The Gospel

Gospel as a phase can be over used. People are very vague when it comes to give a brief description on the gospel. “Jesus died for my sin,” or, “a story about redemption” common phrases we speak or hear. Nevertheless, gospel is the essential truth that saves a sinner, saves us. When we talk about the gospel, there are truths like an anchor that holds the story together. Gospel is not the gospel without an understanding of who is God, men, Jesus Christ, and how that truth applies to our life. When we speak of the Gospel, the conversation always begins with a phase, “God…”

—God—
God is the center being of why our universe exist. Nothing would exist if it wasn’t for God who spoke words into reality. This makes him the only creator and the only God who has full control over the our universe. In addition, when God created the world, God had a purpose for every matter that be found, this includes a human life.

He is the Creator
Universe came into existence as God said, “Let there be light” (Gen 1:3). No matter existed until God caused it to be. God is the spirit (John 4:24); therefore, it separates Him from the creation, but at the same time, he becomes the author of the creation.

He is the only God
An idea flows around that there many gods (polytheism), which proven to be wrong. There is only ONE God. Through generations, God spoke off himself, clarifying the He is not competing with anyone.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

“To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him” (Deuteronomy 4:35).

He has full control of the Creation
Usually this sentence is summarized in one word: sovereignty. It means that God has all power, and that there is nothing what so ever that takes place apart from His plan and rule, even including the free actions for human being. 

“The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1).

"Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few; for he says: “Are not my commanders all kings? Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?” (Isa 10:5-11).

More reference: Dan 4:34-35; Eh 1:11; Acts 2:22-24 

He has a purpose for the creation
There is a purpose for everything that exist, the original purpose. Every molecule and particle coming into the world, coming into the world with the purpose.

“The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble” (Proverbs 16:4).

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). 

“The people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise” (Isaiah 43:21).
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36). 

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

—Men—
There has been a huge emphases explaining men and how he came into reality. Is it evolution, that through billion of years, little by little forming a figure that we call humans? Or there is another answer that we might be familiar with? The most clearest and logical answer we find in the bible. The men was created, then felt shot in pleasing God. Which without God, men is lost with the purpose, and is not capable to live life (we are talking about the original purpose of his creation).

He is the Creation

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him” Acts 17:26-27).

He felt short to please God

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. (Genesis 3:4-7)

He is lost with the purpose and the ability to live Life

In Genesis 3:16-17 God said to the woman,“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”And to Adam he said,‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life” 

“What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery,and the way of peace they have not known.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:9-18

—Jesus Christ—
Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, takes the form of a men to justify, redeem, become the substitute in order for a sinner be reconciled with God.

Justification—
Divine act of God, based on the work of Christ on the cross, a sinner is pronounced righteous by the imputation (substitution) of the righteousness of Christ.
Justification means, to declare righteous.

“Are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:24-26)

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

Substitution—
Definition: replacing one person or thing for another.

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Corinthians 5:21). 

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (I Peter 2:24).

Redemption—
They mean “to redeem,” “to liberate,” or “to ransom.”
To liberate sinners from their enslaved condition.

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).  

“...for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (I Corinthians 6:20). 

"For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Galatians 3:10-13) 

“And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation of John 5:9).

—Application—
Person does not understand the Gospel if there is no application in his life. To understand the gospel, there needs to be acceptance of the truth followed with repentance. Which enables the sinner to live out the original purpose of his life, life that glorifies God.

Acceptance—
Either we will reject it, or accept it. It is our responsibility to take bible serious in what it says. Each word God spoke to communicate to humans; each word is important.

"But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold" (Mark 4:20).

"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (I Corinthians 2:14).

The word that people hear from the bible are words of the real God who doesn’t changes and who doesn’t lie.

Repentance—
Just acceptance alone, does not changes the person life. Repentance as defined a change of mind. When the person realizes that his life is separated from God do to his actions and thinking, heart fills with grief and regret, this is the time when the identity of a sinner changes. First he was a sinner, who lived life the way he wanted, later he becomes a person who humbles before a God who created him.

“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19).

“Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you" (Acts 8:22).

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30).

Life that glorifies God—
We go back to the original purpose of the creation.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31).

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created" (Revelation 4:11).

There are two things that mirrors a person when he lives for the glory of God's: the way he walks and the way he thinks. Persons true identity in Christ reflects his mind and his behavior.

Thinking
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8).

Walking
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).


To understand the gospel and apply it in our life, is the work of grace:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8).