The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Although this page is essentially for non-Christians, it is also for those who want to know just what the gospel entails, and so be better prepared to share it. After all, is that not our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ? Are we not to “go out and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20)? There are many who have yet to hear the wonderful message of Jesus, and yet, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14)
If you are not a Christian, and you would like to know what the gospel message is, then you are in the right place.
Christians believe that the Bible is the inerrant (without error) and unchanging Word of God. It was written by men under the inspiration of God, and therefore completely true and trustworthy. So to understand the gospel message, which simply means “good news,” we look to see what the Bible says; and basically, the Bible says this is a sort of “Good News / Bad News” kind of thing. First, the “bad news.”
The Bad News
According to God's Word, when Adam and Eve sinned while in the Garden of Eden, they brought sin into the world. That “original sin” is disobedience to God, and the “bad news” is that the original sin, the propensity toward disobedience to God, has been passed down to all of mankind. It has become part of who we are. Regardless of how good someone is, they are still sinners. In fact, the Bible goes so far as to say that each one of us is conceived and born in sin.
We don't just live in sin, we actually exist in sin. And just when you think it can't get any worse than this, it does, because according to the Bible, the result of this is eternal death. Not just closing your eyes and dying and passing out of all existence. No. This means that our natural and inherent sin has condemned us to an eternity in hell – a place of eternal torment, awake, conscious, sentient, and completely alone as we suffer the pain and torment of hell with no hope of a reprieve of any kind. This is the just punishment for disobeying the Creator of the universe.
But...
The Good News
The good news is that while God requires justice for our disobedience, He also is merciful and provides an alternative – Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that Jesus volunteered to take our place, so serve our sentence so to speak, and this is exactly what He did when He suffered and died on the cross over 2,000 years ago. He suffered unimaginable torture and pain all on our account so that we wouldn't have to. He died for our sin. He was buried in a tomb that was sealed and that had Roman soldiers standing guard over it to prevent anyone from stealing His body. But three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many people. He spoke to His disciples and later ascended into Heaven.
If we want to accept His sacrifice for us and avoid the eternal punishment and condemnation that already awaits us, then all we have to do is to truly and sincerely believe in Jesus. Believe that He died for our sin, was buried, resurrected three days later, and that He ascended into Heaven. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin. Pray to the Lord and ask Him for forgiveness, repent of your sin, and receive the free gift of salvation. That's it.
If you are not sure what to say, here is a sample prayer to help guide you. But make sure you are not just repeating the words of someone else. Tell the Lord how you sincerely feel. He will hear. He will listen.
If you are not a Christian, and you would like to know what the gospel message is, then you are in the right place.
Christians believe that the Bible is the inerrant (without error) and unchanging Word of God. It was written by men under the inspiration of God, and therefore completely true and trustworthy. So to understand the gospel message, which simply means “good news,” we look to see what the Bible says; and basically, the Bible says this is a sort of “Good News / Bad News” kind of thing. First, the “bad news.”
The Bad News
According to God's Word, when Adam and Eve sinned while in the Garden of Eden, they brought sin into the world. That “original sin” is disobedience to God, and the “bad news” is that the original sin, the propensity toward disobedience to God, has been passed down to all of mankind. It has become part of who we are. Regardless of how good someone is, they are still sinners. In fact, the Bible goes so far as to say that each one of us is conceived and born in sin.
We don't just live in sin, we actually exist in sin. And just when you think it can't get any worse than this, it does, because according to the Bible, the result of this is eternal death. Not just closing your eyes and dying and passing out of all existence. No. This means that our natural and inherent sin has condemned us to an eternity in hell – a place of eternal torment, awake, conscious, sentient, and completely alone as we suffer the pain and torment of hell with no hope of a reprieve of any kind. This is the just punishment for disobeying the Creator of the universe.
But...
The Good News
The good news is that while God requires justice for our disobedience, He also is merciful and provides an alternative – Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that Jesus volunteered to take our place, so serve our sentence so to speak, and this is exactly what He did when He suffered and died on the cross over 2,000 years ago. He suffered unimaginable torture and pain all on our account so that we wouldn't have to. He died for our sin. He was buried in a tomb that was sealed and that had Roman soldiers standing guard over it to prevent anyone from stealing His body. But three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many people. He spoke to His disciples and later ascended into Heaven.
If we want to accept His sacrifice for us and avoid the eternal punishment and condemnation that already awaits us, then all we have to do is to truly and sincerely believe in Jesus. Believe that He died for our sin, was buried, resurrected three days later, and that He ascended into Heaven. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin. Pray to the Lord and ask Him for forgiveness, repent of your sin, and receive the free gift of salvation. That's it.
