Monday, September 10, 2012

Encouraged By The Gospel

Yesterday morning, my pastor was preaching out of Acts 22, and while he was preaching the text he took the time to explain the gospel.  It was a clear, simple presentation that anyone could understand.  My family and I were so encouraged because, as the old hymn says, "...those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest".

The gospel is not something that you believe and then move on from it.  No, friend.  What I've found is that the gospel is something you need just as much after you have repented and placed your faith in Christ.  It is the only thing that makes this world make sense--the only thing that gives life meaning.

What is the gospel, you ask?

The gospel is that God is holy, but man is utterly sinful. Because God is perfectly just, He must punish and condemn all sinners eternally to hell. Because God is so loving, He sent Jesus to earth. Jesus lived a perfectly obediant life, perfectly fulfilled God’s law, and was punished for sin on Calvary’s cross. He suffered God's wrath against sin in our place.  He was punished as our substitute.  He rose from the dead 3 days later. Now, if anyone repents of their sins and personally, consciously places their faith in Christ, God will forgive them of their sins and they’ll go to heaven. If someone does not repent and doesn’t personally, consciously place their faith in Christ in this lifetime, they will go to hell no matter how sweet they were, how sincere they were in another faith, and how kind they were to others.

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