God’s Word tells us that we are to share the Gospel with others. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and ]reverence.” (NASB) We must know…what exactly IS the Gospel? It is the Good News about Jesus Christ – His life, His death, His resurrection, and the hope He brings to those who belong to Him.
1 Peter tells us we are to tell of the hope we have. That hope comes because Jesus loved us so much, He came to this earth for the specific purpose of giving His life to pay for our sins. The Bible says our sin separates us from God. He is holy and righteous and cannot be in the presence of sin. Isaiah 59:2 tells us, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” (NASB) Our sin separates us from God, but God made the bridge from Him to us through the Cross of Jesus Christ.
That is Good News to us because it means we don’t have to pay the penalty for our sins, Jesus took that penalty upon Himself because of His great love for us, and our relationship with God is restored. John 3:16 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.” (KJV) You see, we have all sinned. Romans 3:23 tells us that. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (NASB) Every single one of us is a sinner, we were born into sin. Romans 3:10 says, “as it is written, there is none righteous, not even one.” (NASB) Romans 6:23 tells us that the penalty for sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NASB) But when we confess our sins, 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and ask Him to forgive us for our sins and make a new person of us, our sins are covered by His blood that was shed on the Cross, we are cleansed, and made whole and righteous before God. There is nothing we can do to gain salvation; it is a FREE gift from God! Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)
However, we do not serve a dead God, Jesus rose from the grave three days after He was crucified and ascended to Heaven where He rules and reigns at the right hand of His Father, God. Jesus has promised to come again to receive us into Heaven to live with Him.
This is all Good News – the Gospel! This is what we are to share. This is the hope we have, and that hope is to be proclaimed to everyone. In the world in which we live, we see no hope. Everywhere we look people are in distress, there is chaos, they see no hope. But we have Good News for them…they can have that hope if they would turn their hearts to Jesus and accept His love and sacrifice for them. He changes lives, one life at a time, and He brings peace, joy, love, and HOPE! Will you not accept Him today and receive the hope He has for you?
donnasmusings 