Love ↷ Sacrifice ↷ Salvation ↷ Transformation ↷ Restoration
The gospel message is simply the good news that Jesus Christ:
That's all there is to it!
The good news is summarized nicely in the familiar passage of John 3:16 and further supported in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and Ephesians 2:8-9.
But what good is it?
Then follow Him and experience true:
Salvation is free through Him... and it comes with great benefits!
We believe that the gospel message is the most important message that anyone can hear, and we are called to share it with the world.
God created us to be with Him, but our sin separates us from Him. In order to restore that relationship, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to live a faultless life and then die on the cross for our sins, and to rise from the dead, thereby paying on our behalf the penalty for our sins, and in so doing purchasing our salvation from sin and eternal death.
By placing our faith in Jesus Christ and confessing Him as our Lord and Savior, we can be saved from our sins and reconciled with God. This gift of salvation is offered freely to all who accept and believe and submit. It is not earned through either good deeds or personal merit. We can't work our way to salvation and we can't be good enough to receive it.
Which is good news! Salvation is a free gift, for all and to all.
Jesus is the exclusive path to salvation. He also offers the power to transform lives. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit who works within us to renew our hearts and minds, helping us to turn away from sin and live the life God promises. This transformation is a gradual process, a journey of a lifetime, as we grow in faith and put on the armor of God.
As Children of the Father, we will still face struggles and challenges, but we can have hope and assurance that through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome and be made new. It is faith alone that saves us, and like the thief on the cross we may not have much time for growth, but regardless of how long we live after accepting Jesus, it is our outward change due to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit within us that is the fruit by which all may judge our faith. We may indeed be like the thief and only have time to accept and confess Jesus and rebuke the another sinner, or we be like the apostle John and have many decades in which to grow in faith and affect many lives through our witness. Regardless, one thing is certain: We will not — as it is simply not possible — remain unchanged.
The Bible promises that, through faith in Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to be saved by His blood and then be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our old sinful nature can be reborn as a new holy nature. Salvation offers us eternal life. Rebirth allows us, starting today, to live a life that is pleasing to God and in accordance with His will.
Romans 1:16 — Matthew 28:19-20 — Genesis 1:26-27 — Isaiah 59:2 — 1 Peter 2:22 — 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — Romans 10:9 — Ephesians 2:8-9 — Romans 6:23 — John 14:6 — Ephesians 1:13 — Philippians 1:6 — Romans 8:28 — Hebrews 9:14 — 2 Corinthians 5:17
Now, read the preceding message again, but this time when you see "our" or "we/us" — read it as "your" and "you".
Do you see? The gospel message is personal — sent from God and addressed to you!
John 3:16 — Revelation 3:20-21 — Romans 3:21-24 — 2 Corinthians 5:17-19