If you are not sure what to say, here is a sample prayer to help guide you. But make sure you are not just repeating the words of someone else. Tell the Lord how you sincerely feel. He will hear. He will listen.
Sample Prayer
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I have harbored hate in my heart toward others, I have lied, I have broken your commands. I am coming to you now and asking you to please forgive me of my sins. Please cleanse my heart, my mind and my soul and make me a new creation in you. I believe that you suffered and died on the cross for my sins. I believe that you were buried and that you were resurrected three days later and that you ascended into Heaven. Please be the Lord of my life, the Lord of my heart and the Lord of my mind. I know that I cannot place any trust or hope for my salvation in any good deed that I might do, and that I can only trust in you Lord to save me from the punishment I deserve as a sinner, and so I do. I trust in you completely, Lord. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, or one similar to it, and if you prayed is sincerely, then you have believed the gospel and you now have salvation in Jesus Christ. Welcome to the family! Your next step is to find a Bible believing church. One that teaches the Scriptures, and begin attending. Tell the pastor there that you are a new Christian and that you would like to learn more about your Savior Jesus. One of the things the pastor will likely tell you is that you should be baptized as a public confession of your faith in and love for Jesus. I encourage you to do this, as it is an important step in your new life as a Christian. And don't be shy about telling others about your faith. It will be difficult at times, and you may face mockery or even persecution because you are now trusting in Jesus, but remember that our Lord will be with you always, and that your eternal home is now in Heaven.
How To Know if You Are Truly Saved
Receiving the free gift of salvation is pretty simple actually. Unfortunately, there are some who try to simplify it even more. Some people will say they believe, but in reality they have only a “mental acceptance” of the existence of Jesus, and therefore do not really believe. In order to guard against this type of “head belief” that some people have, the Bible actually provides some “tests” for people to use to judge whether or not they truly understand and believe. A word of caution here. These “tests” are for people to judge themselves, and not other people. Only God Himself can judge others (as well as us), so be careful not to allow yourself to become self-righteous and “finger pointing” when you use these tests.
Salvation Tests
1. Do you sincerely believe that Jesus is God the Son, that He died on the cross for your sin, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into Heaven?
Scripture tells us that Jesus is God in the flesh. That is remarkable to me. God loves us so much that He actually came to live among us as a human being. In order to spare us from the penalty of our sin (which is death), He bore our sins and suffered a death that we deserved to suffer. Even more remarkable is that this was not a “spur of the moment” decision on God's part. It has been part of His plan from the beginning, and He told us repeatedly throughout time that He was going to send a Savior for us. If we deny the Savior, Jesus Christ, then we are denying God Himself, and we are choosing to reject salvation in favor of an eternal death. (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; Luke 24; John 1:1, 14; John 8:58; Ephesians 3:19; Colossians 2:9; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:21-23)
2. Do you obey the commands of Jesus?
Jesus made it clear that His true followers would obey His teachings (Matthew 28:20; Luke 6:46). And while the Apostle Paul taught that good works cannot and will not lead to salvation, he also taught that once a person truly believes in Jesus and repents of his or her sin, they will, by their nature do good works that God Himself has prepared for us to do. (Acts 26:20; Ephesians 2:8; 1 John 2:3; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:2)
3. Do you live a life patterned by sin?
God's Word is equally clear that once a person has salvation from their sin and becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, they do not live a life patterned by sin. This is not to say they never ever commit a single sin ever again, but, they do not willfully continue living a life patterned by sin. And, if we do sin, we waste no time confessing that sin to the Lord and asking His forgiveness. (1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:28-29; 1 John 3:4-10)
4. Do you harbor hate in your heart for your fellow man or woman?
Scripture tells us that we are to “love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) It just doesn't get much clearer that than that. This does not mean that you should automatically trust anyone and everyone. If Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy were to show up on your porch, do not invite them in! Use common sense! However, we are not to harbor hate in our hearts for anyone. As a wise man once told me, “you will never look into the eyes of someone that Jesus did not die for. You will never look into the eyes of someone that God does not love.” It is impossible to love God and hate your fellow man or woman. If we say we do, then we are liars according to God's Word. (1 John 2:9; 1 John 3:4-10; 1 John 4:15)
5. Are you still enamored by the world and the things in the world?
Do you still covet or lust after the things of the world? If so, then you still love the world, and Scripture is very clear that if someone loves the world and the things of the world, they cannot love God and the love of God is not in them. (1 John 2:15)
Salvation Tests
1. Do you sincerely believe that Jesus is God the Son, that He died on the cross for your sin, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into Heaven?
