What Is The Gospel?

A fair portion of today was spent working on a short summary statement of what the Gospel really is. Rev. Timothy Nelson was 'called in' to provide the finishing touches and, as ever, performed an excellent job!

It is envisaged that this statement will appear on the 'back cover' of the tract that will be delivered into every home in the 5 Border Counties. It will appear in both English and Irish languages, keeping in mind the fact that parts of Co. Donegal in particular still use Irish as their first language.

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

“The Gospel is called the “good news” because it addresses the most serious problem that faces us as human beings. That problem arises because God is holy and just, and we are not. But at the end of life, it is before this just and holy God we must stand – to be judged. And we will be judged against His standard. God demands absolute conformity to His perfect law. But we are sinful and cannot provide this.

The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ lived a life of complete obedience to God, on behalf of His people. He has done for helpless sinners what they couldn’t possibly do for themselves. But not only has He lived that pure life, He offered Himself, in death, as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the fair claims of Divine justice against the law-breaker. He then rose from the dead, the guarantee that He had purged our sin and satisfied His Father.

When we stop relying on our own efforts to satisfy God, admit our sin and turn from it, and come to rest alone on Christ’s sinless person and saving work, we receive salvation. This is the Gospel – the Good News!”