Christ’s death is the Christian’s life.
Christ’s cross is the Christian’s title to heaven.
Christ “lifted up” and put to shame on Calvary is the ladder by which Christians “enter into the holiest,” and are at length landed in glory.
• It is true that we are sinners–but Christ has suffered for us.
• It is true that we deserve death–but Christ has died for us.
• It is true that we are guilty debtors–but Christ has paid our debts with His own blood.
This is the real Gospel! This is the good news!
On this let us lean while we live. To this let us cling when we die. Christ has been “lifted up” on the cross, and has thrown open the gates of heaven to all believers. [J.C. Ryle]
The front cover of the 'revised version' of Tract #1 in the 'Consider Christ' Campaign for use in the Border Counties (double click to see a full-size version).
These evangelistic leaflets will be distributed to 200,000+ homes in Counties Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Cavan and Louth.
Do pray for the success of these Gospel messengers!
I have received the final version of the text for an explanation of 'The Gospel' in Irish.
For those who know the language - and for those who are simply intrigued as to how it looks - the finished text is below:
An Soiscéal ’Sé an Soiscéal teachtaireacht Dé dúinn. Is dea-scéal, nó scéal iontach é, mar réitíonn sé an fhadhb is mó a bheidh againn riamh. ’Sé sin go mbeidh orainn go léir seasamh os comhair Dé ag deireadh ár saol. Tá Dia ceart agus cóir agus tabharfaidh sé breithiúnas orainn de réir A chaighdeán atá sárfhoirfe. Ní hamháin go bhfuilimidne i bhfad ó bheith foirfe, faraoir, táimid lán den bpeaca.
’Sé dea-scéal an tSoiscéil gur mhair Íosa Críost saol a bhí lán-umhal do Dhia, géilliúil Dá dlí agus gan pheaca. Ní hamháin gur mhair Sé an saol fíorghlan sin, d’ofráil Sé É féin mar íobairt agus mar ionadaí ar an gCrois, chun ceartas Dé a shásamh. Ansin, d’aiséirigh Sé ó mhairbh mar ráthaíocht go raibh pionós ár bpeacaí íoctha aige agus go raibh A Athair cúitithe.
Ní féidir linne, trínár n-iarrachtaí féin, Dia a chúiteamh ná A shlánú a thuilleadh; ná ní féidir le haon meascán de reiligiún nó de thréaniarrachtaí aon duine é sin a bhaint amach. Níl ach aon slí amháin ann: tiontú ónár bpeaca agus ár muinín a chur i gCríost, trí chreideamh amháin. Is ansin a mhaithítear sinn go huile is go hiomlán. Sin é an an “dea-scéal” - sin é an Soiscéal.
This is a translation of:
THE GOSPEL
The Gospel is God’s message to us. It is “good news” because it addresses the most serious problem we will ever have to face. The problem is that we will stand before God at the end of our life. He is holy and just, and will judge us against His perfect standard. However, not only are we far from perfect, we are all full of sin.
The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ lived a life of complete obedience to God, keeping the law and doing no sin. And not only did He live that pure life, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice or substitute on the Cross to satisfy God’s justice. He then rose from the dead – the guarantee that He had paid the penalty for our sin and satisfied His Father.
Our own efforts cannot satisfy God and earn His salvation. Nor can any mixture of religion and works. It is only when we turn from our sin and trust in Christ alone, by faith alone, that we are freely forgiven. This is the Gospel - the Good News!
