AN OVERVIEW OF THE GOSPEL
God requires that man be perfect because He is perfect. However, man, because of his sin nature, cannot attain the perfection the God’s holiness demands. God, because He is just, must punish sin. Man therefore must pay the penalty of sin, which is death, the eternal separation from God.
God is not only holy and just. He is also love and because He loves us, He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sin. Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin.
God offers to us forgiveness for our sin through the person of Jesus Christ. This offer is absolutely by grace. We do not deserve it nor can we earn it. God willingly and freely gives it to us. His forgiveness is ours if we put our trust in Jesus Christ.
GOD’S CHARACTER
God is holy and he demands holiness from man. Any violation of His holiness demands a penalty.
1. He is holy means He is blameless and without sin.
Leviticus 11:14 says… consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy for I am Holy
2. He is holy means he is just and must punish sin
Exodus 34:7 says… yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished
MAN’S CONDITION
Our sinful condition has brought upon us death or eternal separation from God
1. All men are sinful
Romans 3:23 says
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
2. Because we are sinful, we will be punished
3. Romans 6:23 says
For the wages of sin is death…
Death is eternal separation from God.
According to Matthew 13:4, sinners will be thrown into the furnace of fire;
in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, that place is called hell.
GOD’S CARE AND SACRIFICE
God is gracious and sent His son to take our place and pay the penalty of our sin
1. God loves us so much and does not want any to go to hell
John 3:16 says…For God so love the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
2. Jesus Christ, the eternal God (John 1:1) took on the form of a man (John 1:14), to die on the cross that we might receive forgiveness for our sins.
3. But Christ did not remain dead. He rose from the dead on the third day, conquering birth sin and death ( 1 Cor. 15:3-4)
MAN’S CRITICAL RESPONSE IS FAITH
1. Our response is to receive the forgiveness God offers by putting our faith on Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God; not as a result of work, so that no one may boast
Faith is…
a. Believing Christ is the son of god who died on the cross as a payment for our sin and He rose again from the dead.
b. Entrusting the forgiveness of our sin to Christ. It is not just knowing, but placing our whole confidence that only Christ could pay the penalty of our sin.
c. Surrendering our whole life to God.
Leading in prayer
1. Admit our sin and the penalty of our sin
2. Ask for forgiveness and recognize that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins
3. Surrender our life over to God’s control.
4. Thank God for the forgiveness of our sin and for loving us enough to send Christ to the cross for our sins.
God requires that man be perfect because He is perfect. However, man, because of his sin nature, cannot attain the perfection the God’s holiness demands. God, because He is just, must punish sin. Man therefore must pay the penalty of sin, which is death, the eternal separation from God.
God is not only holy and just. He is also love and because He loves us, He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sin. Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin.
God offers to us forgiveness for our sin through the person of Jesus Christ. This offer is absolutely by grace. We do not deserve it nor can we earn it. God willingly and freely gives it to us. His forgiveness is ours if we put our trust in Jesus Christ.
GOD’S CHARACTER
God is holy and he demands holiness from man. Any violation of His holiness demands a penalty.
1. He is holy means He is blameless and without sin.
Leviticus 11:14 says… consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy for I am Holy
2. He is holy means he is just and must punish sin
Exodus 34:7 says… yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished
MAN’S CONDITION
Our sinful condition has brought upon us death or eternal separation from God
1. All men are sinful
Romans 3:23 says
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
2. Because we are sinful, we will be punished
3. Romans 6:23 says
For the wages of sin is death…
Death is eternal separation from God.
According to Matthew 13:4, sinners will be thrown into the furnace of fire;
in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, that place is called hell.
GOD’S CARE AND SACRIFICE
God is gracious and sent His son to take our place and pay the penalty of our sin
1. God loves us so much and does not want any to go to hell
John 3:16 says…For God so love the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
2. Jesus Christ, the eternal God (John 1:1) took on the form of a man (John 1:14), to die on the cross that we might receive forgiveness for our sins.
3. But Christ did not remain dead. He rose from the dead on the third day, conquering birth sin and death ( 1 Cor. 15:3-4)
MAN’S CRITICAL RESPONSE IS FAITH
1. Our response is to receive the forgiveness God offers by putting our faith on Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God; not as a result of work, so that no one may boast
Faith is…
a. Believing Christ is the son of god who died on the cross as a payment for our sin and He rose again from the dead.
b. Entrusting the forgiveness of our sin to Christ. It is not just knowing, but placing our whole confidence that only Christ could pay the penalty of our sin.
c. Surrendering our whole life to God.
Leading in prayer
1. Admit our sin and the penalty of our sin
2. Ask for forgiveness and recognize that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins
3. Surrender our life over to God’s control.
4. Thank God for the forgiveness of our sin and for loving us enough to send Christ to the cross for our sins.