Scripture tells us that Jesus is God in the flesh. That is remarkable to me. God loves us so much that He actually came to live among us as a human being. In order to spare us from the penalty of our sin (which is death), He bore our sins and suffered a death that we deserved to suffer. Even more remarkable is that this was not a “spur of the moment” decision on God's part. It has been part of His plan from the beginning, and He told us repeatedly throughout time that He was going to send a Savior for us. If we deny the Savior, Jesus Christ, then we are denying God Himself, and we are choosing to reject salvation in favor of an eternal death. (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; Luke 24; John 1:1, 14; John 8:58; Ephesians 3:19; Colossians 2:9; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:21-23)
2. Do you obey the commands of Jesus?
Jesus made it clear that His true followers would obey His teachings (Matthew 28:20; Luke 6:46). And while the Apostle Paul taught that good works cannot and will not lead to salvation, he also taught that once a person truly believes in Jesus and repents of his or her sin, they will, by their nature do good works that God Himself has prepared for us to do. (Acts 26:20; Ephesians 2:8; 1 John 2:3; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:2)
3. Do you live a life patterned by sin?
God's Word is equally clear that once a person has salvation from their sin and becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, they do not live a life patterned by sin. This is not to say they never ever commit a single sin ever again, but, they do not willfully continue living a life patterned by sin. And, if we do sin, we waste no time confessing that sin to the Lord and asking His forgiveness. (1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:28-29; 1 John 3:4-10)
4. Do you harbor hate in your heart for your fellow man or woman?
Scripture tells us that we are to “love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) It just doesn't get much clearer that than that. This does not mean that you should automatically trust anyone and everyone. If Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy were to show up on your porch, do not invite them in! Use common sense! However, we are not to harbor hate in our hearts for anyone. As a wise man once told me, “you will never look into the eyes of someone that Jesus did not die for. You will never look into the eyes of someone that God does not love.” It is impossible to love God and hate your fellow man or woman. If we say we do, then we are liars according to God's Word. (1 John 2:9; 1 John 3:4-10; 1 John 4:15)
5. Are you still enamored by the world and the things in the world?
Do you still covet or lust after the things of the world? If so, then you still love the world, and Scripture is very clear that if someone loves the world and the things of the world, they cannot love God and the love of God is not in them. (1 John 2:15)
Essential Scriptures Relating to Salvation
Everyone is guilty of sin, has been cut off from God, and is deserving of eternal punishment.
Isaiah 59:2 – “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”
John 6:65 – “And he said, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.'”
Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:10-11 – “as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.'”
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Ephesians 2:1-3 – “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
2 Thessalonians 1:9 – “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from[a] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.”
Regardless of how many good things we do, or how good we are, there is nothing that we can do on our own to earn entrance into Heaven.
Romans 11:6 -- "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."
Titus 3:5-- "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “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.”
God loves us, however, and He provided a way for us to have forgiveness of our sins, and that way is through Jesus Christ.
Mark 1:15 – “and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'”
John 6:29 – “Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.'”
Romans 5:15 – “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Ephesians 2:8-10 – “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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Romans 10:9-10 – “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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
John 1:12 – “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
The reason Jesus can save us from our sin is that Jesus is Himself God, and He became sin for us
John 1:1,14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … And 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.”
Colossians 2:9 – “For in Him [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
John 8:58 – “Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'”
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 – “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?'”
2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
1 Peter 2:22,24 – “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. … He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Contrary to what some believe, Jesus is the only way to salvation.
Matthew 7:13 – “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”
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 eternal life.”
John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
Acts 4:12 – “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Romans 3:22-25 – “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”
Romans 4:25 – “who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
Isaiah 59:2 – “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”
John 6:65 – “And he said, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.'”
Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:10-11 – “as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.'”
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Ephesians 2:1-3 – “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
2 Thessalonians 1:9 – “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from[a] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.”
Regardless of how many good things we do, or how good we are, there is nothing that we can do on our own to earn entrance into Heaven.
Romans 11:6 -- "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."
Titus 3:5-- "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “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.”
God loves us, however, and He provided a way for us to have forgiveness of our sins, and that way is through Jesus Christ.
Mark 1:15 – “and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'”
John 6:29 – “Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.'”
Romans 5:15 – “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Ephesians 2:8-10 – “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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Romans 10:9-10 – “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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
John 1:12 – “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
The reason Jesus can save us from our sin is that Jesus is Himself God, and He became sin for us
John 1:1,14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … And 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.”
Colossians 2:9 – “For in Him [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
John 8:58 – “Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'”
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 – “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?'”
2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
1 Peter 2:22,24 – “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. … He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Contrary to what some believe, Jesus is the only way to salvation.
Matthew 7:13 – “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”
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 eternal life.”
John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
Acts 4:12 – “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Romans 3:22-25 – “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”
Romans 4:25 – “who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
