The Good News of the Gospel
Well, actually, we need to hear the bad news first!
The Bad News:
We have all been made by God:
Genesis 1:27: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
Psalm 139:13: "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb."
Our creator is holy and righteous:
Isaiah 5:16: "But the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness."
II Samuel 22:31: "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him."
God has made just laws for us to obey:
Mark 10:19: "Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother."
Psalm 19:8: "The statutes of the Lᴏʀᴅ are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lᴏʀᴅ is pure, enlightening the eyes."
But we have all broken some of these laws:
Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Romans 3:10-11: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."
And everyone who has broken some of the law is guilty of breaking it all:
James 2:10: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
God will judge us for all of our sins:
Ecclesiastes 12:14: "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Matthew 12:36: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."
Romans 2:12: "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;"
Those whom God finds guilty will be punished in hell for disobeying the perfect God:
Romans 2:8-9: "But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;"
Revelation 21:8: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Those who are condemned for their sin will be in hell forever:
Mark 9:48: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
We're in some serious trouble! We're all headed for an eternal hell! What can we do about it?
The Good News:
God, in addition to being righteous, is gracious:
Psalm 116:5: "Gracious is the Lᴏʀᴅ, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful."
Ezekiel 33:11: "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Gᴏᴅ, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"
God has a plan to save some of us:
Galatians 4:4-5: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
That Son of God was Jesus:
I John 4:15: "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God."
Jesus is God:
I John 5:20b: "and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."
But Jesus is also a man:
Romans 1:3: "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;"
Luke 2:11: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
Unlike the rest of us, Jesus lived a perfect life:
I Peter 2:22: "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:"
Hebrews 4:15: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
But some of Jesus' true teachings angered religious officials:
Matthew 23:13: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
John 7:1: "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him."
Eventually, Jesus was betrayed and arrested, and brought before Pontius Pilate:
John 19:6: "When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him."
Even though Pilate found Jesus innocent, he was afraid of the crowds, so he delivered Jesus to be crucified:
Matthew 27:24: "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it."
Jesus was beaten and mocked, then crucified:
Mark 15:15, 16-17: "And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!"
John 19:18: "Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst."
But three days later, Jesus became alive again, proving that he was the conqueror of death:
Mark 16:5-6: "And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him."
Then he went into heaven, where he is ruling over us:
Mark 16:19: "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."
All this was a part of God's wonderful plan! When Jesus died, God punished him for our sins, so that we would no longer be guilty:
I Peter 2:24: "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
Isaiah 53:5, 10: "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. Yet it pleased the Lᴏʀᴅ to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lᴏʀᴅ shall prosper in his hand."
All we must do to have this righteousness applied to us is to simply believe in Jesus for forgiveness!
Romans 10:9: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
John 3:36: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
I John 5:12: "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
Conclusion:
John 20:30-31: "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
Sometimes I wonder why people don't simply believe, and be saved. It seems so easy! But in reality, not all of us will be saved, because God wants to glorify his justice (by punishing sinners in hell) every bit as much as his mercy (by rewarding believers in heaven). And to become a Christian, it is first necessary that God work in our heart, because by ourselves, we never could come to God. Sinners are spiritually dead in their sins. So before they can be saved, God must first give them life. And whenever God gives someone life—they will be saved! I certainly hope the reader is already a Christian, but if not, I pray that God would enliven you and I beg you to run to Christ.
(Although whether or not anyone will ever see this page is in question…)
Also, read your Bible and go to a Bible-believing church. This is important!
(Although whether or not anyone will ever see this page is in question…)
Also, read your Bible and go to a Bible-believing church. This is important!