THE GOSPEL = GOOD NEWS!

“The Gospel is NOT a call to repentance*,

Or to AMENDMENT of our ways,

To make RESTITUTION for past SINS,

Or to PROMISE to do better in the future.

These things are proper in their place, But they DO NOT constitute the Gospel; For the Gospel is NOT good advice to be obeyed, It is GOOD NEWS TO BE BELIEVED!!

Do not make the mistake then of thinking that the Gospel is a call to duty

Or a call to reformation,

A call to better your condition,

To behave yourself in a more perfect way Than you have been doing in the past.

Nor is the Gospel a demand that you give up the world,

That you give up your sins,

That you break off bad habits, And try to cultivate good ones.

You may do all these things, and yet never believe the Gospel,

And consequently never be saved at all.”

Dr. Harry A. Ironside, from the sermon: What Is The Gospel?

This is a matter of life and death, so it will be long, please read it all if you do not know the lord.

all of us will die.

you may not have tomorrow. don’t wait!

THINK YOU ARE GOOD OR EVEN PRETTY GOOD?

What then? Are we better than they?  Not at all.

For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” Rom 3:9-12

God is perfect and so is His standard.

For the wages of sin is death;

But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 6:23

 The bad news …

We have ALL sinned against a Holy God and we are in trouble…

We have earned the JUDGMENT of death. What can we do about it?…

WE NEED A SAVIOR…

WHO IS A PERFECT SACRIFICE…

WHO WOULD MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR US WITH GOD THE FATHER.

► Only His Son, only a righteous sacrifice will do.

► Only a sacrifice Who was fully man, fully God could die and take up His life again.

► Once for all…He died for SINNERS…the whole world.

► Who were out without strength.

► The Ungodly.

► Reconciled While we were enemies of God…

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.  Rom 5:7-10

REMEMBER THIS QUALIFICATION…

BELIEVES WHAT??

IT IS A FREE GIFT TO BE RECEIVED!

He did it all on the cross, and we can bring nothing.  (1 Cor 15:3-4)

► Christ is our righteousness when we believe.
► You cannot do anything to receive this free gift.
► You cannot earn it by any behavior or work.
► You can not do anything in the flesh at all.

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.  But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”  Rom 4:3-8

HE ESTABLISHES OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, IF YOU TRY, YOU WILL FAIL…Are you seeking to establish your own?  

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the END of the law for righteousness to everyone who BELIEVES.   Romans 10:3-4

JESUS CHRIST IS FULLY GOD, FULLY MAN, THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD BE THE PERFECT OFFERING IN OUR PLACE.

HE PROVED HE WAS GOD WHEN HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD. (see the gospel declared in I Corinthians 15).

That the Scriptures foretold of the Messiah (who is God the Savior) and He fulfilled them completely.

He made a way from the first time man sinned (see The Prophecy in Genesis 3:15)

BELIEVES WHAT???

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:

► that Christ died for our sins (We are sinners who need a Savior, and someone needed to die. )
► according to the Scriptures, (Prophesied in advance regarding the Messiah)
► and that He was buried, (as the scriptures said.  He sacrificed himself in our place, willingly, he was perfect, when we believe, we are sanctified (washed) by His blood, made perfect in God the Father’s eyes.  2 Thess 2:13)
► and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (Only God could come to life again, Jesus was not JUST a man)…. I Cor 15:3-4

THE ISRAELITES… WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS, MURMURED AGAINST GOD, REBELLED, DISOBEYED, WORSHIPED OTHER GODS..

SOME DIED IN THE WILDERNESS, WHY? BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BELIEVE AND LOOK UPON THE ONLY WAY THAT GOD GAVE THEM TO BE SAVED.

Similarly to today, we know that people will still insist on another way, even if they claim His name, they will add or take away from the gospel.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.    

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.  John 3:14-18, 36

How many times does He tell us this in the book of John alone?  About 85 times.

