Understanding the Good News of Jesus Christ
The term “gospel” means “good news.” When Christians talk about the gospel, they’re sharing the good news about Jesus. It’s a message from God that says, “Good news! Here’s how you can be saved from my judgment!” This is an announcement you can’t afford to ignore.
God: The Creator and Judge
To understand the good news of Jesus, we must start with God. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). As the creator, God has the right to tell us how to live. However, God is also holy and righteous, determined never to ignore or tolerate sin.
Mankind: Rebellious and Guilty
When God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, he intended for them to live under his righteous rule in perfect joy. However, when Adam disobeyed God, fellowship with God was broken, and Adam and Eve declared rebellion against God. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
The Consequences of Sin
Sin is the rejection of God himself and his authority over those to whom he gives life. As a result, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), both physical and spiritual. The final destiny for unbelieving sinners is eternal, active judgment in a place called “hell.”
Jesus Christ: The Savior
The word “Christ” means “anointed one,” referring to anointing a king with oil when he is crowned. Jesus is a King who came to save us from God’s righteous wrath against our sins. When Jesus died on a cross, the weight of all our sins fell on his shoulders. However, Jesus didn’t stay dead; he rose from the grave, demonstrating God’s power and verifying his claims.
Our Response: Repentance and Faith
What does God expect us to do with this information? He expects us to respond with repentance and faith. To repent means to turn away from our rebellion against God, and faith is reliance on the risen Jesus to save us from our sins. When we place our trust in Jesus, all our sins are credited to him, and his perfect righteousness is credited to us.
The Result: Salvation and Righteousness
This is the good news of Jesus Christ: God saves us from his judgment by crediting our sins to Jesus and his righteousness to us. We can rely on Jesus to stand in our place and win a righteous verdict from God. That’s what faith means – to trust in Jesus alone to save us from our sins.
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