Why is Christ the central figure in the gospel?

Christ is the central figure in the gospel because He is the embodiment of God’s promise of salvation. In Luke 4, Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 and declares that this prophecy is fulfilled in Him. This means He is the one God has sent to heal the brokenhearted and proclaim liberty to the captives. The entire focus of the gospel is on how Christ, through His life, death, and resurrection, effects salvation for His people. Furthermore, the gospel portrays Him as the sovereign Lord with the power to forgive sins, emphasizing that all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him. This centrality underscores that salvation is a work of divine grace accomplished through Christ alone.