MANY WILL PERISH TODAY FOR THE SAME REASON…

► THEY WILL NOT TRUST IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ALONE.
► THEY WILL NOT GIVE UP THEIR TRUST IN THEIR DEAD WORKS, OR IN BEING GOOD OR CONTRIBUTING SOMEHOW.
► THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE SIMPLY IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED…IT’S TOO EASY THEY SAY.
► THEY SOMEHOW THINK THEY HAVE SOME RIGHTEOUSNESS THEY CAN BRING.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  Titus 3:4-8

Nothing meritorious we can do…we are justified by His grace when we believe.

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.  Rom 4:4-5

BELIEVE…ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST… (and the answer is?….Acts 16:31)

Again, He is God, come in the flesh, to die in our place.

WHAT DID JESUS SAY?

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who HEARS My WORD and BELIEVES in HIM who sent Me HAS everlasting life, and shall NOT come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.  Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. John 5:24-25

WHAT SHALL WE DO? 

Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

► Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:28-29, 36

BELIEVE ON JESUS!

GOD’S WILL, WILL BE DONE….

And this is the WILL OF HIM who sent Me, that EVERYONE who sees the Son and BELIEVES IN HIM may have EVERLASTING LIFE; and I WILL raise him up at the last day.” Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. John 6:40,47-48

OBEYING THE GOSPEL BY THE WAY, IS BELIEVING IT.

THEY NEED TO HEAR GOD’S WORD, THE GOOD NEWS, THE GOSPEL, THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION…

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has BELIEVED our report?”  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:14-17

BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED…

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. I Thess 2:13

JESUS SAID:

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.  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.  John 3:35-36

WE CANNOT JUST LISTEN TO MEN…

WE NEED TO HEAR HIS WORD, (Also in order to come to faith) AND DECIDE WHAT HIS WORD SAYS…

Men will maybe with good motivation, try to tell you what His Word “means”.

Don’t listen, prove all things. Read His Word. Start with the gospel of John, then go to Romans.  See where you find the gospel spoken.  Read 1 Cor 15:3-4.

What did they believe?  That He was indeed The Messiah, the Savior of the World!

And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.  John 4:41-42

JESUS GAVE US THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE.

• ARE YOU SURE THAT HE IS THE CHRIST?
• THAT HE IS THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD?
• THAT HE DIED IN YOUR PLACE FOR YOUR SINS?
• THAT HE ROSE AGAIN, PROVING HIS WORD IS TRUE,
• AND THAT HE IS GOD THE MESSIAH?

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. John 6:68-69

JESUS TOLD THEM WHO HE WAS, BUT THEY DIDN’T HEAR.

 HE WAS LIFTED UP ON THE CROSS TO DRAW ALL MEN TO HIMSELF…

ONLY HIS WORD-THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE…

Jesus IS the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, and no one will come to the Father but by Him. (John 14:6)

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.  

Then said they unto him, Who art thou?

And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

As he spake these words, many believed on him.  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,  If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.   Romans 12, 24-32

MAN WILL TRY TO TURN YOU BACK INTO WORKING FOR YOUR SALVATION. (Gal 3:3)  Jesus must do the work in you.

THERE IS ONLY ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO PRODUCE GOOD WORKS… ABIDE IN THE VINE (Jesus) AND IN HIS WORD. (Luke 10:38-42). THIS is how we are cleaned up and start producing fruit.

JESUS PRAYED FOR US TO BE SANCTIFIED BY HIS WORD, HIS WORD IS TRUTH John 17:17

AND HE GAVE US THE WAY BY WHICH WE CAN COME TO FAITH.

By hearing the Word of God, and being made wise unto salvation through the Scriptures… (Rom 10:17; 2 Tim 3:15)

THE PRIESTS KNEW DARN WELL, THE PROPHECY OF THE MESSIAH TO COME… the miracles He would do..

I’d garner a guess, they had not healed one…. (And the Word verifies my guess.)

MESSIANIC PROPHECY

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing.  For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert. Isaiah 35:5-6

SO THE BLIND MAN IS HEALED, AND THE PHARISEES ARE ANGRY…

THEY GO TO THE PARENTS,

THEY RAIL AT THE MAN, THEY ASK HIM WHO HE (JESUS) IS.

