What is the Gospel?

What is the gospel?  Well, it literally means "good news". But before we discuss the good news let's make sure we're clear on the bad news. 

The Bad News:
1.  You have broken God's law by lying, stealing, committing adultery, and probably much more.
     Matthew 5:8, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." God judges our hearts and intentions as evidenced in the previous verse. 
2. Because you have broken God's law and, thus, sinned against Him, your penalty is death and Hell. 
     Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death..."
     Revelation 21:8 "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

The Good News: (The Gospel)
1. Christ has paid the debt for many on the cross by shedding His blood.
      Hebrew 9:28 "so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."
     Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life."
2. He became a propitiation for our sins.  Propitiation means that He quenched God's wrath on behalf of those He chose.
     Romans 3:25 "...whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith."
3. It is a gift that is initiated by God and God alone. The Father chose some, the Son died for the ones the Father chose, and the Holy Spirit regenerates those. 
     Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."
     Romans 9:16 & 18 "So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy.  So the He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills."
    Hebrews 12:2 "...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

The first two points are collectively called justification. Justification- an instantaneous legal action of God wherein He thinks of our sin as forgiven and Christ's righteousness is imputed onto us.  In justification God declares us to be righteous in His sight.

So what is required of you? 
1.  Come
    Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
2.  Believe
    John 1:11&12 "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."  This is more than just a mental agreement to the veracity of the facts for, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"  James 2:19  It is putting your trust in Christ as your only hope for salvation, and then repenting.
3. Repent
    Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

If your soul is hanging in the balance, I pray that you would think deeply about this and plead with God to have mercy on you!  If your soul is hidden in Christ, I pray that you would realize that there are many whose souls are not and that you would take seriously your responsibility to share the gospel with them!  (Share the bad news first so they know why the good news matters.)

Romans 3:22- 26:  "...the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."