The Gospel = Good News
The GOSPEL is ....
God loves us and He has given us the capacity to love Him. He designed and created us to have a two-way relationship with Him. However, we have sin, failure and shame in our lives which prevent us from realising that relationship. Sin in our lives is incredibly serious to a holy and righteous God, so much so that if we should die in our sins, we condemn ourselves to destruction. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot even come into God's presence because His holiness and purity would burn us up.
The good news is that Jesus has offered us an opportunity to come into right relationship with God. God has done this because Jesus came down (even though He is God) to Earth, and lived a life of service, compassion and reconciliation. He allowed Himself to take our place for our sins. He did this by being unjustly killed, although He was 100% innocent. Then, as prophesied, Jesus rose from the dead with power over sin and death. By believing on His name and His forgiveness of our sins, He then takes our sin upon Himself and gives us salvation and a new start in life. There is no one else who can do this for us.
Why do we need the GOSPEL?
The Gospel starts in Genesis 2. This was where Adam and Eve were created in God's likeness, as human representatives of God on Earth. They walked in relationship with Jesus (YHWH) in the Garden of Eden on a daily basis. YHWH gave them total freedom, but with one condition. That condition was not to eat of a particular fruit in the Garden. It was a test of love and trust.
At some time after being in the Garden, Eve and then Adam her husband, were tricked by Satan. They ate the fruit that God expressly said, “You shall not eat of it.” As a consequence of their disobedience, their relationship with God was broken, they died spiritually, and they became ensnared by Satan. They were then sentenced to exile outside the Garden.
The Importance of the Gospel
God gives us a second chance, despite our weaknesses. He wants to put all the broken pieces in our life together and make something new, something of value, and something beautiful. He takes away our guilt, shame, depression, and our insecurities. He then gives us hope, joy and peace, to a depth that cannot be found in temporary pleasures. We can now have full assurance of going to Heaven when we've finished this life, and being with God for eternity. We were made for Heaven, that is what we earnestly yearn for: love and acceptance and a place we can call home.
Where to from here?
Once we have made that decision to ask Jesus to remove our sin and give us His Holy Spirit as a promise of our salvation, we need to make the decision to want to be like Jesus. We can't do this in our own strength – we need to ask Him to change us to make us more like Him.
Four ways of doing this are by: regularly reading His word and doing what it says; praying and listening to Him; meeting with other followers of Jesus whose desire and passion is to follow Him. Finally, get baptised. This is a public confession that you are putting your old life behind you, and you want to follow Jesus wherever He would lead you.
Doing God's will requires faith. Our faith in God is an experience that grows as we read and believe God's word and practice what the Bible says.
God loves us and He has given us the capacity to love Him. He designed and created us to have a two-way relationship with Him. However, we have sin, failure and shame in our lives which prevent us from realising that relationship. Sin in our lives is incredibly serious to a holy and righteous God, so much so that if we should die in our sins, we condemn ourselves to destruction. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot even come into God's presence because His holiness and purity would burn us up.
The good news is that Jesus has offered us an opportunity to come into right relationship with God. God has done this because Jesus came down (even though He is God) to Earth, and lived a life of service, compassion and reconciliation. He allowed Himself to take our place for our sins. He did this by being unjustly killed, although He was 100% innocent. Then, as prophesied, Jesus rose from the dead with power over sin and death. By believing on His name and His forgiveness of our sins, He then takes our sin upon Himself and gives us salvation and a new start in life. There is no one else who can do this for us.
Key Scriptures: John 3:16; John 14:6; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 2:7
Why do we need the GOSPEL?
The Gospel starts in Genesis 2. This was where Adam and Eve were created in God's likeness, as human representatives of God on Earth. They walked in relationship with Jesus (YHWH) in the Garden of Eden on a daily basis. YHWH gave them total freedom, but with one condition. That condition was not to eat of a particular fruit in the Garden. It was a test of love and trust.
At some time after being in the Garden, Eve and then Adam her husband, were tricked by Satan. They ate the fruit that God expressly said, “You shall not eat of it.” As a consequence of their disobedience, their relationship with God was broken, they died spiritually, and they became ensnared by Satan. They were then sentenced to exile outside the Garden.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 2 and 3; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; 1 John 1:7-9
The Importance of the Gospel
God gives us a second chance, despite our weaknesses. He wants to put all the broken pieces in our life together and make something new, something of value, and something beautiful. He takes away our guilt, shame, depression, and our insecurities. He then gives us hope, joy and peace, to a depth that cannot be found in temporary pleasures. We can now have full assurance of going to Heaven when we've finished this life, and being with God for eternity. We were made for Heaven, that is what we earnestly yearn for: love and acceptance and a place we can call home.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 3:15; Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 1:18; Romans 6:22; Hebrews 12:14
Where to from here?
Once we have made that decision to ask Jesus to remove our sin and give us His Holy Spirit as a promise of our salvation, we need to make the decision to want to be like Jesus. We can't do this in our own strength – we need to ask Him to change us to make us more like Him.
Four ways of doing this are by: regularly reading His word and doing what it says; praying and listening to Him; meeting with other followers of Jesus whose desire and passion is to follow Him. Finally, get baptised. This is a public confession that you are putting your old life behind you, and you want to follow Jesus wherever He would lead you.
Doing God's will requires faith. Our faith in God is an experience that grows as we read and believe God's word and practice what the Bible says.
Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:9-15; Philippians 2:12; 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 6:13; Hebrews 11:6; Proverbs 11:30