The Gospel is Simple

Are you prepared for the Rapture? Are you earnestly waiting for Christ? Are you even saved? If you’re not saved, or you wonder at times whether you’re truly saved, I want to tell you that you’re not alone. Although the way of salvation is not confusing, many have totally complicated it for themselves today. Many are confused, and like Jews of Apostle Paul’s time, “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:3.

The way to salvation is Christ and none other. In Christ’s own words, He says this about Himself:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6.

See also: 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

God is not only loving, He is also holy.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Revelation 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

We cannot speak of the love of God without mentioning His holiness. His perfect nature demands perfect righteousness. The inability to attain God’s standard of righteousness results in condemnation for all who have sinned. By the way, that’s all of us! But His loving-kindness provides a way for us to receive this perfect righteousness through His Son, Jesus Christ.

So all those who believe can be made righteous before God on the basis of Christ’s completed work. This in a nutshell is what the gospel is all about.

God Created Everything Perfect

When God created the heaven and the earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:1), everything was perfect.

Genesis 1:21  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:25  And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

God created man in His own image. He gave us the gift of freewill which we should have used to worship Him. But Adam and Even disobeyed God instead, thereby bringing sin upon the entire human race.

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

But remember, in addition to sin we inherited from Adam and Eve, we have all committed our own sins.

We Have Sinned, and Our Sins Have a Price

Sin creates problems between us and our Creator. It separated us from our God.

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

The Bible says that the wages of sins is death.

Genesis 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

With the wages of sin being death, if nothing is done, it means we have to die and go to hell where we will suffer and pay the penalty of our sin for all eternity.

Revelation 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Christ Has Paid for All Sins

We deserve to die and to go hell because of our sin! But God loves us enough to send His only begotten Son into this world to die and pay the full penalty of our sin. In John 1:29, the Bible called Him “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 John 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Bear in mind what Jesus Christ the Son of God came to do: He came to suffer and die the most painful death to atone for our sins.

He who knew no sin was punished for our sins. He suffered, bled and died the painful death on the cross at Calvary. He was sacrificed for our sins.

2 Corinthians 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 Peter 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

1 Peter 2:22-24  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Christ had to died and shed His blood because God requires that blood be shed before sin can be forgiven. It has always been that way with God, and always will be.

Leviticus 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Hebrews 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

This is exactly why Christ had to die the bloody death. Which also is why the forgiveness of our sins is directly connected to the blood that He shed on the cross.

As you may have noticed in passages above, Jesus Christ died but did not remain dead. He was truly dead. He was buried, a proof that He actually died. But the grave could not hold Him more than 3 days. The Bible says He gloriously rose again the third day. Defeating death and even the devil Himself, as well as redeeming us from the curse of sin.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4  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

After His resurrection, He was seen by many, in one occasion, He was seen by at least 500 people, a good proof that He rose from the dead.

God Accepted Christ’s Sacrifice

Here is another good news of the gospel, God the Father accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as sufficient to appease His wrath and atone for our sins. This means that God will never again condemn anybody who believes that Jesus died and rose again for his/her sin. This truth has been prophesied even before the earthly life and ministry of Christ. Listen to voice of Prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 53:10-11  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

So Jesus Christ fully atoned for all the sins of the whole world by that one accepted offering of Himself. He fulfilled the Law on our behalf. He reconciled the world to God.

Salvation is Not by Anything We Do or Can Do

Because you have sinned, you have come shot. This means you can never perform up to the requirement of God for righteousness. The Bible says you’re dead in your sins. A dead person is unable to save himself. Even if that’s possible for you, you’re still out of luck because the Bible already  says that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).

Also remember that Jesus did not wait for you to fix anything before He came and died. He died for your sins while you were still committing them.

Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

He has done it all. On the cross before He gave up the ghost, He said “it is finished” (John 19:30). There is nothing left to do on the part of the sinner.

Galatians 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Titus 3:5-7  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Salvation is By Faith Alone

Ephesians 2:8-9  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.

All it takes to be saved is to believe.

Acts 16:30-31  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

To be specific, in order to be saved, a sinner needs to believe that Jesus Christ died and fully paid the penalty of his sins. And that Christ was buried and rose again the third. He was punished for the sins you committed. If you trust in His completed work on your behalf, God will forgive your sin and you will receive the gift of eternal life.

Ephesians 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

Colossians 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

We are forgiven and redeemed by His blood. The blood was shed as an atonement for the sins of the whole world.

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God will never again bring up your sins against you or punish you for the sins for which Jesus Christ had already been punished. His sacrifice was enough and sufficient. It was accepted by God on our behalf. Simply repent and confess your sins to God, confess with your mouth that Christ the Son of God had died for your sins and rose again, put your trust in His shed blood and you will be covered and perfected forever.

I’m not making this up, listen to the Bible.

Romans 3:24-28  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:4-5  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Again, Sorry You Cannot Save Yourself!

You cannot save yourself, you have to be made righteous by Christ. You have to accept His perfect righteousness by putting your faith in His blood; that is, believing that He died for your sin and rose again for your justification. 

Romans 5:17-19  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

You need the perfect righteousness required by the Holy God. This is what you will get when you put your faith in Christ, i.e. believe that His death, burial, and resurrection was done for your sins. This is also what it means to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. You will receive the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and that of eternal life. God will no longer condemn you because Christ has already been condemned for your sins. He fully paid the debt! He paid it ALL!!

Romans 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Don’t just read and put it off. You have to make that decision before it’s too late. I understand that everyone has a free will. You can accept or reject the message of salvation, I’m only responsible for teaching what the Bible says and letting you make your own decisions. But your ‘only’ good decision today is to come to the Cross and be washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ.

In Ephesians 1:7, the Bible says that “we have redemption through his [Jesus] blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”. See also: Romans 6:23; 5:6-8, 10-11; John 3:16.

Jesus Christ fully paid the penalty of your sins with His own blood and life. As pointed out earlier, God demands that blood be shed before sins can be forgiven. Hebrews 9:22 says there will be no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. So whose blood will it take, yours or that of Jesus Christ? It all depends on the choice you make right now!

Would you reject Jesus today and keep trying on your own? You won’t get far with that option! Today could be your last chance! Jesus says “…he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36.

Or would you believe and trust Jesus Christ with your life and accept the free gift of Salvation? Jesus says “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” John 3:36. The Bible says if we trust in the Gospel, we are saved and sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). We have a mansion of gold, a dwelling place, in heaven when we die (John 14:1-4). Jesus says I have given eternal life to them that believe (John 10:27-28; 6:47).

Therefore repent and confess your sins to God, tell Him you believe what Christ did for you on the cross, put your trust in His shed blood, and you will be saved. If you believe today and have decided to put your faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, I congratulate you! You are now born again, and stand fully justified before God.—John 3:36; 5:24; Romans 5:8-9; Acts 13:39. Remember to share your faith with relatives, friends, and colleagues.

Romans 5:6-9  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

If you like to learn more details about the gospel of salvation, please refer to The Gospel of Salvation.

Thank you for reading.