Good News

Romans 5:8 but God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

What is the Gospel? If asked what the word gospel means most people who have been raised in the church can tell you that it means, "Good news."  Well, what is this good news? It is incredibly sad that in today's world most people do not even know what the good news of the Bible is.  They know that you get "saved" and then you go to church because Jesus loved them and died for them.  But even then they don't truly grasp why God would send His Son to die for us.  Unfortunately a lot of people today believe that God sent Jesus to die so that they might have a better life here on earth and then one day they will die and go to heaven.  This "prosperity" preaching is really confusing people as to why they need Jesus in the first place.  People do not even realize what it is that they need to be "saved" from.  They know that if they do not get "saved" then they won't get into heaven but they don't realize why they won't get into heaven.  They don't realize that Jesus's sacrifice wasn't to save us from the devil, it wasn't to save us from poverty, it wasn't so we could have a better home life, it wasn't so that we could quit smoking, or be rid of any other vice.  Jesus was sacrificed so that we might be spared the wrath of His Father who is a Mighty and Just God.

You might be asking yourself, "Why would God set his wrath against me? I'm a good person who tries to do what is right." Romans 3:20 For by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. What is the law? The law is what was given to Moses in Exodus 20 which we know as the Ten Commandments.  Most people have heard the Ten Commandments but when asked, they would still say that they are a good person. So if you think that you are a good person, I would like you to take this little test and please be honest.  No one knows the answers to these except you and God.

Have you ever told a lie?

Have you ever taken anything that didn't belong to you?

Have you ever looked at another person in lust? Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Have you ever taken God's name in vain? Think about what you say whenever someone cut you off when you are driving.  God's very name is Holy and He will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.  Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give an account for every careless word they speak. 

If most of you were honest with yourselves then you came to the same conclusion that I did. We are lying, thieving, blaspheming, adulterers.  So if you stood before a righteous God on your Judgment Day, would he send you to Heaven or to Hell?  You might think that you should still get to go to heaven because, after all, you didn't actually hurt anyone when you did those things.  If a cop pulls you over for going 20 mph over the limit, he is still going to give you a hefty fine at the very least, even if no one was hurt.  Why? Because you went against the decrees of the governing body and therefore the crime must be paid for.  Sin isn't just a crime against your fellow man; it is primarily a sin against God.  Since God is an infinite being then punishment for a crime against him is also infinite.  You and I, we deserve to be condemned to Hell.

I will be expanding on God's Justice in the near future.  Now though I want to tell you about how our sin debt to God has already been paid.  It was paid for when God sent his only Son to earth, to be born from a virgin and to be raised as a man, and not just any man but one to grow up to lead a perfect, sinless life.  He never committed a single sin, and you may think that was impossible for a man to do.  It is, but this wasn't just any man. He was Jesus, the Son of God.  He was able to do this because He wasn't just a man but He was also God.  So what happened when God took on human form and came to earth.  We killed Him.  We hung Him up to die a traitor’s death.  Why did God allow this to happen? Because in His omniscience God knew we would never be able to live up to the standards that are required for entry into Heaven.  So God sent his Son to earth to die as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. But then God showed his true power when he raised Jesus from the grave after three days so that He might show His power and that we might trust in His strength.  Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

What do you have to do to be a recipient of the gift of eternal life? First, you have to acknowledge that you are a sinful creature who has done wrong in the eyes of God and deserves to be sent to Hell as a punishment.  Then you must renounce sin and ask for God's forgiveness of your sinful ways.  Does this mean that if you ever sin again then you won't be saved? No.  What this means is to turn away from willfully sinning.  In short if you know that what you are doing is wrong, then don't do it.  And once God shows you an area in your life where you have been sinning and had not realized that your actions were sinful, then you must acknowledge it, ask forgiveness and turn from it. After you have acknowledged and then renounced your sin, then you must recognize Jesus for who He is and what He did for you.  Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  All you have to do then is believe in the saving power of God who sent His son as a sacrifice and then raised Him from the dead on the third day, and then make an open confession about it. Turn from your iniquity. Believe in Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection. Believe in His Lordship and also confess these things openly to others then you will be saved.  And then on your Judgment Day instead of facing an angry, and wrath-filled Judge, you will be welcomed home with the open arms of a Father who is filled with unimaginable love and grace.

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.