"Are You Understanding The Gospel?"(Various Scriptures)

The gospel is the singularly most important communication of God to humanity! This good news of Jesus is the power of God to eternally save or rescue people from the hard, oppressive control of sin and to unite them with Christ so that His resurrected life is lived out through them! Because of this, the devil is constantly attacking the gospel. If he can derail us on the gospel, everything else is twisted and distorted. And so he's relentless in his attacks on the gospel! As Christ followers, we need to be crystal clear on the truth about the gospel so that we live in light of it daily and we're equipped to share it accurately with anyone at any time! Some present the gospel as if Christ were a better brand of self-help. They ask, "Do you have problems in your life?" "Do you have problems in your marriage?" "Try Jesus and you'll find quick relief!" "Is your personal life falling apart at the seams?" "Jesus will help you get it back together!" In its most crass form, we ask," Are you sick or in poverty?" "Jesus promises to make you well and financially prosperous." So people are encouraged to come to the Lord for whatever help they need. The truth in that lure is that Jesus does give us help with our personal problems after we've come to Him for salvation. But, those promises are NOT the gospel! In many cases, people have come to Jesus for salvation and their problems got much worse! Some have come to Jesus only to lose their lives as martyrs! In other words, the gospel is definitely not about "how to have your best life now!" As Christ followers, the gospel is about the fact that Jesus Christ forgave your sin (Colossians 1:13-14). The gospel is about the fact that Jesus Christ made you a child of God (John 1:12). The gospel is about the fact that Jesus Christ came into your life and will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). The gospel is about the fact that Jesus Christ began a new life in you (2 Cor. 5:17). The gospel is about the fact that Jesus Christ gave you eternal life (1 John 5:11-13). The gospel is about the fact of a new Spirit-generated, Spirit-empowered, and Spirit-protected life as God's own children. The gospel is about the fact of the Holy Spirit coming into your life and bringing new loves, new desires, new longings, and new yearnings for living the life of following Christ! That, my brothers and sisters, is the biblical truth about the gospel! Your move. Be encouraged!