Birstall Independent Baptist Church

THE GOOD NEWS (GOSPEL)

Bible text: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

The Question
The Problem
The Solution
Your Response
The Results
Link to Course
Bible references

The Question:
Philippi, in the middle of the 1st Century A.D., was a leading city of the district of Macedonia (Greece) and a Roman colony. Paul and Silas, two of the apostles, were imprisoned in the city’s prison but, during the night, an earthquake shook the prison and all the prisoners’ chains fell off. The jailer, whose own life would have been forfeit, was terrified …
‘And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."’

(You can read the full account in Acts 16: 16 – 34)

The ruins at Philippi

Philippi ruins

(Photo by wallygrom on 24/08/07 at Flickr.com)

Have you ever asked this same question: What must I do to be saved? Or maybe you phrased it differently – What must I do to inherit eternal life? What must I do to get right with God? How can my sins be forgiven? How can I be sure of going to heaven when I die?

The Problem:

We must not forget that God is holy, just and righteous.(a) He cannot overlook sin and He punishes sinners who break His laws, such as the one which Jesus Christ said was the greatest commandment: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

We have all (without exception) broken this command (as well as other commands).(b) This means that, like all people, we have not kept God’s law perfectly and this has separated us from God. We are guilty and so God is perfectly just and righteous in condemning us to eternal punishment. We will all be judged.(c)

There is nothing we can do to earn or merit our salvation (through ‘good works’ or religious ceremonies).(d)

The Solution:

God is also a God of love and, at great cost to Himself, He has a way to mend our broken relationship and deal with our sinning and sinful nature.(e) God the Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth, lived a perfect life in full obedience to God’s laws and then, although He is sinless, He died on the Cross to pay the penalty for all the sins of His people.(f) This was confirmed by Jesus Christ rising from the dead after three days.(g) Forgiveness and new, eternal life are now available through Jesus Christ to those who respond to the work of God in their hearts.

This offer is freely offered to you, no matter what your background(h) and we have the promise of God that anyone who accepts will not be turned away.(i) Jesus often called on people to come to Him(j) and said: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."(John 6:40)

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Your Response:

You can continue in rebellion against God (in which case, you will be judged, found guilty and condemned(k)) or you can take these steps to be forgiven (justified):

Admit that you are a sinner and that you can do nothing to save yourself.(l)
Repent, which means being extremely sorrowful about your sins, confessing them directly to God and turning away from them.(m) This was what Jesus commanded when He began to preach in Galilee.(n)
Pray humbly to God for the gift of faith and, using it, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ: i.e. put all your trust and belief solely in Him. Ask God to forgive you on the basis of Christ’s finished work and accept what He has done to save you from the penalty for your sins as an undeserved gift (which is God’s grace).(o) This will give you forgiveness of all your sins, peace and eternal life with God in heaven and the righteousness we all lack.
Commit your life to follow Him: i.e. submit to His overlordship and always seek to live a life pleasing and obedient to Him, as you carry out the work which He has given you to do.(p)

The Results:

You are forgiven by God and declared justified.(q)

You become a member of God’s Family(r) (joining people “from every tribe and language and people and nation”(s)) and you have a sure and certain place with Him for all eternity.(t) You are the recipient and heir to all God’s promises and blessings.(u)

Although you are a new person(v), you will not become perfect overnight - your sanctification is a process - but you immediately receive God the Holy Spirit to live within you (w) to help you to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”(x) through the rest of your earthly life – until He calls you home to be with Him (y) (or until Jesus Christ returns to earth at the end of time to judge all sin and establish His eternal kingdom (z) – whichever happens first).

Link to Course:

“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3)
Peter said: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

If you would like to discuss these points in more detail, then please contact us.
We offer a free, short Introduction to Christianity course on request.

Bible References:

(a) 1 Peter 1:15-16 But according to the Holy One who has called you, you also become holy in all conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (Back)

(b) Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Back)

(d) Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ; even we believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law. For all flesh will not be justified by works of law.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. (Back)

(e) John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (Back)

(f) 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He has made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (Back)

(g) Acts 1:3 to whom He also presented Himself living after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them [apostles and disciples] through forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (Back)

(h)Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. (Back)

(i) John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out. (Back)

(j) Matthew 11:28 Come to Me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
John 7:37-38 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (Back)

(k) John 3:36 He who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.
John 12:48 The one who rejects Me [Jesus Christ] and does not receive My words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.
Matthew 13:36-43 Then He [Jesus] left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man [Jesus Christ]. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Back)

(l)Ephesians 2:1 And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins. (Back)

(m) Luke 18:13 And standing afar off, the tax-collector would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but struck on his breast, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner!”(Back)

(n) Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent! For the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Back)

(o)Acts 16:31 And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” (Back)

(p) Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God. (Back)

(q)Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved).
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Back)

(r) John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, He gave to them authority to become the children of God, to those who believe on His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but were born of God.
Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" (Back)

(s) Revelation 5:9 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.” (Back)

(t)Romans 8:38-39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Back)

(u) Galatians 4:7 So that you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" - these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (Back)

(v) 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (Back)

(w) Romans 8:9-11 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own. (Back)

(x) 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (Back)

(y) Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
2 Corinthians 5:8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (Back)

(z) 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (Back)