The word “gospel” means “good news” and there is, indeed, good news to be found in Jesus Christ! In order to understand this reality, consider the following points and verses.
1) God, in His perfection and love, created you to know Him personally.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
BUT, there is a problem for every person…
2) Man is radically corrupt, and therefore cannot know God personally or experience His love.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23)
“They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3)
This is the problem for every individual in the world. They are separated from God. Thankfully, we read two important words in the Bible, “BUT GOD”. “…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
3) Only through the death of Jesus Christ can sinful man be reconciled to God, know Him personally, and enjoy His love forever.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)
We call this the great exchange. Our sin was credited to his account on the cross, while everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ has the righteousness of the perfect, spotless Lamb of God credited to his or her account!
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“The next day he [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
But he didn’t just die, three days later He rose victoriously from the grave, to demonstrate his power over sin and death.
“We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.” (Romans 6:9-10)
God has provided the path – the solution to our sin problem!
4) We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we will know God personally and experience His love.
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting in Jesus Christ (faith) alone to forgive our sins and to reconcile us (to make at peace with) Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) in order that we might know Him and His love fully, forever. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will as the Spirit of God helps us understand these amazing truths.
When God saves an individual, they are called to relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
That’s AMAZING! An intimate, eternal relationship with the Creator of the Universe, the Savior of the world – God HIMSELF! The good news is that YOU can have peace with God today. Not a guarantee of health and wealth in this world, but peace with God and a guarantee of eternity with God without pain, sorrow, sin and death. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3) “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Jesus Christ has overcome the world, sin, and death and He offers you eternal life! “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31)
What about you? Have YOU received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? Won’t you repent of your sins and, by faith, trust him as your Savior today?
If you want to know more about Jesus, there is no better place to start than to listen what God has to say to you through His Word, the Bible. We encourage you to beginning reading a portion of the Bible called “The Gospel of John.” (Click here to read John 1)
If you have trusted Christ as your Savior recently or have more questions about what is shared here or about what your read in God’s Word, please feel free to contact us at the church:
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 317.984.5552