The Gospel

The Beginning

Everything begins with God. He “created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). He made the universe, so he is in charge of it. We all owe him our obedience and loyalty, because he is our creator. God put the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, in charge of his creation, to rule as his representatives. All this was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). A perfect home, a perfect marriage, and a perfect relationship with God—they had it all.

The Problem

But the world God made is not “very good” any more. Our lives are full of trouble, sickness, and ultimately death. These all entered the world when Adam disobeyed God. He and Eve refused to submit to their king, so they could not live with him any longer. God put them out of the beautiful garden he had made to be their home (Genesis 3).

This treason against our king is what the Bible calls “sin,” and it is punishable by death (Genesis 2:17, Romans 6:23). When Adam sinned, he brought death into the whole world: our natural environment, our society, and our own bodies (Genesis 3:17-19). All this leads to the final judgment called “the second death” (Revelation 2:11) or “hell” (Mark 9:47). This is justice. God created us and showered us with blessings, and we have rebelled against him. God always does what is right, because he is the righteous judge of the world (Genesis 18:25).

The Solution

Amazingly, God promised a solution for the problem of sin. He promised to make a way for us to live with him again. He kept this promise by sending his Son into this world. His Son’s name is Jesus, because he came to save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is also called “Emmanuel” because he is “God with us”—a divine person, living a human life (Matthew 1:23). Adam got us into this mess by sinning against God. Jesus got us out of this mess by perfectly obeying. He never sinned, so he did not deserve death, but he died on a cross (Mark 15). By dying in our place, Jesus provided forgiveness for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18).

The Ending

Then Jesus rose from the grave (Mark 16:6). This proves that he is not an ordinary person, and that his death was not an ordinary death. He is not a sinner who deserved to die, but a savior who died for the sins of others, in order to bring them new life. After this, he ascended up to heaven (Luke 24:50-53). That’s where he is now. Soon, he will return to finish his work. He will judge the whole world in perfect fairness. Everyone will get what they deserve (Romans 2, Hebrews 9:27-28).

Of course, everyone deserves to die, because everyone has sinned. But those who trust in Jesus will be saved from the death that they deserve. They will live in a “new heavens and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1), where sin will be forgotten, and we will once again have a perfect relationship with God, our creator and our king.

What it Means for You

You have broken God’s law. If you’re not convinced, read Exodus 20:1-17 and Matthew 22:37-40. You deserve God’s punishment for your sin. And now you know the good news that Jesus has provided a solution for your sin, so that you can be forgiven. What must you do now?

First, believe on Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). Trust him personally to save you, just as you would trust a firefighter to carry you out of a burning building. Second, repent of your sin (Acts 2:38). Recognize that your sin is terrible. Leave your sinful way of life. Enter a new life of obedience to Jesus as your master. If you believe in Jesus and repent of your sin, God will forgive your sins (Romans 10:9). When Jesus returns to judge the world you will receive everlasting life (John 6:40).