THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE FREE GIFT
The Gospel of our Salvation

In all of life, nothing is more wonderful than discovering God's GOOD NEWS.
STEP 1 to this discovery is realizing GOD'S PLAN -- PEACE and LIFE.

Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Exodus 3:13-14

John 1:1,3,14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 3:16 "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

1 John 5:11-13 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal LIFE, and this LIFE is in His Son. He who has the Son has the LIFE; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the LIFE. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have ETERNAL LIFE.

Romans 5:1 "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Yet very few know this peaceful, abundant life that God desires for all; but the problem is not with God...........

Everyone, at one time or another has broken GOD'S Laws.
STEP 2 is acknowledging MAN'S PROBLEM -- SIN.

Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick."

Isaiah 53:6 "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."

Ecclesiastes 7:20 "Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 3:10 "As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE."

Now, the frightening thing that the Bible teaches is that there is a terrible consequence awaiting those who sin.

STEP 3 is realizing SIN'S CONSEQUENCE -- ETERNAL DEATH

2 Thes. 1:8,9 "...dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power."

Luke 16:22-24 "...The rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades (Hell) he lifted up his eyes, being in torment ... he cried out and said ... I am in agony in this flame."

Matthew 25:41 Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

Revelation 14:11a “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night,..."

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Because we all have sinned we all deserve eternal ETERNAL DEATH -- torment in flames. Praise God that we don't have to stop with this bad news. Here is the GOOD NEWS! (that's what "gospel" means -- "good news")

Step 4 is the GOOD NEWS, GOD'S REMEDY -- The CROSS.

Galatians 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

THE BIBLE SAYS....

1 Peter 1:18,19 "...knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold ... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ."

1 Peter 2:24 "... and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds we were healed."

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."

Hebrews 10:10 "By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE for ALL."

1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also died for sins, ONCE for ALL ..."

Acts 2:24, 31b “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. ... that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay."

Step 5 is understanding YOUR RESPONSIBILITY -- TO SEEK AFTER GOD WITH ALL OF YOU HEART

THE BIBLE SAYS....

John 3:3-7: Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Titus 3:5: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

1 John 5:18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

1Corinthians 15:48-50 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

2. Recognize the deity of Jesus Christ
The Bible teaches that the term "Son of God," which Jesus used to describe Himself, meant that He was EQUAL with the Father, John 5:18. Also, Jesus created all things, Col. 1:16, and He put off His Godly power to become a "man" to die for sinful mankind, Phlp. 2:6-8. After suffering three days in Hades, Jesus Christ resurrected bodily, Acts 2:24-32. Although He was tempted in all ways, He was without sin in thought, word, or deed, Hebrews 4:15.

Having done this, God gives you tremendous .......

ASSURANCE from HIS WORD, the HOLY BIBLE

John 6:39-40 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

THE BIBLE SAYS....

John 4:14b "...but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst."

Titus 3:5 "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness but according to HIS mercy."

Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

Ephesians 4:30 "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

Romans 6:23b "... the FREE GIFT of GOD is eternal life in CHRIST JESUS our LORD."

Romans 11:29 "...for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

To deepen this relationship you should:

1. Be water baptized (immersion) as your first act of obedience. Acts 8:36-38; 10:47-48
2. Read your Bible every day to learn more about your Savior. (Begin with the gospel of John and then Romans.) II tim. 3:15-17
3. Talk to God every day (prayer), thanking Him for saving you. I Thes. 5:16-18
4. Tell others about Jesus Christ, and how He saved you. Acts 1:8
5. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a fundamental Bible church with male pastors who teach that Jesus is God, and that salvation can never be lost. I tim. 2:9-15; Heb. 10:25
6. As Christ's representative, demonstrate your new life by your love for others. II Cor. 5:18