The Good News of the Gospel

The Gospel message is the “good news” about who Jesus is, and how He came from heaven to earth, lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death, and rose from the grave all in order to attain for us forgiveness from sin.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1. “God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions” Ecclesiastes 7:29. According to the Bible in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Sin is not merely a mistake, but the Bible defines sin as both active rebellion against the authority of God (Romans 1:18-32), and heartless rejection of the love of God (Hosea 3:1). Habakkuk 1:14 states about God “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.” God is so pure that to condone evil would be hypocrisy, and a violation of His spotless character. God’s righteous character demands that He punish sin, and rid the world of evil. Unfortunately to rid the world of evil means to rid the world of evil doers. We find in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” The wages (payment) for sin is to spend forever in the lake of fire. “And whosoever was not found in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:15.

Since everyone has sinned and deserves to spend forever in the lake of fire, how can one avoid this eternal fate? We are guilty of violating God’s commandments, can God forgive us? Will He forgive us? Is there any hope for us, or are we all doomed for all of eternity? 

Although God’s righteous character demands that He punish sin, yet his holy love longs to find a way to offer forgiveness. The wisdom of God provides the solution in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, who voluntarily “came into the world to save sinners” 1Timothy 1:15. The Bible says in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believeth in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

God created a perfect world, but when Satan tempted Adam and he sinned (Gen. 3), all mankind was doomed. But, because God loved His creation so much, He gave mankind the opportunity to be saved by sending His only Son to die for us on the cross and to pay the penalty for our sins. We have the opportunity to change what our eternity might otherwise be. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth (revealed) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

So how can we be saved?

What does it take? The Bible says in John 14:6, “Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.”  Acts 16:31 states “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved…” Romans 10:9 states “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved.”

Salvation comes by admitting our sins to God, believing that Jesus came to save us, and asking God to forgive you from your sin. It is as simple as that! God is eager to save those who humble themselves, admit their sin, and cast themselves upon His mercy.

God gives us this forgiveness as a gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 states “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”

If you have questions or would like to learn more, we would love to connect with you!