The Simple Gospel
When it comes to understanding the gospel message of Jesus, Romans 10:13 is one of the most important verses…
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 10:13 NIV
The gospel of Jesus is the message that Jesus lived a perfect life and died for our sins on the cross, and through His death and resurrection we can experience true and everlasting life. We are given the opportunity to believe in Jesus, and through faith experience Jesus’s undeserved gift of forgiveness and love.
The most controversial part of this message is that we don’t have to work for it or earn it. Salvation is given to us freely as a gift of God through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Paul, the author of Romans, makes it very clear that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Salvation is not reserved for the rich, famous, or popular. It is given to anyone who recognizes their own insufficiency and their need for Jesus.
This means that we do not need to overcomplicate trusting in Jesus. Paul’s statement is a promise to us all–if we believe in Jesus, then we will be saved.
If you’ve ever questioned whether or not you’re saved, then this promise can encourage you. The way to Jesus is simple. If you trust in Jesus then you are truly saved and don’t need to question it. All that is left is to continue to believe in and follow Jesus every day.
First Things First
There are plenty of things in life that beg for our attention. Our days are filled with relationships and responsibilities, all of which take time.
In Jesus’ famous sermon in Matthew 6, He spends some time talking about the various things we give our attention to. He explains that instead of spending all of our time and energy worrying about our basic need and desires in life, we should first seek His kingdom and His righteousness. If we do that, everything else will fall into place.
So, what does it mean to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness?
God’s kingdom is about God’s rule and reign over all of creation. His kingdom was unleashed during Jesus’ ministry on earth, and is now growing and expanding throughout the global Church. The work of the kingdom is to continue to tell others about the hope of Jesus, and to teach everything that Jesus has commanded.
To seek God’s righteousness is to desire to live the way God intended. It's to live according to God’s...