In order to understand why the Gospel truly is good news, one must understand what it actually is. Simply put, the gospel is a tale of God’s greatness, and his love and mercy toward fallen humanity, particularly me. There are many Bible verses that support the following paragraphs, but I will not toss you to and fro between them at this time. In a nutshell the Gospel goes like this:
God Is Great
God is immense beyond comprehension. He created all things; the universe fits into the palm of his hand. He is unimaginably awesome in power, righteousness, perfection, and holiness. He is the creator of all things, and sustains all things. He created all life, including me through His vast power and loving will. I owe all to Him. He is worthy off all the praise, admiration, glory, and reverence I can muster.
I Have Fallen Short
Instead of being thankful for what God has done for me and humbly submitting to His will for my live, I rebelled, and broke the letter and spirit of God’s law in countless ways. I am ensnared and bound as a slave to my sin. I am guilty before God and worthy to receive whatever righteous judgement He deems appropriate. I am lost and without hope of ever doing anything that could pay Him back or avoid His wrath.
God Stepped Into Space and Time
Sin cannot go unpunished. As a matter of fact, God says that apart from the shedding of blood there is no expunging of sin. Thankfully, God gave me a way out. In His great love for me, He sent His own son, Jesus, into the world on my behalf. Jesus took on flesh, became a man, and as a man lived a perfectly sinless, God-centered life. Ultimately, in perfect submission to the will of His Father, Jesus laid down His own life as payment for the sins that were mine.
My Salvation
Three days later, God raised His Son from the dead and exalted Him to His own right hand, where He reigns in complete authority over all power and principality. By doing so, God declared that Jesus’ death is completely sufficient to forgive and cleanse all sin. The instant I placed my faith in Jesus and His work on the cross, God instantly granted me total forgiveness of all my sins, past, present, and future. God poured his Holy Spirit into my heart. I was spiritually reborn as a child of God, and became a joint heir with Christ in the kingdom which is to come. Sin no longer has power over me, and I do not have to obey it anymore. I have a new Master, one who literally loves me to death.
Wow! If that is not Good News Only, what is? That’s the Gospel in a nut shell. Over time I will share more about the Word and its power. Thanks for visiting and please feel free to comment or share your opinion.