What is the Good News of Jesus Christ?

1. The Problem

The Bible says that God originally made the world a perfect place and created man without sin (wrongdoing). Adam and Eve, the first human beings, decided to go their own way and turned their back on God. From that time on, all human beings have “inherited” a sinful nature. Romans 3:23 says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (NIV). Since God is holy and pure, He cannot look upon sin and will therefore confine to hell all those who reject Him in this life.

2. The Solution

Doesn’t sound much like good news, does it? Well here it comes — “God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. “(John 3:16-NIV). Jesus Christ gave up the glory of heaven and came to earth as a man with one purpose— “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10- NIV). He died on the cross for two reasons. (1) His body was broken to satisfy God’s wrath against sin, and (2) His blood was shed to forgive our sins. For “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness [of sins].” (Hebrews 9:22-NIV). But it didn’t end there. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day to prove that He had conquered death and the power of sin!

3. The Benefits

Jesus said “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28-NIV). He came to fill the God-shaped hole that is in everyone’s life and make them complete in Him. Christianity is not a religion about God but a relationship with God, an intimate, personal relationship which provides the believer with love, joy, peace, fulfilment and meaning. The rewards quite literally last for eternity and death itself is merely a passing through to the next glorious existence in the very presence of God.

4. The Response

Becoming a Christian is as easy as ABC:

Admit that you are a sinner.

You don’t need the Bible to tell you this. You know it yourself. Sin is falling short of God’s perfect standard and all of us are guilty.

Believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

Jesus provided many convincing proofs of His divinity, culminating in His spectacular resurrection from the dead. This was the ultimate sign that He was truly one with God the Father and no-one, either before that time or since, has ever come close to matching His power.

Call upon Him as your personal Lord and Saviour.

Many people follow steps A and B and neglect step C, but calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ is the most important part. Romans 10:9 and 13 says that “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” And, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. ” (NIV).

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