Preface
Hey there. 👋
The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ (Jesus = name, Christ = title meaning Messiah).
Trusting in Jesus and His gospel is basically what separates Christians and non-Christians; the saved from the unsaved. Believers (Christians) go to heaven to worship and enjoy God forever, and non-believers (non-Christians) go to hell to be punished forever.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)
Who is God?
God is three distinct Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are co-equal, co-eternal and all-powerful. This holy unity is commonly referred to as the Trinity. God is the creator of the heavens and the earth and the author of all life. He is holy and righteous, gracious and merciful, jealous and vengeful. He shares His glory with none other because there is no other like God.
God is truly good, just and sinless. He’s incapable of sinning. He’s righteous. He’s the creator of everything. He’s the judge of the living and the damned.
God’s Preserved Message, the Bible
It’s important that you know where Christians source their info about God and the gospel, and why this source can be trusted. The source of this information is the protestant Bible, which is a collection of 66 books superintended by God.
The words of the Bible were indeed recorded by regular human hands, but those writers were supernaturally led by God. There were no mistakes or embellishments of any kind recorded – only what God intended to be preserved.
The contents of the Bible can be trusted, because God is the ultimate author, and He tells us through the Bible that He has intended to preserve His message indefinitely:
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Psalm 12:6-7 (KJV)
The Bible is supernaturally perfect, conveying exactly what God intended from beginning to end. And while the original words have been translated to new languages, the message remains the same. The Bible tells us who God is, who we are, and how we can be spared the punishment we deserve and adopted into His family.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
The Bad News
You, like me, are a sinner. A lawbreaker guilty of breaking God’s laws and you deserve eternal conscious punishment. That goes for every one else, too.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:23
When our first father Adam disobeyed God in the garden of Eden and committed the very first sin, he became a lawbreaker. And just as we inherit traits from our parents, grandparents, and distant ancestors, such as a fingers, toes, a brain – we have also inherited a sin nature. That means we are born intrinsically rebellious to God and his law.
You might not know all or even one of God’s laws, but you have broken all of them.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
James 2:10 (KJV)
If you have ever lied, stolen, looked lustfully at a person who is not your spouse – you are guilty of sinning, and you are a lawbreaker. These are just a few offences outlined in the Ten Commandments. Your wages — what you have earned — for these crimes is eternal conscious torment.
No amount of good works or charity will grant you forgiveness in the eyes of God. Christianity is not works-based, and you will never persuade God to allow you entry into heaven because of how ‘good’ you believe yourself to be. God demands perfect righteousness, something which we are incapable of, and He demands that sin be punished. This is because He is a just judge who does not turn a blind eye to lawlessness.
Though sinners are in terrible danger, there is one hope of salvation: God the Son, Jesus Christ.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts 4:12
The Gospel (Good News)
The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ (Jesus = name, Christ = title meaning Messiah).
Someone must pay for your crimes. Either you will pay for it when you die, with eternal conscious torment, or you can trust that Jesus’ death on the cross served as the ultimate, atoning sacrifice on your behalf.
Trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ is the only way for a person to have their sins truly forgiven, and to escape the punishment of eternal conscious torment. Your trust in Him is faith that He paid the debt on your behalf, suffering death in your place. This is oftentimes referred to in theological circles as ‘the great exchange’, where Jesus suffered for your sin, and you inherit Jesus’ rightousness
But to be able to trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ, some background is necessary.
Over two thousand years ago, Jesus condescended to be born on Earth as a human infant. Still truly God, but veiled in human flesh.
He lived his human life in perfect, sinless obedience to God the Father, living among us in human flesh for approximately 33 years, teaching and leading His followers. Yet He was brutally mocked and unjustly crucified by his enemies.
His crucifixion was no surprise to Him, as God is omniscient and has perfect foreknowledge. What God’s enemies intended for evil (Jesus’ unjust killing), God intended for good (the salvation of Jesus’ followers).
Jesus’ death on the cross was a willing, voluntary sacrifice to satisfy the punishment that His followers deserved. His sacrifice was the ultimate, final payment for the sins of all His followers – past, present, and future.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:5-6 (KJV)
Where there is lawlessness, God demands punishment, because He is a just and righteous God. We can pay for our crimes ourselves, or we can accept the help and mercy of Jesus – the only sinless sacrifice capable of paying an otherwise impossible price. In sacrificing Himself on the cross on behalf of His followers, Jesus paid the price for those who would put their trust in Him as God and saviour.
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 9:22
But Christians do not worship a dead god buried in a tomb. As foretold, Jesus was resurrected three days after his crucifixion, and was witnessed by hundreds of people as conquering death.
His death and resurrection is of mighty importance. It demonstrates that He does indeed have the power to resurrect people. He defeated death, and He promises eternal life in heaven to all His followers. He alone has the power to offer this, because He is God. He is incapable of lying, the Bible tells us this, so we can have faith in His promise. He is all-powerful. He has made a way to be pardoned of sins.
Put your faith in Jesus, the Son of God and resurrected Saviour. Trust that Jesus is the Son of God, that He lead a sinless life in full obedience to God the Father. That He volunteered Himself as the only acceptable sacrifice to pardon the sins of His followers, past, present, and future. That through God’s almighty power He overcame death, was resurrected, and that He is seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. Trust that your sins will be forgiven and you will be spared eternal conscious torment when you recognise Jesus as Lord and saviour. Trust that you cannot earn this amazing pardon. No amount of good or charity that you perform will merit you a shred of mercy. God demands punishment, and will lovingly welcome you as a son or daughter if you recognise Jesus’s sacrifice as full payment for your punishment.
The Gospel in Video Format
We’re not affiliated with these ministries, but their gospel messages are solid. If we had their video production skills, we might attempt something similar, but for now, we’re happy to encourage you listen to their gospel presentations.
‘Are You a Good Person’ by Living Waters
‘What is the True Gospel’ by Apologia Bros
Reassurance
If you are a believer, you cannot lose your salvation. God’s love and mercy is unfathomable. You are indwelt with God the Holy Spirit – He is your wonderful helper and you are His temple. You are promised a home in heaven forever. When you die and stand before God in judgement, you will be judged on the work and merits of Jesus – your Saviour. Your sins are forgotten, your slate wiped clean, because Jesus took the punishment you deserve and settled your debt. You are a child of God and member of His family. If you have true, saving faith, you are His forever.
There is no greater joy than knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour, knowing that your sins are pardoned and you will never be separated from God, His love, and you will never know the torment of hell. Because of Jesus.
Believers are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Moving Forward
Study your Bible diligently. Start by reading the Gospel According to John. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Join a local church where you will be shepherded by a Pastor who knows and loves the Jesus of the Bible, and where you can grow with fellow Christians.
But I urge you to flee from sin. Test yourself to see if indeed you genuinely are a believer. Christianity is not a performance-based religion. You cannot sin one too many times to push yourself over the edge into damnation. The saved are saved to the uttermost. But a quality of the believer is the desire and drive to grow in sanctification and reject the things that God hates. If you run to sin willingly and freely, it should give you cause for introspection, and you should seek council from your pastor.
The Gospel as Written by Others
- Answers in Genesis – Gospel
- Grace to You – The Simple Gospel (sermon)
- Ligonier Ministries – The Gospel
Thanks
- Living Waters