articulated in Romans 5 and Ephesians 2:8-9, underscores that salvation is not based on human merit or works but is an unearned gift from God. This grace is illustrated vividly in Romans 3:24, which speaks of being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. The gospel reveals that our inability to save ourselves and our desperate need for a Savior is met in the person of Christ, whose sacrifice on the cross secures eternal life for all who believe.