sECTION 2:
THE GOSPEL FOUNDATION

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek -Romans 1:16

The word “gospel” literally means good news. The good news in this case is the resurrection of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is one and only one true gospel and it tells of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for the sins of humanity. But this is an oversimplification. The gospel is more than the fact that Jesus died on a cross for us and that we must confess Him. The gospel message should be preached and taught in its entirety in order for the listener to make an informed decision for Christ.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they

hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach, except they be sent? -Romans 10:14-15a

Hearing the gospel is a basic necessity for Christianity. It's the doorway we all must enter before we can be considered children of God. How can we call upon someone we don't know? How can we believe what we haven't been taught? An adequate gospel message is our introduction to Christ. Without truly knowing Christ, we are spiritually dead.

It can not be stressed how important this fact is. The scripture above makes it perfectly plain that without an adequate understanding of the gospel message, the perspective believer can't make an informed decision for or against Christ. Without people who are really called of God to share His good news, then the catalyst for real change will never take place.

The fact is, there are many imposters out there who are only posing as true preachers of God. Those who teach a watered down and false version of the Gospel and a false picture of the true Christ.

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

These FALSE TEACHERS OF ANOTHER GOSPEL are presently deceiving many. It is for this very reason, many consider themselves Christians who are not. They have not heard, nor believed the true Gospel and have not accepted- (by making Him Lord of their lives), the true Christ. Scripture continues to warn us about these people.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matt 7:15

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2:1

Man is a Sinner...

Adam's sin in the garden of Eden imputed sin to everyone born after him. In addition to "being charged" the sins of our fathers, we also commit personal sins. Each person is capable of, and often does, sin against God.

Who needs a Savior to reconcile him with God...

God's love for mankind made it necessary for Him to reconcile Himself with humanity. He had already formulated a plan of salvation. God allowed us to offer animal sacrifices to teach man that he is a sinner in need of restitution. This also was designed to show us that without the shedding of blood there would be no remission of sin. This was to continue until the perfect (sinless) sacrifice was offered. God knew that in the time appointed, He was going to offer Himself. He was the only one who qualified as a perfect sacrifice.

Jesus (both God and Man) is that Savior...

The time came when a virgin by the name of Mary conceived a child of the Holy Ghost. This child, Jesus, grew up and began to preach repentance. His wisdom, love and influence was so great that the other religious leaders hated Him. (How dare this religiously unschooled and untrained carpenters son condemn their teachings). The wisdom and miracles of Jesus proved too much for the priesthood to deny, so instead of repenting and supporting Him, they formulated a plan to get rid of Him. They paid Judas, one of His disciples, thirty silver coins to betray Him.

Who died for the sins of the whole World.

Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and after mock trails, beatings and insults, was condemned to the cross. His major offense was claiming to be God in the flesh. Jesus was nailed to the cross, died and buried in a borrowed tomb that was found empty early on a Sunday morning.

Jesus rose from the dead and offers us salvation by Grace (not works).

Just like He prophesied, Jesus had risen from the dead. After showing Himself alive to His followers, He went back to heaven to prepare a place for the church. Since His death was the perfect sacrifice that God required, the time of being made righteous by following the law of Moses had ended. Christ instituted a new law, the law of grace. A life of grace simply means living after the pattern of Jesus himself.

Jesus went to prepare a place of comfort for all those who accept Him as Lord and Savior.

Jesus promises to come back for those who accept Him as Lord and Savior. We do this by surrendering our lives to Him. If we believe the gospel message and confess Christ as Lord, then we will strive to live like He lives. The key here is to sincerely believe and seek Him. The choice, my friend, is yours.

He lovingly waits for us now. He will come back.

Although this is a simplified version of the Gospel message, it contains all the elements necessary to make an informed decision for Christ. Of course, if we talk to someone face to face, and they have certain questions, it would be even more beneficial to have the biblical knowledge to answer them. Questions like, “What makes a man a sinner?” or “Will God forgive me for such and such?” are common.

