The Heart of the Gospel
The gospel is both simple and complex. Meditating on the truths of the gospel makes us realise it is more simple than we think and yet more complex than we can grasp.
Sometimes trying to explain this good news of divine rescue, reconciliation, love and hope can leave us feeling a little awkward and at times speechless. It is no wonder that we struggle to put it into words. To help us grasp this wonderful news, we need to start with God’s motivation.
What does God want?
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What does God want? 〰️
The answer is simple. God wants you!
Read the following Scriptures
Psalms 86 v 15; Isaiah 41 v 10; Zephaniah 3 v 17; Romans 5 v 8-9; Ephesians 2 v 4-5.
We as humans exist so that God can enjoy us and for us to enjoy Him. In other words, He wants a relationship with each one of us. God wants you to know who you are and for you to know why your life has so much value and worth to Him. And as His earthly family, He wants us to participate with Him in the family business as His partners.
We have a problem, it is called sin!
Read the following scriptures
Romans 6 v 23; Ephesians 2 v 1, 4 v 18; Romans 5 v 6 - 10; Colossians 1 v 21
By nature, we are sinners
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By nature, we are sinners 〰️
Sin separates us from God
We are all born with a sinful nature and can’t overcome it on our own! Sin affects everything we do, say and think—it taints everything about us. Death, violence and hatred are the results of rebellion and sin. The Bible tells us that the “wages of sin is death” and as a result, we are “alienated from God”.
Because of this sinful nature, we are self-absorbed and rebellious. The Bible calls us “dead in our trespasses and sins”, and we are “ungodly” and therefore live self-destructive lives. Not only that, we are “hostile” towards God because we are His enemies.
Yet God knows all of this and still loves us and wants us in His family.
God hates what sin has done to us!
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God hates what sin has done to us! 〰️
God was and is still fully committed to providing a real and lasting solution to the separation that sin caused.
So Jesus became the solution, opening the way for us to enter back into a relationship with God when we place faith in Jesus and repent from sin. In Mark 1 v 15 Jesus announces “The time has come… 'The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
Questions to reflect on…
Take some time to reflect on what you have just read. Write down your answers and thoughts in a journal. Be honest with yourself; it helps. There are no right or wrong answers. These questions are designed to help you think about what you read and help you understand where your beliefs lie.
What do you think about God’s motivation?
Do you believe God sees your worth?
Does it upset you when you read that you have a sinful nature and can't overcome it alone?
Why do you think that is?
Do you believe God is dedicated to bringing you back into His family?