The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. It is not advice about how to become a better person. It is not a religious program for cleaning yourself up. It is not vague spirituality with Christian words taped to it. The gospel is the good news that the holy God who made us has acted in Jesus Christ to save sinners, forgive sin, reconcile people to himself, and bring them into eternal life.
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Who Is God?
God is the Creator, King, and Judge of all things. He made everything, including us. He is holy, righteous, just, merciful, and good. He made us to know him, worship him, love him, obey him, and enjoy life under his good rule. We do not belong to ourselves. We belong to the God who made us. The Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
The Bible also says, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11) See also: Psalm 24:1, Isaiah 6:1-5, Acts 17:24-31, and Romans 11:36.
Who Are We?
We were made in the image of God, with dignity, purpose, and responsibility. But we have rebelled against God. We have turned from him and chosen our own way. The Bible calls this sin. Sin is more than bad behavior. It is rebellion against God. It is refusing to trust him, worship him, obey him, and love him as we should.
Every one of us has sinned. Every one of us stands guilty before God. The Bible says “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27). And it says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). See also: Genesis 3:1-24, Isaiah 53:6, Romans 1:18-25, and Romans 3:10-18.
What Do We Deserve?
Because God is holy and just, he must deal with sin. Our sin separates us from God and brings judgment. The wages of sin is death. We cannot repair this by trying harder. We cannot erase our guilt with good deeds, religious activity, sincerity, morality, or vague spiritual effort. Dead sinners do not need a self-improvement plan. We need resurrection.
Once more, let us turn to the Bible. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). And, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27) See also: Isaiah 59:2, John 3:18-19, Romans 2:5-8, and Ephesians 2:1-3.
What Has God Done?
God did not leave sinners without hope. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He lived the life we failed to live. He perfectly obeyed the Father. He loved God fully. He loved his neighbor perfectly. He had no sin of his own. Then Jesus died on the cross in the place of sinners. He bore the punishment we deserve. He gave himself as our substitute. At the cross, Jesus satisfied the justice of God and displayed the mercy of God.
Three days later, Jesus rose bodily from the dead. His resurrection shows that his sacrifice was accepted, death was defeated, and eternal life belongs to all who are united to him by faith. Jesus is now risen, reigning, and returning. He is Savior and Lord. The Bible says “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) and “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18) and “For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Bible also proclaims, “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:24). See also: John 3:16, Romans 5:6-11, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:13-20, and Hebrews 7:25.
How Should You Respond?
God calls you to repent and believe. To repent means to turn from sin and self-rule. It means you stop trusting yourself, your goodness, your works, your religion, or your excuses. To believe means to trust Jesus Christ. Trust his death in your place. Trust his resurrection from the dead. Trust his promise to forgive and save everyone who comes to him. You trust that Jesus is who he says he is.
You do not need to clean yourself up before coming to Christ. You come to him because you cannot clean yourself up. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Hear again from God’s Word: “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, and saying, ‘Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15). Hear this good news: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9) and “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” (Romans 10:9) and “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). See also: John 1:12-13, John 14:6, Acts 2:37-41, Acts 4:12, Acts 16:30-31
A Prayer of Response
Prayer does not save you. Jesus saves. But if you are ready to turn from sin and trust Christ, you can speak honestly to God. Words like these may help:
God, I know I have sinned against you. I have turned from you and tried to live life my own way. I deserve your judgment. But I believe Jesus Christ died for sinners and rose from the dead. I trust him to forgive me, save me, and make me new. I turn from my sin and receive Christ as Savior and Lord. Help me follow him. Amen.
The words are not magic. This is not a formula. What matters is a heart that turns to Christ and trusts him. “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37).
What Now?
If you have turned to Jesus Christ in faith, you are forgiven, made new, and brought into God’s family. Start reading the Bible. The Gospel of John is a good place to begin. (You can take a journey through it with Bryan Catherman here.)
Find a faithful local church that teaches the Bible and proclaims Jesus Christ. Be baptized as a public declaration that you belong to Christ. Keep growing. Ask questions. Learn to pray. Sit under the preaching of God’s Word. Follow Jesus with his people. You were not meant to follow Christ alone. Here’s more from God’s Word: “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:41-42) and “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25). See also: Matthew 28:18-20, John 8:31-32, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Peter 2:2-5
If you have questions, or if you want help finding a faithful local church, I would be glad to hear from you.
A Helpful Gospel Video
This video explains the good news of Jesus Christ in a simple visual way. Watch it, then compare what you hear with the Bible itself. The best presentation of the gospel comes from God’s Word.
Keep Learning and Growing
The gospel is simple enough for a child to understand and deep enough for a lifetime of study. The whole Bible tells the story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration, with Jesus Christ at the center.