Gospel means "Good News." There is some Good news Jesus came to communicate to us. This Good news is a message of restoration! Jesus came to restore the relationship between God and mankind. But in order for us to understand and benefit from this "good news", we must first understand the Bad News, which is why Jesus Christ had to suffer.

HOW DOES THIS GOSPEL APPLY TO US TODAY?

1)ALL OF MANKIND IS SINFUL AND STANDS CONDEMNED.
Sin simply put means "to miss the mark." We have all failed to measure up to the perfect moral excellence of a pure and holy God. This is clearly evidenced when we look into the holy law of God, The Ten Commandments. Have you ever lied? I mean a real outright lie... we often try to rationalize it or justify ourselves but who of us can say we've never lied? If you have lied, you are a liar. Have you ever stolen something? If so, you are a theif. "That was a long time ago" you say... time does not forgive sin. If you have stolen, you are a theif. Have you lusted? Jesus considers lust to be adultery of the heart. Maybe you've looked at pornography or lusted after another's spouse... if so, you are an adulterer. Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain? The third commandment states, "You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain..." and it's followed by a promise, "... for I will not hold guiltless anyone who does." So can you see that we are sinful and deserving of God's righteous judgment? Or do you still contend that you are a "good person?" Do you consider someone who lies, steals, commits adultery... to be a "good person?" Jesus said that "no one is good but God." It's easy for us to compare ourselves to others, but none of us are good when we look into the righteous law of a holy God. No matter how "good" we appear in our own eyes, we are all filthy up against the spotless standard of a Holy God. When sin entered the world, a death sentence was passed upon humanity. That's why we die... sin. Sin has seperated mankind from the life of God and we now stand condemned. The reason for that is because God is just. He will not allow sin to go unpunished.

2)THE PUNISHMENT ON SIN IS ETERNAL HELL.
According to the Bible, the law of God demands justice when it is transgressed. God is absolutely perfect -- totally uncompromising and so is His Law. There is no contradiction whatsoever in the way He deals with sin and the way he serves justice. It's like this... Have you ever seen the Law of gravity not take effect? Would you be willing to challenge that law by stepping over the edge of a high rise building? Simply put, the law of gravity shows no mercy and is totally unforgiving... so is the Law of God which condemns the sinner to an eternal hell. The only hope for the sinner is laid out in this Gospel. If you want to know how you can be saved from the wrath of God on sinners, please read the rest of this page carefully.

Many people don't believe in a God that would send them to hell. That's because they've created an idea in their mind of the way they think God should be. That way they can ease their conscience about their sinful lifestyle. They say, "God is a loving God, He would never send all these people to Hell." If you believe that way, you've created a god in your own image... a god designed to suit your sin. God is love, but that does not mean love allows sin to go unpunished. Consider this annalogy... A man is convicted of robbery and two counts of murder. Before the judge passes sentence, the man blurts out, "but your honor, you are a good man... surely you wouldn't punish me! After all... I'm only human." The judge replies, you are right about one thing, I am a good man. And because I'm a good man, I'm gonna see to it that justice is served." The very thing that people think will get them off on the day of judgement, "the goodness of God" will actually be what condemns them. Because God is "good", righteous, and just, He will make sure justice is served and that liars, theives, murderers, adulterers, blasphemers, etc. are punished. You might say, but I've never killed anybody... I'm a pretty good person compared to most people. Well, God does not weigh one sin against another... He sees it all the same and it all holds the same penalty. According to James 2:10 "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." The truth is, sin is not merely outward acts but is an internal condition. That's why we must be born again, our nature is evil!

3)IN ORDER TO ESCAPE GOD'S WRATH, YOU NEED A SAVIOR.
No one can save themselves from Hell. Mankind is depicted in the scriptures as "those in darkness" (lost & blind), as "prisoners" (Held by death's grip), "bound in chains" (slaves to our sinful desires), and the wages of sin is death. There are 3 kinds of death: A)Spiritual death - The condition of fallen mankind; his depraved, sinful nature. B)Physical death - When man passes from this life to the next. C)Eternal separation from God - Condemnation in eternal Hell. God Himself became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and bore our punishment so we could go free! Death was swallowed up in victory when Jesus rose from the grave. He has the power to release you from that prison cell of death, those chains that hold you bound to sin, and that spiritual blindness that keeps you in darkness. You need a Savior to save you from your sinful condition which leads to Hell.

