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Glen Park Gospel Church >> Gospel
What is the Gospel?
"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."
Romans 5:10
These are the words of the Apostle Paul. Read the other verses around this for more context. The following pages are more expansive of why God made this way of escaping our sinful nature. This text is divided into seven sections leading from the beginning of everything through our need of salvation to God's provision.
All scripture from English Standard Version.
| Creation | Create humanity, a place for them and friendship with God |
| Fall | Humanity gains understanding and loses friendship |
| Standard | Show God's standard and humanity's rebellion |
| Judgement | The penalty for rebellion is death, separation from God |
| Payment | God as Jesus pays the penalty for humanity's sin |
| Gift | Who will appropriate Jesus' gift? |
| Restoration | Some restored to friendship with God |
Create humanity, a place for them and friendship with God
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 1:1
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
Genesis 1:27
"That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."
1 John 1:3
While science seeks to understand how things are so, philosophy, and the bible, seek to reveal why things are. Philosophy looks within a subject to understand and so cannot grasp the whole, whereas the bible also looks outside creation to reveal the creator. The bible reveals God's hand in our lives and helps us understand our place in God's creation and presence. Clearly, then, religion and science are not at odds but are complimentary. God's creation is made so as to be understandable. Atheists proclaim a conflict here but it is not naturally so.
The verses here reveal that God created humanity in God's likeness and that God values our friendship. As God is creative, humanity is too; as God has a will, so do we to decide our path even against our own immediate interest. An animal is controlled by instinct or can be trained by people to serve our will, trusting us to care for them. People can be instinctive too, but are godly when we act against ourselves for the benefit of others. Just as God created the world and humanity, so we are charged to care for the world and to bend it to our needs.
Humanity is inventive and advances to fill our world with wonders. Despite other aspects of the human nature, these god-like traits remain and are evident regardless of our understanding of God. The purpose of creation is to be our home and our own purpose is friendship with God. Even as God is above us, he seeks our friendship. As God is above us, our creator, our place is to serve him in friendship. When we do, our lives are fulfilled. When we do, other people's lives are improved as a demonstration of God with us, an expression of love.
Humanity gains understanding and loses friendship
"Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden."
Genesis 3:7-8
"Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites."
2 Samuel 12:9
"...see, my betrayer is at hand.
...Then all the disciples left him and fled."
Matthew 26:46,56
It was not a mistake that Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, nor was it fate, even though God knew it would happen. It was a choice that Adam and Eve made to be enticed by a lie and a promise. The lie was that there would be no death, yet God numbered their days with hard labour. The promise was partly true and partly misrepresented. Humanity did gain knowledge of good and evil; that is, a conscience. But the loss of innocence did not serve well because with knowledge came fear and then death when God clothed them with garments of skins.
Humanity's own will is corrupted by our seeking to take God's place. The selected verses show that even those close to God are cursed by that same wilfulness. Sin has two meanings, falling short and rebelliousness. It doesn't matter if one is less harmful than the other because we display both of them. We fall short of God's expectation and we seek to put ourselves ahead of God. It is said that we inherited sin from Adam. We inherit the inclination to sin and then proceed to choose it. Just as with Adam, so with us all.
Because God is holy and good, our sin separates us from fellowship with God. God cannot remain with our sin; it must be dealt with else God would become like us, and that will never be. While God's care was complete in Eden, he still provided a way for humanity to work out our sin. Heavy labour in the face of hardship both provides for our sustenance and also winds us down to an inevitable death. Physical death comes immediately, but takes a while to work its way into us. Spiritual death also comes immediately with our sin. But that does not have to stand.
Show God's standard and humanity's rebellion
"You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine."
Leviticus 20:26
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make... a calved image… bow to them...
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain...
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy...
Honour your father and your mother...
You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal. You shall not bare false witness.
You shall not covet… anything that is your neighbour's."
Exodus 20:2-17
"For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD he has also rejected you…"
1 Samuel 15:23
Humanity advances over time; that is, it gets bigger. A couple, a family, a village, a city, a nation, an empire amongst many. Governance and capability grow in the same increasing complexity. The bible reports this growth yet also shows that our sin remains constant, working its way into everything we do. The bible reports the various measures God takes to deal with our sin. And at each juncture of history, or of personal growth, provides a way for us to instead choose God. This is given to us collectively and also personally.
Israel was set apart from the other nations in order to demonstrate God's love and care so that others could see and seek out the same. Melchizedek was not from Israel yet lived under God's grace equally and with the same faith as did Abraham, the ancestor of Israel. God's law was given to Israel to make clear the expected standard of life, perfection, that will bring us back into fellowship with God. In fact, the law serves to show that our sin prevents us from achieving God's standard. And if we institute our own law, we inevitably fail to meet even that standard.
More often, Israel was a poor example. God still used them to reveal his standard and the consequences of missing it. If the chosen nation, with the law given, cannot demonstrate fellowship with God, what hope is there for the rest of humanity? Even so, there were times in Israel's history and with individuals where God shone brightly to the amazement of others, and was attractive to others. It is equally apparent when God rejects our sinful choices. Israel is the written example, yet all nations and people face the same reality before God.
The penalty for rebellion is death, separation from God
"The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one."
Psalm 14:2-3
"But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear."
Isaiah 59:2
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:23
Aren't we basically good? This is a lie we tell ourselves to justify leaving God out of our lives. However, God is never out of the picture. God ordained that we should reap what we sow. Generally, the consequences of our sin reflect in the world we create even when we cannot see a direct connection. As is said, there is no free lunch. These maxims are the wisdom of experience above the logic we employ to grant ourselves a right over our lives and over other people. Even when most people just want to get along, we still fall to the sinful nature daily.
