Gospel

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation 

“Gospel” means “good news.” The “Good News” that we want to share with you is that your sins can be forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. Many believe that they can “cancel out” their sins by doing good things. That is not good news for anyone, especially for those who have spent their whole lives living in the pleasures of sin and now, it is too late for them. To be honest, that is what I believed when I was younger. But then I was confronted with the Truth.

The Truth is, none of us are good. In Psalm 14 and Psalm 53, the Bible says that God looked down from heaven to see if there were any that were good and His conclusion was “Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:3) Romans 11:32 says, “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”

God’s conclusion is that we are all sinners. We understand that as sinners, we are in danger of hell, because our sin has a price tag. But God wants to show us mercy. 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” and 1 Timothy 2:4 says that God would “have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.” God desires to show us mercy and to save us from our sins, but He is not going to force us. He wants us to choose to love Him and come to Him for salvation.

Many want God’s mercy, but they think that they can obtain it by doing “good works.” But God already concluded that none of us are good and all of our “good works” are “as filthy rags” according to Isaiah 64:6. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” If we cannot obtain God’s mercy through our works, how do we obtain it?

The answer is faith. Faith is believing what God said. God told Abraham that He would make his seed as the stars of heaven in number. In Genesis 15:6, it says, “And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Abraham believed what God told him, and God showed him mercy.

What does God tell us? God tells us in the Bible that we are sinners, and sinners are condemned. Isaiah 1:28 says, “The destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.” But the Good News is that Jesus came to take our place for our sins. Isaiah 53:5-6 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” When Jesus took our place for our sins, He offered His righteousness to us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Jesus died for our sins. He was confirmed dead and buried. Three days later, He rose from the dead. This proves His power and authority over death. When He says that one day we will live forever with Him, we can claim that promise because He lives again. Death has no authority over Him. He has the power to offer us eternal life. Jesus said of those who believe on Him, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)

Jesus is the Only Way to salvation. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” He is our only hope.

As we said before, He will not force us to accept His free offer of salvation. We have to choose. John 3:16-18 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:36 says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Will you choose by faith to believe what God said and believe on the name of the Son of God? Galatians 3:22 says, “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” Romans 10:9-10, 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Call out to Jesus to save you and He will. He promised.