What is the Gospel
The Gospel (or Good News) is what God reveals to mankind (by covenant/grace)
regarding how He brings us into right standing with Himself, or how He
brought (or bought) us back into a relationship with Him. Our desperate need
for the gospel indicates that we are NOT in right standing with God
and can NEVER be in right standing without it. Without God's good
news (and the saving power it carries), man is hopelessly lost; which
disapproves those who are trying to do good works in the hopes to put
themselves in the favour of God and save themselves. (Romans 11:6).
We often hear these phrases today in the context of becoming saved,
- "you must invite Jesus into your heart." or
- "you must accept Christ as your personal Saviour."
Where in the bible can we find these? Such "invitations" have
absolutely no Scriptural basis. If you don't do what the bible instructs, you are wrong! (Look at Cain and
Abel for an example!)
Redemption is not responding to an altar call after a prosperity message; it
is not being scared into heaven by a hell-fire preacher; it's not reading a
baseless gospel tract. Other misconceptions of salvation that are frequently
heard today are things like, you must --
- repent, be baptized, join a church (God's family), have a priest or pastor or evangelist pray the sinners prayer with you, walk down an aisle, have witnesses at your sinners confession, or sacrifice time or money or commitment to a religious group.
The gospel for us today is to hear the message of why Jesus Christ had
to save us, and by understanding what He has done to save us; that He
died for our sins, was buried and He rose from the dead for our
justification [defence, pardon, acquittal]
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 4:25).
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 4:25).
The Necessities of Salvation
Notice the key words in Paul's letter to the Romans below. Lets describe
these key words in the reverse order to add emphasis on the salvation
process.
Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
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The good news of God's salvation must be communicated (in any comprehensive form) to an individual. This individual
must gain the knowledge of why they need salvation and what God did
through the actions of His Son to provide that opportunity. The purpose
for 'hearing' the gospel is for the innate power of the Gospel
(Rom.1:16) to capture their heart and attention and bring them to a conviction
of their need for God. This is beyond what a human can do for another
human. In other words, we can share the gospel message, but
only the Holy Spirit can bring a lost soul to conviction.
This is a moment that is solely between God and that person! This is
when one gets to believing the gospel.
-
Contrary to what many think, believing is not something a lost
soul can conjure up! When you try to argue someone into faith, they may
concede to the strength of your argument,
but faith was never produced. No person arrives at the point of
genuine "saving faith" by or of their own mental ascent. It is actually the convicting work of the Holy Spirit
in that person that produces faith. Without the inner workings of
the Holy Spirit, no genuine conviction and no hint of faith can ever be
generated by the dead spirit of a lost soul in order to believe the good
news.
In these verses below, notice how it is the work of God and not the individual, - Acts 16:14 ...and the Lord opened her heart...
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 ...but of Him you are in Christ Jesus...
- Ephesians 1:18 ...the eyes of your understanding being enlightened...
-
Titus 3:5 ...He saved us...
Can you see why it is so important to hear the gospel! The gospel is the ONLY means which carries the power of God to convict a lost soul. There is no other way for a person to be saved, except to hear the gospel (ie: have it communicated to them for understanding) as we read in Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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It is from this stance, where a lost soul has experienced the convicting
grace of the Holy spirit, where they have experienced the life within
the gospel message and where they are turned by its truth, that they can
call upon God and ask Him for His immeasurable gift of salvation.
This also is a moment between God and that person. There is no
'formula' or set or words or chants that can define how to
call upon God. Whatever is said in that genuine moment is
certainly understood between both parties, and God will ensure that a
new creation is made.
The Power and Simplicity of the Gospel
So, what is the gospel message that saves TODAY? Well Paul sums it up
perfectly in his letter to the church at Corinth.
1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
That is it! There is nothing else to know, there is nothing else to do;
you don't need to work for it or earn it. The only thing you do is
believe that God made a way through His Son and that what Jesus did
fully satisfied the debt of sin. His death "for us" paid our sin-debt liberating us from its
burden. His death "as us" liberated us from 'the dominion and power
of Sin'. It is a complete work achieved by Christ and offered as a gift
from God.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
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