Note in the second text that God is still related to his people. Even when we are separated from a relationship with God, God provides an opportunity for coming under his care. Sincerely renouncing our sin opens that door. The consequences of our sin will still play out, but God is able to rescue us in terms of relationship with him and ultimately with rest in God. The consequences of sin leads to physical death whereas the judgement of sin leads to spiritual death. Our spiritual selves is our relationship to God and also to each other above the physical connection.
Even those we deem as the worst of sinners can be saved from the judgement of sin by renouncing it and by submitting to God. As bad as the world is that we have created for ourselves, imagine how much worse it would be if God was not limiting our impact. This is not to say that we cannot do good. Life for many is better today than in the past, but not for everyone. By closing our eyes it can seem that we are basically good. But God sees our true selves and we all are destined for judgement in eternity, separation from God. Something needs to be done.
God as Jesus pays the penalty for humanity's sin
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
John 3:16-17
"For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."
John 10:17-18
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received; that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, That he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
God personifies salvation in the person of Jesus Christ. That salvation is equally available to people who lived before or after his incarnation, before or after Israel, before or after the great flood. From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, scripture points us to Messiah, Jesus Christ, as the focus of God's saving work. Because we are mired in sin, God took the initiative as Jesus Christ to save us and bring us back to relationship with God. So what did Jesus do that we cannot do for ourselves? How can one person fix all the ills of the world and of history?
God is perfect, good. God as man is no different. Jesus Christ expressed God's perfection and love throughout his life and ministry. He was without sin as depicted in the Bible, and so was not subject to judgement as we are. And yet, even without sin, he chose to die. His death is payment for our sin and was complete, physical and spiritual separation from God the Father. Before the judgement of God, Jesus took our place and was sentenced so that we do not have to die for our own sin. And he was raised from death as an example of our future with God.
Even as history demonstrates that humanity cannot help our own case before God, so too is our own life when we honestly reflect on what we have done and continue to do. Not one of us can keep all 10 commandments, let alone truly love our neighbours or our enemies. But God can; and demonstrated his love for us in sending Jesus to die in our place. God deems this payment to be sufficient. And yet we still sin; the world is not restored. We need to want Jesus payment, we need to take hold of it and make it part of our lives.
Who will appropriate Jesus' gift?
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."
John 3:18
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
John 1:12
"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."
Romans 10:9-10
Not only is Jesus' gift of his life for ours sufficient but it is the only way to return to friendship with God. Nothing we do ourselves will be good enough. There is no other substitute in whom, or to which, we can adequately give our allegiance. Having acknowledged God as the perfect creator and having acknowledged our sin that separates us from God, it remains only to trust in and accept the gift that God as Jesus has made and open ourselves to his lordship in our lives. Accepting the gift implies making God sovereign, to be in charge, over our lives.
This is the point where many will come unstuck, unwilling to relinquish charge over our own life. As though it will somehow be worse for us to lose independence. Or there is a lingering doubt that history is true, can be trusted. It is fair to stop here and consider afresh our own life and the effect of others' beliefs on the world. It is a step of faith. God offers that if we sincerely seek, that we will find salvation in Jesus Christ. Take the big step into the family of God. God is not a hard task master, rather God wants to bring joy into our lives despite existing hardships.
Looking ahead to salvation, it seems to be a big step. Once on the other side though we begin to wonder what took us so long and why we struggled so much. It is important to be open about our confession of faith in Jesus, both in the moment of acceptance and in our life ahead. God opens our soul to a bigger reality centred on the love of God. That is, God’s love for us, that we then cannot help but to reflect back to God. We then want to share the same gift with others even in the midst of opposition. Sadly, it remains that most will not take that step of faith.
Some restored to friendship with God
"For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the LORD, because they have called you an outcast; 'It is Zion, for whom no one cares!'"
Jeremiah 30:17
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."
1 Peter 5:10
"The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let him who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
Revelation 22:17
Opposition to God continues in this age and living for God does not take away these stressors. God does however promise to not overburden us beyond what we can bare, but rather to strengthen us in the face of those struggles even to the point of physical death. The more we experience God, the more confident we are and the more we trust God with each day's needs. This is how God is the source of joy regardless of what the day holds. In creation, humanity was in fellowship with God, and in each age, some have found that fellowship again. And it continues to be so, even if it seems to be a new thing for us individually.
The sacrifice and gift of Jesus' death is both global and personal. It is available to all and accepted by individuals. At the cross, at our salvation, God shows mercy. And from that point shows grace to those who accept Jesus. Whereas, to those who reject Jesus, judgement. We all face judgement, but for God's own, Jesus covers the penalty.
While suffering continues, it does end. There will be a time when the world is restored to a Garden of Eden like state. And even those who reject God, will be required to live by his grace. These pictures are difficult to comprehend, but we trust in God then as now.
What is heaven like? It is natural to want a physical description of heaven and there are pictures in scripture. Heaven and hell are spiritual realms just as God is Spirit. The simplest definition of heaven is being with God, and hell is being without God. Because God holds all in his care, heaven is order and hell is chaos. Because God is the author of life, heaven is living and hell is dying. This starkness should make for a simple decision when faced with our plain guilt and presented with Jesus' gift. It begins with faith, is built though trust and is powered by love; God’s love for us.
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