Here is a more detailed synopsis of the Gospel Message:

The gospel should begin by pointing out that every man is a sinner. The first way we are sinful is because of imputed sin (inherited sin). God considers every person fathered by a man to be a sinner because sin is imputed. (You probably know someone who has their father's eyes, ears or nose). Spiritually, we all have our father's sin and this goes all the way back to Adam's original sin in the Garden of Eden.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: -Romans 5:12

The Second way that man is a sinner is through personal sins. Every sin that we have personally committed will come into focus. Yes, reader, every sin. That little white lie, your insistence that you didn't take the last stick of gum, to every, “Girl, you know that dress looks good on you,” will all go under God's holy microscope. We have all sinned. It's not just the bank robbers and murders who have failed God, it's all of us.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. -Romans 3:23

But what is sin anyway? Sin is any action or thought that goes against the commandments of God. God's decrees are spiritual law. Just like we can break worldly laws, we can also break God's law.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law -1 John 3:4

SECTION B- Payment for Sin is Death

Because of our sins, God must punish us. Part of that punishment is death,

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -Romans 6:23

and after death, the judgment

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: -Hebrews 9:27

After we die, there are only two places that the spiritual man (the inner man) can live. One is heaven and the other is hell.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. -Revelation 20:15

The admission price for heaven is a sinless existence, the death of someone pure and unblemished.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? -Hebrews 9:14

SECTION C- JESUS the Perfect Sacrifice

God has always allowed substitution for sin. (Man, who deserved to die, could offer an animal instead). God did this because of His love for us and also to stay true to His Word. "The wages of sin is death." When we sin, God has decreed that something must die. In order to save us, He needed a perfect sacrifice. This person had to have no personal or imputed sins! Think about this, reader. In order to be saved, someone had to be willing to die for us and not only that, they couldn't have done or said anything sinful. They couldn't have even thought anything sinful. Most incredible of all, they could have no sin from birth! Only God Himself could fit this requirement so He sent Jesus as our personal savior. Jesus, being the second person of the Trinity, was indeed an acceptable sacrifice.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

Jesus was born of God so He had no imputed (inherited) sin.

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. -Luke 1:35

He lived a sinless life, so he had no personal sins.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. -Hebrews 4:15

Remember, reader, a human father (imputed sin) would disqualify Christ from being a perfect sacrifice. This is why it's important to stress that Jesus was born of a virgin.

Just like the innocent animals, the sacrifice for all humanity had to die. Jesus fulfilled this by choosing to die on the cross. He could of got off or called an army of angels at any time but His divine love for us was just that strong! After releasing His spirit, He was buried and sealed in a borrowed tomb. The tomb was guarded.

So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. -Matthew 27:66

Still, just as He prophesied, Jesus rose from the dead and left.

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. ⁶ He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. -Matthew 28:5-6

This is an important part of the Gospel message because it calls Jesus thefirst begotten of the dead. This means the first person resurrected from the dead (with a body) never to die again. Because He got up from the dead to everlasting life, all those who believe on Him will be resurrected from the dead as well. If Christ didn't get up, neither shall we, but if He did, then we will also. (In Paul's day they would often call death falling asleep becauseChristians fully expected to rise again).

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: ¹⁷ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ¹⁸ Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. -1 Corinthians 15:16-19

His bodily resurrection (that is- being raised in a physical body), is another thing that skeptics attack. However, the Bible has this to say.

The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. ²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. ²⁷ Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. -John 20:25-27

Reader, the day I meet someone who has handled a ghost and thrust their hand inside of it, it would be the first.

Once a person has been shown their sinful condition, told that they deserve to die as punishment, told that Jesus died to be their substitute, and told that confessing Him as their Lord and Savior will exchange burning hell for beautiful heaven, the only thing left for them to do is make a choice. (Acts 16:30-33)

It should be stressed that choosing Jesus means that you agree to live your life for Him and make Him your Lord.

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. -1 John 2:3-4

I truly believe that this is the part of the gospel message that most often goes lacking. Most people want Jesus as their savior (to save them from sin's punishment) but don't want Him as their Lord (the King of their lives). The two, however, are eternally linked and if you don't accept Him as both, you can't be saved.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. -Romans 10:9-10

After the acceptance of the gospel message you become a member of the body of Christ. This is also known as the church. What the church truly is, is the subject of the next section.

Continue to the Gospel Foundation Section 1-

The Three Illustrations of Church