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The origin of the word Gospel is said to be from an old English expression “God’s spell”—God’s writing or God’s speech. Some people use the word to mean “the Gospel truth”. Christians use the word to mean “Good News”.

The good news is “God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world, that He (even) gave up His only begotten [unique] Son, so that whoever believes [clings to, relies on] and trusts in Him shall not perish [come to destruction, be lost], but have eternal [everlasting] life” (John 3:16, Amplified version).

But what is the bad news? If there is good news there must be bad news. The bad news is that in the presence of the holy, just and perfect God we are all sinners—both by inheritance and by personal actions: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Actions include things we think, say and do. (Romans 3:10-18). And the worse news is that the penalty for sin is eternal death and torment.“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Jesus said in Matthew 25:41, “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’” These things may be difficult to accept, but reality should be accepted as reality.

But the good news again is that “God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ [the Messiah, the anointed One, Jesus] died for us” in our place (Romans 5:8, Amplified version). Jesus was qualified to do this because He is the Son of God, God in human flesh, and He lived life on this earth without sinning.

How is this good news appropriated to us personally? It is not obtained by good works or good deeds that we do. Ephesians 2:8-9 (Amp) says “For it is by [free] grace [God’s unmerited favor] that you have been saved [delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation] through [Your] faith. And this (salvation) is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; not as a result of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], so that no man will boast or take credit in any way.” 

Salvation is not the result of what any one can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself. But the next verse says that after we are saved from eternal death and torment we are created to do good works.

But John 1:12 (Amp) says “But to as many as did receive and welcome Him [Jesus], He gave the right [power, privilege, authority] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name.” 

In Jesus’ parable in Luke 18:9-13 the publican sinner prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” and was justified.

Romans 10:9-13 (Amp) says, “Because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart [adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth] that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved [from eternal death and torment]. For with the heart a person believes resulting in his justification [declared righteous, acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [declares openly and speaks out freely his faith] resulting in and confirming (his) salvation…for whoever calls on the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved” from eternal death and torment.

In calling on the name of the Lord Jesus we can confess, in prayer, that we are sinners, thank Him for dying in our place, ask Him to forgive our sins, ask Him to come into our life and commit to obey Him. In committing our life to Him we can be confident that He has our best interest in mind. Jesus says, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b).

In addition to forgiveness of sin and eternal life, God promises peace of mind, and purpose for living. Jesus says in John 14:27, ‘Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” To know what we should know about God we should read His word, the Bible. A good place to start is the Gospel of John, then the books of Acts and Romans. Some people like to start reading at Genesis, Psalms, and Matthew at the same time alternating each area from day to day. This gives variety and adds interest. A modern translation other than the King James version may be easier to read and understand.

Then one should attend a Church that faithfully teaches what the Bible says, make a public profession of faith, participate in believers baptism, and join the church. This allows one to enjoy the fellowship of other believers and learn more about God.

Hopefully your response to the above is positive (if you have not responded before) because there is a Sovereign Creator God and “there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.”

— Clifford L. Kauffman

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