Why the Gospel?
- Because the Gospel is of first importance, namely that Christ died for our sins and was raised on the third day, both in accordance with the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
- Because only the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.(Romans 1:16)
- Because eternal condemnation and a curse (anathema) is pronounced on anyone who distorts the Gospel and preaches a different gospel. (Galatians 1:6-9)
What is the Gospel?
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit...”
1 Peter 3:18
“For Christ…”
Jesus, his earthly name given at his birth because of His mission to save (Matthew 1:21; 1 Timothy 1:15) was the Christ, God’s Chosen One (Luke 9:35), anointed by God (Acts 10:38), who fulfilled all the prophecies about the Messiah (Luke 24:25-27; 44-46; Romans 1:1-3) and of whom alone God said in Him He is well-pleased (Luke 3:22). He is truly God and truly Man (John 1:1-3, 14; 5:18; 10:30; 1 Timothy 2:5) God made Him both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).
“...also suffered once for sins…”
Christ’s crucifixion is a historical reality, He died, with theological significance, for sins. And His sacrifice was sufficient as He died once for all time (Hebrews 7:27; 9:25-28; 10:1-4; 11-14) as the perfect Passover Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7).
“...the righteous for the unrighteous…”
Jesus Christ is the Righteous One (Acts 3:14; 1 John 2:1),...
We, on the other hand, are the unrighteous.
But Christ, the righteous, bore the wrath of God, for the unrighteous(Isaiah 53:4-6) as He propitiated, satisfied the wrath of God.(Romans 3:25). He was the substitute, in the place of and on behalf of.
“...that he might bring us to God…”
The purpose for Christ the righteous dying in the place of the unrighteous was that He might bring us to God because:
“...being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”
The crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ are the essential core elements of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). You must believe in the substitutionary death of Christ and in His bodily resurrection (Romans 10:9-10)
Jesus, his earthly name given at his birth because of His mission to save (Matthew 1:21; 1 Timothy 1:15) was the Christ, God’s Chosen One (Luke 9:35), anointed by God (Acts 10:38), who fulfilled all the prophecies about the Messiah (Luke 24:25-27; 44-46; Romans 1:1-3) and of whom alone God said in Him He is well-pleased (Luke 3:22). He is truly God and truly Man (John 1:1-3, 14; 5:18; 10:30; 1 Timothy 2:5) God made Him both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).
“...also suffered once for sins…”
Christ’s crucifixion is a historical reality, He died, with theological significance, for sins. And His sacrifice was sufficient as He died once for all time (Hebrews 7:27; 9:25-28; 10:1-4; 11-14) as the perfect Passover Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7).
“...the righteous for the unrighteous…”
Jesus Christ is the Righteous One (Acts 3:14; 1 John 2:1),...
- who knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21),...
- who was without sin (Hebrews 4:15),...
- who was separated from sinners (Hebrews 7:26),...
- in whom there is no sin (1 John 3:5)...
- and who always did the things that were pleasing to the Father (John 8:29).
We, on the other hand, are the unrighteous.
- who have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23),...
- who have gone astray by turning to our own way (Isaiah 53:6),...
- who are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and blind (2 Corinthians 4:4),...
- whose heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) and hardened (Ephesians 4:18)...
- and who are therefore unwilling and unable to please God and submit to Him (John 8:44; Romans 8:7-8).
But Christ, the righteous, bore the wrath of God, for the unrighteous(Isaiah 53:4-6) as He propitiated, satisfied the wrath of God.(Romans 3:25). He was the substitute, in the place of and on behalf of.
“...that he might bring us to God…”
The purpose for Christ the righteous dying in the place of the unrighteous was that He might bring us to God because:
- our sins separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2)
- we had earned and merited and deserved God’s righteous judgment, condemnation and wrath (John 3:18-20; Romans 1:18)
- we were enemies of God, alienated from God and hostile to God and therefore needed to be reconciled to God (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Colossians 1:21-22)
“...being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”
The crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ are the essential core elements of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). You must believe in the substitutionary death of Christ and in His bodily resurrection (Romans 10:9-10)
This is the Gospel, the Evangel, the good news of salvation found only in Christ Jesus. Will you forsake and abandon anything you may be clinging to as the basis of your salvation, i.e. your church attendance, your Christening, your Confirmation, your baptism, your morality, your religious rituals, since none of those things can save you? Will you then see yourself as who you really are before the God of heaven, a wretched, depraved, corrupt, lost sinner? And will you trust in Christ alone knowing that He alone can save you as the great God and Savior? Don’t wait. Stop using your excuses and objections. This is urgent. This is the need of the hour right now for you. It involves your eternal soul!
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? |
We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God! |
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of |