The word "gospel" literally means "good news". It is the good news that Jesus Christ has come to save sinners. To understand why that is such good news, we must first understand some bad news...
The bad news is that mankind is, by nature, sinful and seperated from God. Our condition originates with the fall of mankind in Genesis 3 and it alienates us from God and His holiness. So much so, that there is no hope in remedying our condition by our own power.
With no desire to come to God, the Bible identifies us as being "hostile" to God and His righteousness. Because of this hositility, we cannot join God in His perfect kingdom and are therefore doomed to an eternity apart from Him.
cf. Romans 3:10-18, 23, 5:12, 6:23, Ephesians 2:1-3, 1 John 1:8, Psalm 51:5, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Isaiah 53:6, 64:6, Jeremiah 17:9
However...God, in his wisdom and mercy, has provided the means through which someone can be saved from the eternal penalty their sins incur. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God offers us the gift of eternal life, as opposed to the eternal death we deserve for our sins.
The Bible tells us that "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God". However, this righteousness is not automatically applied or accepted by the sinner. Certain steps must be taken in order to receive this salvation.
cf. John 3:16, 6:44, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 2:2, Titus 3:5, Acts 4:12
Jesus gave the same message over and over again throughout his time here on earth:
Repent and believe the good news! (Mark 1:15)
Repent for the forgiveness of sins! (John 3:16-18)
Repent for the kingdom of God is here! (Matthew 3:2)
Repent and avoid paying for your sin! ( John 3:36)
Acceptance of this salvation gift means we must first embrace the bad news that we are sinners beyond our own saving. In following Jesus' commands to repent, we then turn away from our sins which we acknowledge are keeping us from God. The apostle Paul wrote to early Christians, telling them that whenever they forsook their sin and trusted in Christ, sin is no longer their master and they can, for the first time, live for God's righteousness.
After professing our belief in the good news of Jesus Christ, God begins to work. Jesus told his followers that the only way anyone would ever see the Kingdom of God is if they were "born again". Upon our confession of faith, Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit so that our spirits may be born again. The Bible describes Christians as "new creations" once our faith is in Christ.
As new creations, we want to be around other new creations so we should find a church filled with them. We can then pray for one another, encourage one another, minister to one another, and love one another as Christ commands us to. Being built up in this love, we can then go back out into our community to share this good news that has been shared with us.
Have you forsaken your sin and committed your life to Jesus Christ? Has the gospel had the transformative and life-changing effect on your life to where you have been made a new creation? Do you now live for the glory of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom?
Whatever your answer may be to that question, we would love to talk with you about it! Please reach out to us below using the buttons.