5 Movies That Give Us a Glimpse of the Gospel
- Britt Mooney Contributing Writer
- Published Aug 27, 2024
God shares the Gospel in story.
The first line of Genesis says, “In the beginning,” and the canon culminates with Revelation, the final redemption of all creation when Jesus deals with the Devil, his lies, and the corruption of the world once and for all. The four books we call the Gospels don’t list the doctrine of salvation or the Romans road but tell the story of Jesus while explaining what it all means for those who would believe.
Since God tells a redemptive story, he invites us into the epic, biblical arc as individuals and the church. It shouldn’t surprise us that we’re drawn to stories. God created us to live within his grand story.
Movies still hold a primary place for modern storytellers. And great stories reflect God’s redemptive story, at least to some degree. Many churches have teaching series based on movies for this reason. Popular films can be a great place to begin spiritual conversations.
Here are five movies that give us a glimpse of the Gospel. With these picks, I purposefully included different genres and even ratings. Yes, a couple are rated R. You may not personally watch these movies, but millions in our culture have and enjoyed them. I don’t share these to encourage you to watch them, but to use these themes to engage others around you in conversations that point back to God’s story.
1. Pinocchio (1947)
The 1947 film Pinocchio tells the story of a wooden puppet brought to life by a fairy who promises to make him a real boy if he proves himself brave, truthful, and unselfish. Throughout the film, Pinocchio faces numerous temptations that lead him away from his goal — first fame and then the allure of Pleasure Island, where boys indulge in destructive behaviors that ultimately turn them into donkeys.
The film reveals the Gospel theme of transformation through Pinocchio’s journey from a selfish, naive puppet to a selfless, brave boy. This transformation is mirrored in the Christian concept of sanctification, where believers are gradually transformed into the image of Christ through their actions and choices. Ultimately Pinocchio rejects the pleasures destroying him and others. He then chooses to save his father, Geppetto, from the belly of a whale (symbols of death and the grave). In doing so, Pinocchio demonstrates a willingness to lay down his life for the sake of another, reflecting the ultimate act of love that Jesus speaks of in John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Pinocchio’s transformation is completed when, after his act of self-sacrifice, the fairy turns the dead wooden child into a living real boy, a supernatural event. This transformation symbolizes the spiritual renewal of death to life, becoming a new creation through faith in Christ. The film thus serves as Gospel allegory, illustrating how the path to true transformation involves resisting temptation and embracing sacrificial love.
2. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
The 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory follows Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who wins a golden ticket to tour the eccentric Willy Wonka’s magical chocolate factory. Along with four children, Charlie embarks on a fantastical journey through the factory, where the other children fall victim to their flaws and greed, while Charlie’s humility and innocence ultimately win him the grand prize: ownership of the factory itself.
This film teaches how God the Creator shares the kingdom of heaven with those who possess the heart of a child. Throughout the story, the other children — symbolizing various vices such as gluttony, greed, and pride — are disqualified from receiving the factory because of their selfish behaviors. In contrast, Charlie approaches the experience with wonder, gratitude, and a pure heart, so Wonka chooses him to inherit the factory. As Jesus taught in Matthew 18:3, where he says, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Charlie’s childlike faith, humility, and trust set him apart and make him worthy of the incredible gift that Wonka offers. Just as God the Creator shares the kingdom of heaven with those who come to him with the heart of a child — full of faith, innocence, and humility — Wonka shares his factory with Charlie, who embodies these qualities. The film thus reminds viewers that the greatest rewards come to those who maintain a pure, childlike heart on life’s journey.
3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day details the story of Sarah Connor and her son John as they attempt to prevent a future where machines take over the world. A reprogrammed Terminator, sent from the future, protects them from a more advanced, relentless Terminator sent to kill John. Throughout the film, Sarah is driven by the trauma of knowing the future and her determination to save humanity, but this drive pushes her to the brink of losing her own humanity.
The film shows how we can become an inhuman machine — emotionless and heartless — in the face of crisis and trauma. Her obsession with preparing John and stopping Judgment Day leads her to adopt a cold, calculating approach, almost mirroring the very machines she fights against. We see her transformation when she contemplates assassinating Miles Dyson, the man unknowingly responsible for Skynet’s creation. However, she hesitates, realizing her heartless violence isn’t salvation’s path.
The story echoes Ezekiel 36:26, where God promises, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” To remain human, made in God’s image, we must maintain compassion, even in dire circumstances. Sarah’s decision to spare Dyson’s life represents her choice to resist becoming a machine like her enemy.
This film powerfully illustrates the danger of losing one’s humanity in the face of trauma, reminding us that the fight to save the world must not come at the cost of our own hearts.
4. Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption explores the events of Andy Dufresne, a banker wrongfully convicted of murder, who is sentenced to life in Shawshank Prison. Despite the harsh realities of prison life, Andy maintains his sense of hope and inner freedom. Over time, he becomes a beacon of hope for his fellow inmates, particularly Red, a man who has resigned himself to the bleakness of prison life.
The film symbolizes inner freedom’s power, showing how true freedom is not dependent on external circumstances but on one’s inner state of mind and spirit. Although Andy is physically imprisoned, he lives with a sense of purpose and hope that transcends prison walls. He educates his fellow inmates, helping them discover their own inner freedom. For example, through small acts like playing music over the prison’s loudspeakers or creating a prison library, Andy teaches the inmates, especially Red, that their minds and spirits can remain free in captivity. By the end, Red embraces the hope Andy instilled in him, realizing that, as Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
Andy’s unwavering hope and inner freedom serve as a powerful metaphor for spiritual freedom, teaching that even in the darkest of places, the human spirit can remain unchained, as we see when Paul wrote letters to churches while in chains. Through his influence, Andy liberates not just himself but also the minds of those around him, particularly Red, who ultimately steps into a life of hope and freedom.
5. Elf (2003)
Elf tells the story of Buddy, a human raised by Christmas elves at the North Pole, who travels to New York City to find his biological father. Unfamiliar with the ways of the human world, Buddy brings his childlike innocence, joy, and unwavering belief in Christmas magic to a skeptical and hopeless city. Despite facing cynicism, Buddy remains true to North Pole values, ultimately transforming the people around him.
Buddy’s journey mirrors Jesus, who came from heaven to Earth to share the love and truth of God with humanity. In Elf, Buddy’s pure-heartedness and joy contrast sharply with the jaded, self-centered attitudes of those around him. He must resist becoming like the broken world he encounters, refusing to let go of his belief in the magic and goodness of Christmas.
Through Buddy’s unwavering spirit, those around him begin to change. His father, initially dismissive and career-driven, eventually embraces the joy and love Buddy brings, reflecting a transformation similar to Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Buddy’s influence brings about a renewal of spirit, showing that staying true to the values of his “heavenly” home can inspire others to rediscover joy and love.
Like Buddy, Christ calls us to be in the world but not of it, bringing the love and truth of our heavenly home to those around us, no matter how broken the world may seem.
Related article - How Do We Find Elements of the Gospel in Movies?
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Roman Valiev
