What Is The Gospel?
The word Gospel means good news. The Gospel is good news because God has an answer for your greatest problem. Like everyone else who has ever lived, you are guilty of sin. Being guilty of sin doesn't mean that you are a horrible person or that there isn't any good in you. Actually, there is a lot of good in you! There are people in your life that you love, sacrifices you've made for the benefit of others, and people you've helped along the way. But, like everyone else who has ever lived, you are not perfect. We are all born with a spiritual condition in our hearts that leads us to be jealous, angry, greedy, spiteful, prideful, less than honest, lacking self-control, etc. This condition and the actions that spring from it are called sin.
God judges sin - yours, mine, and everyone's. He judges sin because His just and loving character prevents Him from simply ignoring sin or sweeping it under the rug. While this might be difficult to accept, there is a part of all of us that understands that it needs to be this way. What would we think of a judge who dismissed every guilty person who ever stood in front of him? We wouldn't think much of him, would we? Instead of thinking he was fair and kind, we would likely think he was actually incredibly unfair and unjust. So it is with God. He rightly looks upon all our lives and our sin and hold us in judgment.
Unfortunately, we have yet to hear the full extent of the bad news. God's judgment comes in the form of eternal punishment and separation from Him. This is called hell. But what about all the good stuff we did? Doesn't that count for something? Consider the man standing in front of a judge who is guilty of murder. He tells the judge about all of the good things he has done in his life - starting an orphanage, volunteering at the local mission, coaching a Special Olympics team. While all of those things are true of the man, none of them erase the fact that he is still guilty of murder. The same is true for us. No matter how many good things we do, they don't take away the guilt of the sin we have committed.
But, here's the Good News - God has come to our world with an answer to the problem of sin. The Gospel is the Good News that by His grace, God has, is, and will save you from your sin through Jesus Christ.
God judges sin - yours, mine, and everyone's. He judges sin because His just and loving character prevents Him from simply ignoring sin or sweeping it under the rug. While this might be difficult to accept, there is a part of all of us that understands that it needs to be this way. What would we think of a judge who dismissed every guilty person who ever stood in front of him? We wouldn't think much of him, would we? Instead of thinking he was fair and kind, we would likely think he was actually incredibly unfair and unjust. So it is with God. He rightly looks upon all our lives and our sin and hold us in judgment.
Unfortunately, we have yet to hear the full extent of the bad news. God's judgment comes in the form of eternal punishment and separation from Him. This is called hell. But what about all the good stuff we did? Doesn't that count for something? Consider the man standing in front of a judge who is guilty of murder. He tells the judge about all of the good things he has done in his life - starting an orphanage, volunteering at the local mission, coaching a Special Olympics team. While all of those things are true of the man, none of them erase the fact that he is still guilty of murder. The same is true for us. No matter how many good things we do, they don't take away the guilt of the sin we have committed.
But, here's the Good News - God has come to our world with an answer to the problem of sin. The Gospel is the Good News that by His grace, God has, is, and will save you from your sin through Jesus Christ.
How God Has Saved Me
2,000 years ago God came into our world in the person of Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross as a sacrificial substitute. By that, we mean that Jesus saved us from the penalty of sin. He took our guilt upon Himself when He died, and exchanged it for His perfect record. Now, when God looks at you, He doesn't see any of your sin. He only sees the perfection of Christ. It is just as if you had never sinned! The judgment that was upon you has been lifted. This forgiveness is ours when we believe in Jesus Christ as God's Son, and put our hope and our trust in Him as our Savior.
How God Is Saving Me
Even though Jesus died on the cross 2,000 years ago, God continues to work in our lives in the present day. When we believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us, gives us a new condition of the heart, and saves us from the power of sin in our lives. He teaches, instructs, encourages, convicts, and empowers us so that we can become more and more like Jesus. This does not mean that we become perfect people, but that we have changed and are continually changing. Instead of living for ourselves, we make living for Jesus our first priority. Our lives begin to demonstrate, in greater measure, things like love, peace, patience, kindness, and joy.
How God Will Save Me
God's story for you continues with the promise of eternal life. Just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead, you are promised that, if you believe in Him, you also will be raised to live with God forever. This is called heaven. The reality of heaven is beyond anything we can possibly dream or imagine, and it is open to all who come to God in faith, trusting in Him rather than in their own goodness.
How Do I Respond?
- Do you understand the Gospel message? If not, who can you ask to help explain it to you? (Feel free to use the contact form below to reach out to us.)
- Is there any reason for you not to come to Jesus in faith today? (Pray to the Lord, acknowledge and confess your sin, ask for forgiveness, accept the sacrifice that Jesus made on your behalf, and ask Him to send the Holy Spirit to live inside of you.)
- Who do you need to share the Gospel message with?
The Story Film
We invite you to watch The Story film above for a brief retelling of the Gospel message that runs throughout the whole of Scripture. It presents the amazing account of God's creation, man's disobedience, God's rescue plan, and ultimately the total restoration of His creation.