The Gospel
good news for mankind
1.Scripture teaches that “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Everyone one of us is not perfect. We all have a fatal disease called sin, it is a built in death warrant in two ways. 1st. Spiritually we are separated from our creator. 2nd. Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death.” We will experience physical death which results in an eternal separation from Him.
2. How do I know I’m a sinner? Look at God’s righteous standard, His law. If you have lied only once even as a child, if you have ever stolen (taken something that is not yours) even a stick of gum you are guilty of breaking His perfect standard. Unlike earthly courts that may let people go for small crimes or have short punishments to rehabilitate them, God has NO compromise. We all will have to answer for the things we did wrong. We can't measure ourselves with others, since we can always find someone who is worse than us. We are to look at Jesus Christ who kept God’s standards (laws) perfectly among people like you and I. We measure ourselves by the standard of Christ. Once we do this we find He is the perfect ideal human that we cannot compare to (Because He is also God), there is no one else like Him.
Because we are sinful (not perfect) in our conduct we are separated from having a relationship with God, no one is exempt from this. Isaiah 59:1 “for your sins have separated you from your God.”
Salvation is a bridge to God that none of us can cross except through Jesus Christ. |
No matter how hard we try to reform we can never reach what God's standard is. His standard is perfection in everything we are to do, no human being can achieve this. God is perfect in all His ways and He is just and cannot overlook our sin. Because we have all rebelled against God we justly deserve punishment.
What Must A Person Do to Go to Hell? Nothing, just make no decision. We don't need to do anything to be lost- we are already lost. We don't have to wait until we die to be condemned, John 3:18 says we are already condemned because of our current sinful state. What God wants to do is rescue us from our sure destination. We are on our way to a permanent separation from Gods blessings that all who live now enjoy. The sky, the air, the flowers, food, enjoying life as an exciting adventure. The experience of love from people, sharing our thoughts and feelings. Our abilities and talents are all from God. These are all basic blessings from God that everyone now enjoys and uses. Scripture says “every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father…”
God's Solution
Jesus Christ is God’s perfect gift, He has come to save sinners. God came from heaven and became a man to do what no other man could do. Save us from the penalty of sin and give us a new lease on life. God’s mercy was initiated by God Himself. He came to set us free from the bondage (chains) that sin has on us. Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
The Scripture states in John 3:16
The Gospel is simple that even a child can understand. God “so loved” people that He sent Jesus. He came to die for you and I by taking our penalty in our place. He was completely innocent but willingly took our punishment for sin. He died, was buried in a tomb and three days later He rose from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) He now lives, and all those who believe this Gospel will also.
We must experience the new birth to have a spiritual life now. He then restores
us to what he intended us for, but we must come the way he has given, not by our
own way.
To do this you need to confess that you are a sinner, meaning you agree with
God about your sinful spiritual state. It’s hard to admit I am an alcoholic or a
drug addict to men, its even harder to say I am a sinner to God. Tylenol can cure
a headache, antibiotics can cure a virus, but only Jesus' shed blood can cure
sin.
You need to realize that there is no other way but His way, you cannot save
yourself. “For by grace you are saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest
any man should boast ” (Ephesians 2:8-9). SALVATION
is not in any sense a reward for what you do but a free and undeserved gift of love
from God. You need to recognize that salvation (forgiveness and being
rescued from the consequences of your sin) depends upon your personal acceptance
of the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. It is God's work on the cross through
His Son. It is offered to you freely by His grace, there is no way to earn it.
To be part of God's eternal family you need to be adopted, then your
relationship will change to him being your friend. You receive the Lord and His
forgiveness by faith
by asking Him (prayer). Saying something to this effect, “Lord I realize I have
sinned and deserve punishment. But because of your Love you sent your Son to take
the punishment I deserved by dying for my sins in my place. I believe Jesus died
and rose again on the third day as the scripture states. I believe that the blood
of Jesus Christ cleanses and forgives me of my sin toward you. I acknowledge this
and by faith believe that you will forgive me. Cleanse me now, I receive you
as my Lord and savior and I will trust and follow you Jesus all of my
life.
Once you have believed, the Holy Spirit (who is God), will come into your heart
and work in your life. John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them gave the
right to become the Children of God, even to those that believe on His name.”
After placing faith in his death on the cross for your sins, make a willful
decision to turn from your sinful life (called repentance) and follow by obeying
His Word to see the power of God work in your life. (Start reading about Jesus'
life in the Bible to get familiar with your Lord, especially the book of John and
the 1st epistle of John).
You will find this to be the greatest decision of your life He will make all
things new. This is why it is called “born again,” you will have a new
beginning.
God bless you
Let Us Reason Ministries
