Gospel

In the beginning, God created everything perfect; It was pure and without sin. He designed us to dwell harmoniously in His physical presence. Crafting man and woman in His image, He bestowed upon them dominion over all creation. An integral aspect of our existences' perfection was the gift of free will. God gave us a free will so that we could choose to love Him, unlike a robot that has no choice but to do what it is told.

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'"

Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

Satan, God's enemy, tempted humans to go their own way and humanity disobeyed the instructions of God, believing that they could do better than God. This marked the entry of sin into the world. Sin is rebellion against God; disobedience to a holy and perfect God is wickedness because all His ways are good and all His instructions are for our best.

"But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate."

Genesis 3:4–6 (ESV)

God is Holy, which means that He is perfect and set apart from all else. Sin is abhorrent to God and because of His holiness He cannot be near sin. When humans sinned they made a choice to live apart from God; God respected that choice and removed humans from His physical presence. We made ourselves enemies of God, but God is good and He never changes. His love for us is eternal and never fails. Therefore, God had a plan to save us from our sin, so that we could dwell with Him forever.

"And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him"

Colossians 1:21-22 (ESV)

Because God is perfect, He must administer flawless judgment against wicked sin. The only punishment that fulfills judgment for sin is death. However, to atone for the sins of all humanity throughout eternity, only a perfect death suffices. Such perfection is exemplified by the death of an entirely innocent individual who has lived a sinless life, wholly obedient to God. No human is capable of living without sin because we have been given the nature of sin by the first humans. We are doomed without a savior.

"And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."

Hebrews 10:11–14 (ESV)

But God, knowing these truths, sent His Son to be our Savior. Jesus lived a flawless life that we could never live and died a perfect death that we could never die. Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave conquering the power of sin and death and claiming victory in the name of God, so that we might be reconciled to Him. He brought hope to the hopeless and made a way where there was none.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."

John 3:16–17 (ESV)

Jesus says that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that none can come to the father except through Him. Jesus says that He has saved any who would have faith that He is who He says He is. It is by grace, through faith, that we are saved. We did not earn our salvation, Jesus earned it for us. Our salvation is a free gift from God and He has adopted us as sons and daughters into His family. Through Jesus, we receive a new hope of eternal life, we have the very presence of God living inside of us through the Holy Spirit, and we will live forever in the physical presence of God when Jesus returns.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

John 14:6 (ESV)

"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 (ESV)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

John 5:24 (ESV)

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'"

Romans 8:14–15 (ESV)

What Now?

If you have been moved by the Gospel, then I invite you to respond in prayer and accept Jesus as your savior. If you are ready to do so, you can say something like the following prayer: "Jesus, I believe that you are exactly who you claim to be. You are the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, a perfect sacrifice for my sins. You demonstrated victory over sin and death when you rose again. I acknowledge you as my personal Lord and Savior. I commit my life to following your Word. I am asking you now for your Holy Spirit. Please guide me to live the life that you are calling me to."

If you have made the decision to accept Jesus, please inform us if there is anything we can do to assist you. There is much more to learn about God. He has provided us with the Holy Bible, His Word, for us to understand Him better, and the Church to live a life of community as a fellow member of his family. We recommend that you connect with a local church that teaches directly from the Word of God.

If you are not yet ready to make the decision to accept Jesus, know that He patiently awaits you. He desires for all to be saved. However, God will not make the choice of faith for you. Please contemplate your eternal salvation with the same urgency that God does; He loves you, and He grieves every moment you are apart from Him.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven . . ."

Colossians 1:15–23 (ESV)

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