“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14 NLT)
The Gospel, the Good News, as it literally means, isn’t complicated or hard to understand. We complicate it by trying to “fit” it to our “brand” of Christianity. What Jesus said and then what His Disciples recorded for us and which became His words in the Bible, are crystal clear to all who will hear.
Because we, as members of the human family, chose to sin, to decide our way was better than God’s, that original choice of Adam and Eve resulted in them being removed from the Garden of Eden. In essence, their sin caused them to be removed from God’s physical presence. That original sin became part of our nature as human beings and has been passed down to every person ever born of woman, except One (Jesus).
What that meant was, since we were forever separated from God by our own choice, God had to intervene and make a way back to Him where one didn’t exist.
God gave His law, not as a means of giving us a way back to Him, but to reveal to us our sin, our helplessness in finding a way on our own. The Law magnifies our sin and brokenness and highlights why what Jesus did on the Cross is the ONLY way back to God.
Our sin is what separates us from God and the “wages” or payment for our sin is death – eternal separation from a holy God. Because Jesus paid the penalty – the death sentence – sin pronounced on us and by His blood, shed on the Cross for the remission of our sin, we can have eternal life in Christ alone by faith alone!
We don’t and can’t earn eternal life, it is the gift of God and was given so none of us could brag that we had anything to do with it. And just to be clear, no one – NOT ONE – who has ever been washed in the soul cleansing blood of our Savior, has or ever will deserve what He did for them/us.
There are those who ask: “How can a God of love demand such a harsh penalty for sin?” And the simple answer is: He’s a God of His Word. God said in Genesis 2:16-17: “But the Lord God warned Him, ‘You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden- except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, YOU ARE SURE TO DIE.’”
It is critical that we have a clear understanding of what the Gospel is, how it’s made available by grace through Christ alone, because He alone paid the penalty for our sin, and is offered to anyone who will come to Him in faith, not demanding, but willingly accepting the gift of eternal life. Mark Dever wrote: “A church confused about the gospel is worse than worthless. It is a blocked emergency exit. It’s an elevator to hell.”
Being a Jesus follower, while certainly an unparalleled privilege, is also a staggering responsibility. Fellow Jesus followers, WE are Jesus’ hands and feet, but we are also His voice to those in our spheres of influence. May each of us take that responsibility very seriously as we interact with those the Lord puts in our path from day to day.
That DOESN’T mean cramming Him down someone’s throat but being attentive to those whose heart He’s prepared to receive what He’s given us to share with them.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 