THEY SAY JESUS IS NOT FROM GOD BECAUSE HE DOES NOT KEEP THE SABBATH…

THEY CALLED HIM A SINNER,

THE ONCE BLIND MAN CALLED HIM A PROPHET…(this part I always cry at fully understanding the second part of the verse)

He answered the Pharisees saying, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. >>>One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” John 9:25

I CHUCKLE A LITTLE AT THE AUDACITY OF THE NOW SEEING MAN AS HE ASKED THESE REVILERS IF THEY WANTED TO BE JESUS’ DISCIPLES…(that had to enrage them) AND HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW GOD’S WORD BETTER THAN THEY…

The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!

Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.

If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” AND THEY CAST HIM OUT. (Jesus won’t)

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” (from John 9)

BELIEVE WHAT JESUS SAID IN HIS WORD!

Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt?  IF THOU BE THE CHRIST, TELL US PLAINLY.

Jesus answered them, I TOLD YOU, and ye BELIEVED NOT: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they BEAR WITNESS OF ME (Messianic prophecies).  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I GIVE unto THEM ETERNAL LIFE; and they shall NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  I and my Father are one. John 10:24-30

DO YOU BELIEVE JESUS IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE, AND THAT ANY THAT BELIEVE IN HIM, SHALL LIVE, AND SHALL NEVER DIE….?

(See her answer in the last verse….this passage shows what is necessary to believe)

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him,

Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.  John 11:25-27

ARE YOU A ZOMBIE?

IF YOU HAVE NOT BELIEVED IN JESUS, YOU ARE…

Read please the passages…

We have either believed and been given eternal life, or you are the walking dead…a Zombie in movie terms.

You are a lost sinner, condemned to death,

God has hidden His face from you. Our sins separate us from God.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2

As you see, Jesus said, You must be born again…

And he told little tax collector Zacchaeus,

“the Son of man (the Lord Jesus Christ) came to seek and to save that which was lost”…. (Luke 19:10)

YOU CANNOT BE GOOD ENOUGH, NO WORKS WILL HELP.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS mercy He saved us…Titus 3:5

He came so that we might have LIFE, and more abundantly.

Jesus made it CLEAR He was the only way…

He was announced as the Savior in Luke 2:11,(unto us this day is born in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord).

Is this announcing Him as Master and our position to submit?

No, this is announcing WHO HE IS. The Messiah who is GOD. Jehovah God.

The only one who can SAVE.

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord (Jehovah), and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Saviour.   Isaiah 43:10-11

HE CAME TO SAVE SINNERS… We have ALL sinned…

There is only one sacrifice that will do in God’s sight, That will appease His wrath against sin and disobedience…

► Not a sacrifice of being good.

► Or doing good works,

► Or making sure you are fully submitted (a good thing we are exhorted to do once we believe)

► Or even calling yourself a Christ follower – fine if you want to, but it doesn’t make you anything.

► Walking an aisle

HIS SACRIFICE: It is by the blood of Jesus Christ that He entered ONCE into the Holy place, having obtained ETERNAL redemption for us! (Heb 9:12 pp)

Anything we do well, we only do because we spend time with Him and HE and HIS WORD strengthens us… No other reason…. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13), see Psalm 119:24-28 for the reviving and strengthening that comes from His Word.

Repentance means to change your mind ….the sin the world is convicted of is UNBELIEF (JN 16:8-9).

Following are some things to ‘repent’ from.

► Your unbelief. (Jn 16:8-9) Turn to Jesus who is our Savior.

► About your works POSSIBLY being good enough (you’re not good, and they are dead works-Is 64:6; Heb 6:1)

► Thinking you are good, or can bring some promise to the table to be good (with the offer of the free gift of salvation), goes directly against what God says in His Word…. No one is good, no not one…

► And when you realize who you are, and THAT you NEED deliverance and the only deliverance is THE SAVIOR…Jesus Christ who is Lord (God the Messiah, God who saves).

► You need to place your faith in the ONE who can save you.

► Only Jesus Christ can save you from the penalty of death. (Rom 6:23; 1 Cor 15)

THAT IS GOOD NEWS…!!  

UNLESS OF COURSE YOU DON’T BELIEVE… In which case, may I suggest this link next. 

BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED!

Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.  For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!   2 Cor 11:1-4