The Gospel & Why It's Good News

 What is the gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:2-8

"2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."

1 Corinthians 15 includes the gospel message. But why is that such good news?

The gospel is good news because, though all have sinned (Romans 3:23), though the finished work of Christ you can be saved! And to explain, I'll go over a few more points.

Reality of sin

In the beginning, God made the heavens and the earth, man and woman, and all the creatures we see on earth. There was perfect peace; that is, until the fall. The fall is when the first of mankind - Adam and Eve - sinned against God by disobeying His command.

The problem with sin is that it separates us from God. Not only is there short-term consequence in our daily lives, but sin ultimately leads to death (Romans 6:23) and eternal separation from God. And that's an issue because we all have sinned.

Redemption

But there's hope!

Think of this for example: You're at a trial for a crime you've committed. There's undeniable evidence against you, and you've been found guilty. The judge is just, so he can't just let you go. The sentence is jail or a fine - one that's far too expensive for you to pay. But right when you think you're going to jail, the judge decides that he will pay the fine for your release.

You see, that's what God has done for us. Instead of leaving people in their sins, God provided the way we can be forgiven of sin. This comes through Jesus Christ. He lived the perfect, sinless life. He died the death that we deserved, satisfying the just wrath of God. And He rose from the dead, defeating death, and completing the payment for our sin. So now, through Christ, we can be restored to God. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21).

What must we do in light of this?

Here's the call for every person: Repent and believe the gospel.

Why? Because through faith - not a result of human effort - we are justified; we are declared righteous before God based on the righteousness of Christ's atoning death (Romans 8:33-34; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Through faith, a person is made to be in right standing before God, resulting in what was once an estranged and hostile relationship, to an adoption into the family of God.

The New Identity of The Believer

When a person places their faith in Christ, they go through a process of sanctification, or as Jesus says, they are are born again (John 3:3). This is a work that the Holy Spirit does in a believer. They go from being an enemy under God's wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3) to being welcomed into God's family as a beloved child. The believer in Christ is declared righteous on account of Christ's perfect life and substitutionary death and resurrection. No longer is the person a slave to sin, but they are free from it. No longer is a person defined by past failures or present struggles. They've been delivered from darkness, and now belong to the kingdom of life (Colossians 1:13). Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation in whom the old, sinful self is passed away and the new, redeemed self is alive and progressing, becoming more and more like Christ everyday (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Restoration

There is a sweet promise for those who are saved. One day, Jesus Christ will return. On that day, He will welcome those who have believed on Him into His kingdom, where there will be eternal life with God. He will wipe away all tears, there won't be death, mourning, or crying (Revelation 21:4), and we will get to live with our Creator in perfect peace forever! So no matter what this life brings, believers in Christ have a blessed hope to cling to!

A Few Supporting Bible Verses

• 1 Corinthians 15:2-8 (The Gospel)

"2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."

• Romans 6:1-2 (How should Christians live?)

"1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?"

• Ephesians 2:8-10 (Salvation & living as a Christian)

"8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 (Justification)

"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."

• Galatians 2:20 (New life of a believer)

"20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

• Revelation 21:4 (Restoration)

"4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”