In all of life, there is no more important question than, “what is the gospel of Jesus Christ?” The gospel is what Christians refer to as the “good news.”
God has revealed Himself in two ways, general revelation and special revelation. General revelation is what we can know about God by what we see and experience around us. Special revelation is that which we cannot know about God without Him telling us. This is why the Bible is so essential. The Bible informs us about God in ways that His creation (the universe, earth, the animal kingdom, mankind, and so forth) cannot. Special revelation given to mankind through the Bible informs us about who God is, where mankind is from and what characterizes us, what sin is, why mankind is separated from God due to sin and how man can return to a right relationship with God (i.e. salvation).
Having a relationship with God is coming to a proper understanding of who God is and who you are. If you desire to understand who God is and your responsibility to Him as your Creator, please enjoy the rest of this article. Our prayer is that you will bring glory to God with all of your life as you come to understand God and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
First, God has given us instruction about Himself.
1. God created and owns everything.
Psalm 24:1 says,
“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;”
2. God is perfectly holy.
Matthew 5:48 says,
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
3. God requires perfect obedience to His law.
James 2:10 says,
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
Second, God has given us instruction about ourselves.
1. Mankind has broken God’s law.
Romans 3:23 says,
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
2. Mankind will pay the eternal penalty for sin.
Romans 6:23 says,
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
3. Mankind cannot save himself by his good works.
Titus 3:5 says,
“…he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,”
and Isaiah 64:6 says,
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
Third, God has given us instruction about His Son, Jesus Christ.
1. Jesus came to earth as both God and sinless man.
Colossians 2:9 says,
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,”
2. Jesus demonstrated God’s love by dying on the cross to pay sin’s penalty.
Romans 5:8 says,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
3. Jesus rose from the grave and is alive today.
1 Corinthians 15:4 says,
“…that he [Jesus] was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
Fourth, God has given us instruction about what we must do as those who are guilty of breaking His law.
1. Sinners must repent of all that dishonors God.
Luke 9:23 says,
“Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
2. Sinners must believe in Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Romans 10:9 says,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’”
The question then that faces us all is: will you repent and believe on Jesus Christ? Acts 17:30 says, “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
God is not begging you to repent. He is commanding you with great compassion to repent. God is not offering His Son Jesus as one of many ways to heaven, He has given His Son as the only way to heaven. Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to have your sins forgiven and to have a right relationship with God – and this can happen today!
If you have any questions or would like to talk with a pastor, please contact the church office at (818) 776-2435 or email us at fbc.northridge@gmail.com.
