The Good News of the Gospel
The gospel is God’s plan for restoring all of creation unto himself by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The gospel literally means “good news” and Jesus tells his disciples to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole of creation” (Mark 16:15). When you understand the overarching message of the Bible, it will help you understand the significance of knowing and sharing the good news with others.
Gospel Overview
1. The Author of Life
The Bible begins with, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Your origin starts with God, your Father, as the creator in the Garden of Eden in the right relationship with mankind — Adam and Eve. God, in His love, created man with free will to choose right from wrong — people are not robots programmed to love God, but they have been given a choice to love and obey him or reject and disobey him. The Bible says, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
2. Your Problem
Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan and disobeyed God’s command. This rebellion severed their intimacy with God, introduced death into the world, and expelled mankind from perfect union with God. This disobedience, called sin, infected all of humanity like cancer and left humankind under judgment (Romans 5:12). Since the fall of mankind from the Garden of Eden, mankind has tried to bridge the divide between man and God by building towers, carving idols, and by following strict moral standards. But the Bible declares that “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one” (Psalms 14:3).
3. God’s Solution
God had a plan to judge Satan and restore all of humanity through the person and work of Jesus. Jesus was with God in the beginning and was willing to suffer the consequences of man’s rebellion. Two thousand years ago, Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and gave his life up to save all humanity from the effects of sin. The Bible says God made him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam), so through one act of righteousness and obedience (Jesus’ sacrifice), many will be declared righteous (Romans 5:18). This is the good news of the Gospel; God made a way for humankind to be reconciled through faith in Jesus (Romans 5:8-11).
4. Your Response
Just as Adam and Eve were given free will to choose, God gives you the opportunity to repent and put your faith in Jesus or reject his substitutional sacrifice. Repentance is simply choosing to give up the way you’ve been doing things and follow God’s way. Jesus said, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). Unfortunately, many will choose to reject God’s grace, the gift of salvation, and choose to live eternally separated from God. For it is appointed for man to die once and then comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
5. Your New Life
“To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). When you place your faith in Jesus you are adopted into God’s family. No longer are you bound to the shame and guilt of your past but now, you have the power to walk in new life. Jesus said that he will send his followers a helper, the Holy Spirit, who will guide you into all truth (John 14:26). Salvation is not only an event but an interactive life with God, participating now in what Jesus is doing on earth. Like a messenger from Heaven, you can now participate in expanding the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, living with humanity’s eternity in mind.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Five short videos about five big questions.
One Love has put together GoodNewsHawaii, five short videos, and a free discipleship booklet to help believers understand their new identity in Christ. Take some time to watch these videos and download the free resource to learn more about what the Bible says about trials, prayer, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.