Resource: Good News

What is the Gospel?

It’s funny how this one question, which is the foundation of the Christian faith, stumps so many when trying to answer it. Ask ten people in a room what the Gospel is and you’ll more than likely get ten different answers. But the Bible is clear that those who believe the Gospel are born-again, and so it’s important that we have a clear picture of what we’re believing.

Firstly, the Gospel is not about good behaviour and bad behaviour. The Gospel is about life and death. The Bible is clear that humanity is spiritually dead in their sins and in need of saving. When you believe the Gospel, God makes you alive with Christ. He literally transfers you from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His Son. Jesus said that He came so that you might have life! He literally makes you alive by giving you His very life.

Think of it like this ...

All of humanity are like people skydiving. We’re plummeting to the earth at tremendous speed, heading for the ground. Death is inevitable. Some people realise this. They see the ground and they try to stop themselves from falling. Some try waving their arms like a bird trying to fly. Something! Anything! Others deny the ground even exists. They give ideological explanations as to why they shouldn’t believe in the ground.

When someone begins to realise the good news, realising that everyone has a parachute strapped to them! All they have to do is pull the cord. You’d think everyone wouldn’t hesitate and just pull the cord, right? Wrong. Many don’t want to rely on something they can’t see. Parachute? What’s a parachute? I don’t need saving. I’ll save myself! But those who pull the cord, will be saved. Their flying arms won’t save them. Their effort and hard work trying not to fall won’t save them. No. The parachute saves them. No effort. No arm waving. Just trusting in the power of the parachute to lift them and eventually save them from death.

Believing the Gospel is trusting Jesus to give you life. Your efforts won’t save you. Your obedience won’t save you. Your good works won’t save you. Jesus alone saves. Putting your trust in His power, His effort, is what saves us. Your part: Believe Him.

Here's another way to see the Gospel ...

Let’s say you owe the bank R10milllion. You’ve fallen way behind on your repayments and you’re on the brink of bankruptcy. The bank manager calls you to see him and he explains to you the seriousness of the situation and that if you don’t come up with a plan soon, you could land up in prison with nothing to your name. He gives you some good advice though: Get a second job. Perhaps, get your spouse to get another job. Heck, get the kids working after school! Cut more expenses…do you really have to eat three meals a day? The situation is dire and most desperate. The end is inevitable. But let’s say that same bank manager calls you the next day and bubbling with excitement demands you come back to see him. Upon entering the bank, champagne bottles pop, balloons are floating everywhere and you’re presented with a huge chocolate cake in celebration! Elated, the manager tells you the good news: someone you’ve never met came into the bank late yesterday and paid your R10 million in full. In addition to that, he put another R10 million into your account and you won’t have to worry about money issues ever again.

That's the Gospel!! The Gospel is not good advice. The Gospel is good news! It’s the news of Jesus paying the price that all men deserved to pay in order to give us right standing with God forever. Your part: Receive the gift.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthains 5:17-22

Those who believe the good news of what God has done in Jesus are made His sons and daughters. Their sins are removed (past, present and future). They are the righteousness of God. They are new creations in Christ. They are holy and perfect forever. They were dead in their sins and now they have been made alive with Christ. They have been given the Holy Spirit, God Himself, to be with them and in them, forever. He will never leave them nor forsake them. Their salvation is a gift, a free gift from God Himself and secure till they meet Him face to face one day.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

There is an amazing story about two thieves who were crucified with Jesus. The one thief was a real jerk and insulted Jesus. The other thief screamed back at him and told him to be quiet.

He knew that while they deserved to be on the cross for their wrong doings they’d done, Jesus was innocent and didn’t deserve to be there at all. He turned to Jesus and asked Him to remember him. Jesus looked at him and responded, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” The thief became God’s child that day. When he died, he went to be with the Lord in heaven forever.

Did his church attendance save him? Did his good works get him into good graces with God? On the contrary, the guy was a rotten thief. He was the total opposite of a good person but he made it! How did he make it? He put his faith in Jesus. Trusting Jesus is realizing that all of us are like the thief on the cross. Death is inevitable, we have nothing to show God as to why we deserve Him to justify us, except to trust Him. Only then do we receive the same vindication and comfort the thief received, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Gospel is all about Christ’s finished work on behalf of sinful men and women. Whoever believes in Him receives His gift of life.

But the Good News doesn’t stop there ...

The Gospel is all about relationship. Jesus told His disciples, “I no longer call you servants. I call you friends.” From the beginning of time, God has desired to be friends with mankind. In Proverbs, it says that He is a friend closer than a brother. God gives you Himself. He lives in you and you in Him. He will never leave you. He is with you forever. Where you go, He goes. When you drive to work, He’s driving with you to work. When you watch the rugby, He’s watching the rugby. He desires to have a walking, talking, friendship with you. You have a new friend: The God of the Universe. Life is not about good behaviour versus bad behaviour. It’s about partnering with your Friend and living life to the fullest. He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you. He has good works predestined for you to do. And He wants to do these good works with you. You get to live your life in Him, for Him, with Him and unto Him. He will teach you. He will guide you. He will empower you. As you've begun the journey with Him – by trusting Him, so you continue your life with Him – by trusting Him.

As someone once said, “I only have one thing to do today? Follow Him! The rest will take care of itself.”

If you would like to know more about what it means to be saved or need more information about the Gospel, please get hold of us.

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