The Gospel

I am convinced that many of today’s churches are lacking an essential component. They got the fancy music, a program/class for any age group/gender/problem/etc., comfortable pews/chairs, large/attractive facilities, among other things. Do not hear me say that these things are altogether bad, I enjoy beautiful churches and comfortable pews, too. But these things alone without the gospel are dangerous. I know there are many churches today that rarely if ever preach the gospel, giving their folks a false sense of eternal security by not preaching the Bible, but just getting the folks into the church on a Sunday morning to tell them some nice happy story, never sharing truth with them about Christ, his death on the cross, and the death he died so those who believe would not see the terrors of hell. Sorry folks but just coming to church on Sunday morning does not make you a Christian. No one will get into heaven by just attending one church service or attending church every weekend for their whole life.

There is only way to heaven and that is through a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Any good work we do will not get us there, we could try forever to do good, yet fall so short. Romans 3:10-12 says “as it is written “None is righteous; no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks God, All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” There is no one who does good, we are all born dead in sin. Romans 3:23 say all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are born into sin, but sin results in death. Not just a physical death but also a spiritual death. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” But hear the second part of the verse, the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Before receiving this free gift we must recognize that we sinners and that we are separated from God because of sin and we are in need of a mediator. "Your iniquities have separated you from your God" (Isa. 59:2).

Jesus Christ is that mediator and came to this earth to be a ransom for many.
"There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men" (I Tim. 2:5-6).

God sent his only Son to show his love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). Christ died upon a cross for the sins of men, though he had never sinned himself. He died that we may have life
"He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness" (I Peter 2:24).

A person must believe that Christ alone died, that he was buried and raised from the dead on the third day for the sins of many. Acknowledge that there is no other way to be saved from the depths of hell, but through believing in and trusting Christ.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

To this good news we are called to respond in repentance and belief, meaning turning away from our sin and self-sufficiency, and turn toward God and trust that Christ’s bleeding and dying on the cross was the only substitute for the penalty we truly deserve for our sin.
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15).