Gospel

Has anyone ever shared the gospel with you?

If not, please allow me. I like to use a series of hand-drawn images. These are crude but anyone can use them to both understand and share the gospel.

The word “gospel” means Good News. And what is this good news? Before we get there, let me share the bad news: We are all sinners and separated from God. There is a chasm between us and God.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

When we recognize this chasm, we might try to cross it by ourselves. But no matter what we do, we will never bridge that gap. On our own, we are unable to meet God’s requirement: being perfectly holy, meaning sinless.

None is righteous, no, not one.

Romans 2:10

But this is where the Good News comes in. Even though we cannot work our way to God, he has given us a gift.

This gift is his provision for us to come to him, free from sin, so we can be in heaven with him forever.

And what is this gift?

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

But who or what are we to have faith in?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.

Acts 16:31

So when we unwrap this gift, this is what we find:

It is the cross that bridges the chasm. This is the only way to be reconciled to God — through Jesus.

Jesus’ death on the cross has paid the price that God demands for your sins. When you believe, God gives you Jesus’ righteousness, which gives you entrance into heaven. Once you recognize your sinfulness and God’s holiness, confess your sins and express your belief in what Jesus has done.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

There is a lot more to learn but you can start your new life today
by praying this prayer or something similar:

Now what?

If you confessed your sins and asked Jesus into your heart, you are a new creation!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

You are a babe in Christ. Just like a baby needs parents to care for him and train him up in the way he should go, so does a spiritual baby. That’s YOU!

If you know any Christians, let them know what you have done. They will be excited for you and hopefully take you under their wing to teach you and guide you.

The first step is to start reading your Bible. Start with the gospel of John and read a chapter a day. This book of the Bible will give you a good idea of what the gospel is all about. If you don’t have a Bible, you can find one online here at Bible Hub. Each time you read, pray and ask God to reveal himself to you.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6

The second step is to attend a solid, Bible-teaching church in your area. You are part of a body. You are no longer alone. Not only do you need them, they need you! The Bible says that we are one body and we need each other to function properly. Let someone there know you are a new believer and they will help you.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Romans 12:4-5

If you need help moving forward, please use the contact form and let me know. I’m happy to help you!

PS As a parent of a special needs child, I know getting to church is not always an option. Here are three resources to help you get started in your journey if you are not able to connect with a local church right away:

• Sunday Morning Service – This live feed is a ministry of McLean Bible Church. The service is streamed live every Sunday at 9 AM and 11 AM Eastern. Streaming is in English, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish and American Sign Language. The Tyson’s location is the main one so you can listen to that feed. You can also find past sermons on the McLean Bible YouTube channel, including signed services in ASL.
• Desiring God/Ask Pastor John – This is the ministry of John Piper. The main website lists all articles, sermons, teachings and Ask Pastor John episodes. If you have questions about the Bible, the Ask Pastor John podcast is a great place to ask them using a keyword search.
• Grace to You – This is the ministry of John MacArthur and Grace Community Church in California. Here you can find verse by verse teaching through every book in the Bible.