4)IT IS NOT GOD'S WILL THAT ANYONE GOES TO HELL. HE PROVIDED A WAY TO SAVE US.
Jesus didn't come to condemn, He came to save us! We were already condemned, but God made a way of escape! The Bible says that "God is Love." And love is characterized by giving of oneself. There is no greater love than for a man to lay down His life for His friends. God proved His loved towards us in that while we were sinners and in rebelion against Him, He died for us. For God so LOVED the world, He gave His only son... to take our punishment for us. Here's a good analogy... The governing officials of the land came to the King and said "Your majesty, theft is out of control, you must do something to stop it." The King responds by issuing a decree that cannot be overturned, even by his own word... "Anybody caught stealing will be beaten to the death." Two days later, the officials come to the King saying, "we have apprehended and tried the first theif, he is guilty and must be sentenced." To the Kings horor, the theif is his own son. The king must sentence him to death because of the decree previously issued. He is heartbroken, but if he does not uphold the law and honor his word, the people will not respect or revere him and his words will hold no weight. The day of the execution comes, the people are gathered, and the boy is brought out into the courtyard. As the executioner is about to begin the beating, the King steps forward and says "HALT!" He then walks over to his son, who is tied to a post, wraps his arms around him and sais, "let the beating begin." The King takes the punishment himself. That is what God has done for you! The law we have violated is written in stone and it's consequences cannot be overturned. God, out of His great love for us, His children, made a way to save us... He took our punishment upon Himself. When the law was about to take it's course, Jesus Christ stepped inside the courtroom and paid the eternal fine!

5)GOD WANTS TO SHOW MERCY.
Mercy is undeserved forgiveness. We turned our backs on God and we nailed His Son to the cross. We do not deserve forgiveness for our sins. We deserve punishment, and God would be just in punishing us. But He showed mercy because He loves us. After all He’s done for us, it would be a foolish tragedy to go into eternity not having accepted His grace and His mercy. If mercy is not received, the only thing left is judgment, which is eternal Hell. To stand before God and not have received Christ is the same as saying, "I’ll pay the price for my sin". If you go to hell, it’s because you chose to, you wanted it with all your heart. Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19

6)WE ARE SAVED ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, NOT BY OUR OWN WORKS OR SUPPOSED "GOODNESS".
Romans 3:22-24 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Titus 3:4-6 ...Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;
Gal 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

7)THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR YOU IN THIS LIFE
We were created for one purpose... to know God in an intimate relationship through Jesus Christ. Until we are reconciled to God through Christ, we are cut off from that purpose and are lost. Jesus has an answer to those 3 famous questions of life... How did I get here? Why am I here? Where am I going? Jesus said in John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. God Himself is that abundant life! There is no higher purpose in life than to know Him. Jesus Christ did not come to establish a religion about God, but to make a way for us to get back to God.

8)IN ORDER TO BE SAVED, YOU NEED TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL, SURRENDER YOUR WILL TO GOD, PUT YOUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, AND REPENT OF YOUR SIN.
In order for man to have fullness of life, His will must be aligned to God’s will. That can only happen once you've realized you are a sinner and need the Savior Jesus Christ to save you from hell. Upon acknowledgment of your sin and need should come a heart felt desire to surrender and repent. Repent means to turn from sin and live righteous. The outcome is a life of submission and obedience to the will of God. Once you have made that step towards God and repent of your sin, asking God's forgiveness... put your faith in Jesus Christ... He will take you the rest of the way.

9)THIS GOSPEL REQUIRES A RESPONSE ON OUR BEHALF.
The New Testament is referred to as the "New Covenant". Whenever God makes a covenant with man it is twofold. There are two parties involved. God does His part, but we must do our part also. Christ requires that we respond to His call.
THERE ARE 3 COMMON RESPONSES TO THE GOSPEL:
1) Those who Mock
2) Those who like what they hear but want more time - they are procrastinators. To not respond is a response.
3) Those who fall on their knees and call Him Lord.

10)HE WILL SET YOU FREE - HE WILL CHANGE YOU!