Look up questions:
Yes, it's still us. This is our new logo. LOL What do you think?
Yes, it's still us. This is our new logo. LOL What do you think?
The word "gospel" literally means "good news." When we talk about the "gospel of Jesus Christ," we're talking about the good news of what He accomplished for us. Jesus solved the problem of humanity's sin and its eternal consequences by taking on human flesh, living a sinless life, sacrificing His life on our behalf, then coming back to life.
Jesus' resurrection proves His claims about His identity and demonstrates that God accepted His death as payment for our sins. Jesus is victorious over sin and death! And Jesus is the only One with the power to restore our relationship with God (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Our sin, the things we do that go against God's ways and thus lead to death and harm, separate us from our Creator (Romans 3:23). God is holy and sin cannot enter His eternal presence, so we need to be free from sin to be with God and have a relationship with Him (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1).
God created us to live in a perfect relationship with Him (Genesis 1:27), and He desires our presence (2 Peter 3:9). But since human beings naturally reject God's goodness, authority, and love, we suffer separation from our Creator (Isaiah 59:2).
Separation from God has devastating consequences, for its cost is physical and spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Sin creates an eternal separation from God, and we cannot bridge the gap or pay the price ourselves. No number of good actions we can do would ever be "enough" to pay that price (Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 2:1-10).
To be reconciled with God, a perfect sacrifice would be needed because "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22). Because sin results in death, only the death of an innocent can bring resolution.
After Adam and Eve sinned, God promised that a savior would come (Genesis 3:15). He also provided a covering for them; God clothed them with "garments of skins" (Genesis 3:21), which implies shedding the blood of an animal. Through the centuries, God's people made many, many animal sacrifices to atone for their sin. Those sacrifices were images of what God would ultimately do through Jesus; the blood of those animals could never completely erase sin (Hebrews 10:4, 11).
By God's grace and mercy, He has given us an opportunity to be forgiven of our sins forever, to be close to our Heavenly Father, and come alive again spiritually.
"This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners'..." —1 Timothy 1:15 (NLT)
Here's where the good news comes in. God so desperately wants to rescue us from eternal separation from Him that He bore the cost Himself. God the Son took on human flesh and lived a perfect, sinless life. He died on the cross as a sacrifice to pay the cost for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5). 1 Peter 2:24 says that "[Jesus] 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."
"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 (emphasis added)
To "believe in Jesus" is to believe that everything He did and said is true and to rely upon His death and resurrection as your only salvation from the eternal consequences of your sin.
Three days after His death by crucifixion, Jesus came back to life, which proved that God accepted His sacrifice on behalf of all humanity (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The work of redemption and justification is complete, having been finished on the cross (John 19:30). All we need to "do" is believe these things are true (Acts 16:31), and that's the best news we could ever hear!
The gospel of Jesus Christ invites us to respond to Him. Our salvation is a free gift of forgiveness offered by God's grace alone. All who have put their trust in Jesus have been adopted into God's family and given the Holy Spirit as a seal of our salvation and our guide (Romans 8:14-16). We were once His enemies, but now we're His children (Romans 5:10; John 1:12). We were once condemned by our sin, but now we're saved through Jesus (Romans 8:1). We were once separated from God, but now the Holy Spirit indwells us (Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 1:3-14).
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." —1 John 3:1
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." —2 Corinthians 5:17
We've been made new and given the opportunity to live a new, healthier, and more fulfilling life. What should be our response to God's lavish love for us?
Though we've been forgiven in Christ, and nothing will change our eternal standing with God (John 10:28-30; Jude 1:24-25), we still have our sin nature and still sin against God. The Christian life is one of gradual transformation, enabled by the Holy Spirit and in which we actively participate (Romans 8:29-30; Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13).
Our gratitude to God (1 Thessalonians 5:18), turning from our sin (Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 12:1-2), and intentional obedience to God's commands (John 15:1-11; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:1-17) are all in response to His great love and His work in us (1 Peter 1; 1 John 5:3).
So, too, is our intentional investment in our relationship with God through things like reading His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17), spending time with Him in prayer (Philippians 4:4-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), spending time with other believers (Hebrews 10:19-25), and actively stewarding the gifts and resources He's entrusted to us for the good of others (Galatians 6:8-10).
In Christ, not only are we reconciled to God, but to one another (Ephesians 2). As children of God, believers in Jesus are brothers and sisters of one another. We are part of the "body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12), perhaps better known as the universal Church. Amazingly, God invites His people into His work in the world (John 15:15-17; Matthew 5:14-16; 28:18-20; Ephesians 3:10; 4:11-6). So we also respond to the gospel by actively engaging with God's people and in His good work.
Thanks to Jesus, we've been freed from the power of sin and given a new purpose: to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39; John 13:34-35; 1 John 3:23). That's some news that's definitely good enough to share.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." —Matthew 28:19-20
As followers of Jesus, we have an incredible opportunity to affect others' eternal lives with His good news. Romans 10:14-15 encourages us to do our best to share the gospel with others in whatever way we are called. This may sound intimidating but rest assured that God will equip you for every conversation that comes and that even the smallest bit of the faith you share can be used by God to change a life.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith, and without it, our faith is pointless (1 Corinthians 15:14). The gospel reveals God's great love for us and His plan to rescue us from sin and spiritual death. The gospel shows us that our worth comes from God, our purpose is to glorify Him, and our future is secure in Jesus. So it's important for us to understand what the gospel is—especially so we can explain it to others.
"...in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." —1 Peter 3:15
The word "gospel" literally means "good news." When we talk about the "gospel of Jesus Christ," we're talking about the good news of what He accomplished for us. Jesus solved the problem of humanity's sin and its eternal consequences by taking on human flesh, living a sinless life, sacrificing His life on our behalf, then coming back to life. The gospel of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith, and without it, our faith is pointless (1 Corinthians 15:14). The gospel reveals God's great love for us and His plan to rescue us from sin and spiritual death. The gospel shows us that our worth comes from God, our purpose is to glorify Him, and our future is secure in Jesus.
Cat is the web producer and editor of 412teens.org. She is known as "412teens" on the 412teens Discord. She loves audiobooks, feeding the people she cares about, and using Christmas lights to illuminate a room. When Catiana is not cooking, gardening, or practicing creativity, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, five socially-awkward cats, and her amazing friend-amily.
