The Gospel

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The word gospel means “good news.” The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that Jesus—the Son of God—came from heaven, took on flesh, and lived a perfect, sinless life. He died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, defeating sin and death once and for all. He now sits at the right hand of God.

Before we can fully understand this good news, though, we need to understand the bad news.

We are all sinners and have fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).

God created a good and perfect world and gave people the freedom to choose whether to follow Him. In the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect relationship with God. But Satan deceived them, and they chose to disobey God’s command (see Genesis 3). Sin entered the world, breaking the perfect relationship between God and humanity.

Because God is holy and righteous, sin has consequences. We cannot save ourselves or make things right with God on our own.

But God had a plan to rescue us.

Even in Genesis 3, God gave the first promise of a Savior—One who would defeat Satan and overcome sin. Jesus is that Savior.

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived the sinless life that we could never live, then willingly took our sin and punishment upon Himself at the cross. Through His sacrifice, we can be forgiven and brought back into a right relationship with God.

Jesus was buried, and on the third day, He rose from the dead. He defeated sin and death once and for all!

Because of Jesus, we do not have to face God’s judgment for our sins. When we place our faith in Him, we are forgiven, saved, and reconciled to our Heavenly Father. And one day, Jesus will return for all who believe in His name. That is true love.

Now this does not make us perfect friends, we still sin and fail God everyday. But Jesus is our hope that even when we fail, we are able to take on Jesus' righteousness and try again. Through His Spirit he is sanctifying us everyday!

You have a decision to make—the most important decision of your life.

Will you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and choose to follow Him? Or will you reject Him and turn away from His saving grace?

God gives each of us a choice. He will not force us to follow Him, but He invites us into a relationship with Him.

Romans 10:9 says that 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.

If you are ready to follow Jesus, talk to Him. Confess that you are a sinner and need a Savior. Tell Him that you believe He died for your sins, rose again, and is coming back. Ask Him to forgive you, lead you, and help you live for Him.

Now you can begin growing in your faith.

If you do not have a Bible, get one and begin reading it. Study God’s Word, meditate on it, and allow it to shape every area of your life. Find a Bible-believing church, get connected, and grow alongside other believers. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth and help you understand God’s Word.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19–20:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Go and share your faith and your story with others. Be a light in this dark world.