The Gospel
In our day and age people are asking questions. As we look around people are searching to solutions for some of life’s problems. How do I live debt free? How can I stay healthy? How can I get rich? But, very few today really recognize what the most important question anyone can ask is. I submit to you that the most important question anyone can ask has nothing to do with health, wealth, or anything else people are currently searching for. According to the Bible, the most important question anyone can ask is found in Acts 16:30 where the Philippian Jailer asks “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This is the question that must be asked and must be answered, which this short paragraph will lay out for you:
Hear: You’ve heard it said before that listening is sometimes wiser than speaking, and in the case of the Gospel, that is exactly right. The Gospel message must be heard before it can be obeyed. Paul wrote concerning the Gospel, “How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (Romans 10:14)? This good news must be preached and heard before it can be obeyed. But what makes this news good news? Peter answers this question best in 1 Peter 2:24 when he writes, “…and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed.” The good news is that someone has borne your sin for you, having accomplished eternal redemption for those who put their trust in Him (John 3:16). Paul agrees when he writes, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Believe: After hearing of the good news of Christ, one has a choice to believe this good news or not. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We must believe that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). We must believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day according the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). We must trust that God is able to save any and all who are found in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 7:25). We must also believe that Jesus is the only doorway through which we enter that we might find ourselves in a proper relationship with God (John 14:6).
Repent: Repentance always accompanies belief. If we truly believe God and have not hardened our hearts against Him then we will repent. In the days of Jonah when he preached to the great city called Nineveh, the people heard the message he proclaimed and repented immediately (Jonah 3:5-10). It is only normal that when one has been caught in some trespass to make it right with the one you have harmed. In repentance and turning from our evil ways we bring ourselves back to the standard which God gave us. Repentance is best understood as a “turning around.” When we repent, we no longer look to our old ways but turn around and walk in a new direction. It is a change of heart leading to a change of action.
Confess: Jesus is very serious about the need to confess Him as Lord. With confession also comes accountability. When we confess that Jesus is Lord of our life we must live it out. Jesus asked in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” This confession we make leads to salvation (Romans 10:8-10). Just as well, after we have made a commitment to serve the Lord we are required to confess Him as Lord of our lives for all of our days as well (Matthew 10:32). If we deny Him, He will deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Unless we are willing to confess that Jesus is Lord, we cannot be saved.
Baptism: Baptism is as necessary a component of salvation as any. Without baptism we cannot call ourselves a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus commissioned His disciples to go out into the world and make more disciples. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but He who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). Jesus has made it quite clear who will be saved: Those who have believed and have been baptized. Peter affirms this teaching to us when he says that “…baptism now saves you…” (1 Peter 3:21).
Conclusion: Now that you have heard the Gospel, what will you do with it? When the Apostle Peter opened up the gates of the Kingdom on the day of Pentecost he declared to the men who were there that “…God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). Having realized they put the Son of God on the cross the Scripture says that “…when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘brethren, what shall we do’. Peter said to them, ‘repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). You see, these men asked the right question and got the right answer. We pray that you will do the same.
Hear: You’ve heard it said before that listening is sometimes wiser than speaking, and in the case of the Gospel, that is exactly right. The Gospel message must be heard before it can be obeyed. Paul wrote concerning the Gospel, “How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (Romans 10:14)? This good news must be preached and heard before it can be obeyed. But what makes this news good news? Peter answers this question best in 1 Peter 2:24 when he writes, “…and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed.” The good news is that someone has borne your sin for you, having accomplished eternal redemption for those who put their trust in Him (John 3:16). Paul agrees when he writes, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Believe: After hearing of the good news of Christ, one has a choice to believe this good news or not. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We must believe that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). We must believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day according the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). We must trust that God is able to save any and all who are found in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 7:25). We must also believe that Jesus is the only doorway through which we enter that we might find ourselves in a proper relationship with God (John 14:6).
Repent: Repentance always accompanies belief. If we truly believe God and have not hardened our hearts against Him then we will repent. In the days of Jonah when he preached to the great city called Nineveh, the people heard the message he proclaimed and repented immediately (Jonah 3:5-10). It is only normal that when one has been caught in some trespass to make it right with the one you have harmed. In repentance and turning from our evil ways we bring ourselves back to the standard which God gave us. Repentance is best understood as a “turning around.” When we repent, we no longer look to our old ways but turn around and walk in a new direction. It is a change of heart leading to a change of action.
Confess: Jesus is very serious about the need to confess Him as Lord. With confession also comes accountability. When we confess that Jesus is Lord of our life we must live it out. Jesus asked in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” This confession we make leads to salvation (Romans 10:8-10). Just as well, after we have made a commitment to serve the Lord we are required to confess Him as Lord of our lives for all of our days as well (Matthew 10:32). If we deny Him, He will deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Unless we are willing to confess that Jesus is Lord, we cannot be saved.
Baptism: Baptism is as necessary a component of salvation as any. Without baptism we cannot call ourselves a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus commissioned His disciples to go out into the world and make more disciples. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but He who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). Jesus has made it quite clear who will be saved: Those who have believed and have been baptized. Peter affirms this teaching to us when he says that “…baptism now saves you…” (1 Peter 3:21).
Conclusion: Now that you have heard the Gospel, what will you do with it? When the Apostle Peter opened up the gates of the Kingdom on the day of Pentecost he declared to the men who were there that “…God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). Having realized they put the Son of God on the cross the Scripture says that “…when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘brethren, what shall we do’. Peter said to them, ‘repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). You see, these men asked the right question and got the right answer. We pray that you will do the same.