God's Gospel

Hello Friends!

 

What is the Gospel? Gospel means Good News. Have you heard it? Do you understand it? Do you believe it? If you were to die today, are you ready? If the Lord returns today, are you ready? Heaven or Hell? Do you care? Does it really matter to you? Why am I asking you all of these questions? Because I care about you and your eternal soul!

In a world of sin and suffering, we each desperately need God’s Good News. For people to believe the Gospel, they must not only hear the story itself, they must also understand its meaning. Not only must people hear that Christ died and rose again - these brute facts of history do not yet bring us to the heart of the message - they must also be confronted with the why of His death and resurrection. They must understand that God acted in Christ on their behalf.

The Apostles in the New Testament and the true Biblical evangelists of today never merely retell the details of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. They always share the story in the context of its meaning: God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). This is an essential part of the good news. 

But before we can understand the Gospel (good news), we must understand the bad news…

God's Gospel

In the beginning God created everything very good (Genesis 1). The Lord placed man in a garden paradise (Genesis 2). However man was given a free will and a choice (Genesis 2:16-17). Though mankind lived in a perfect environment, he chose to rebel against His Creator (Genesis 3). As God warned Adam, sin resulted in suffering and death. The curse described in Genesis affected all creation, and today we see the horrible results (Genesis 3:17; Romans 8:20-22).

Scripture also explains that, like Adam, we have all "sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). To see if this applies to you, please review God’s Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Have you ever told a lie? One lie makes us a liar in God’s eyes. Jesus explained that lust was equivalent to adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). Have you ever had lustful thoughts? Scripture explains, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer ” (1 John 3:15). Have you ever despised another person? The Lord even warned: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Have you ever gossiped or spoken foolishly?

Whether our sin is envy, greed, pride - which was Lucifer’s sin - (Isaiah 14:12-15; 1 Timothy 3:6). or using God’s name lightly – we must admit that we are all guilty of sinning against our Creator. The Bible explains that the penalty for any sin is death – both physical death and spiritual death – which is eternal separation from God (Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:23). The final destiny for those who spurn their Creator is the lake of fire, which is the second death: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

However, there is Good News! Before time began God had a plan to rescue mankind (1 Peter 1:20). Because the penalty for sin is death, the Creator came to earth as the God-man, Jesus Christ, (Matthew 1:23) lived a sinless life, (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5) and died to pay the penalty for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; Romans 6:10; Hebrews 10:10). He then rose from the dead – defeating death – and offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who will trust Him (Matthew 28:6-7; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Romans 10:9).

Scripture states that God is love (1 John 4:8). And while we were yet sinners, He demonstrated His own love toward us by stepping down from heaven to offer His life so that we might be reconciled to Him forever (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ is the Creator (John 1; Colossians 1; Hebrews 1). On the cross He bore our sins and then rose for our justification (Isaiah 53; Romans 4:25). The Lord now offers everlasting life to all who will repent from their sins and trust in Him personally (John 3:36)

By placing your faith in Jesus Christ you can enter into a relationship with the Creator of the universe that will last forever! This is His free gift and His desire for you (Romans 5:15-18).

God our Savior “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). But remember, because God is completely just and holy, (Leviticus 19:2; Psalm 37:28) every sin will meet with a just punishment (Matthew 10:26; Revelation 20:12). Therefore, only Jesus – who alone is perfect and righteous, who alone died for our sins, who alone rose from the dead – can save you (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). If you neglect God’s great salvation, the consequences are eternal. Scripture warns “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). God will pour out His “indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil” (Romans 2:8-9).

Therefore, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). Instead, “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15) If you do, you will live in Heaven with our awesome Creator forever!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

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