The Simple Gospel
When it comes to understanding the gospel message of Jesus, Romans 10:13 is a great place to begin:
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 so that through His death and resurrection we can experience true and everlasting life. We can choose to believe in Jesus, and through faith experience Jesus’s undeserved gift of forgiveness and love.
The simplicity of the gospel is also what can make it controversial: We don’t have to work for or earn our salvation. It is given to us freely as a gift of God through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If you choose to believe in Jesus and put your faith in Him, that's it. You are 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.
God So Loves You
If you’ve experienced any part of the Bible, you probably know that John 3:16 highlights a vital part of the gospel message…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIV
Think about it:
“For God so loved the world …”
God didn’t merely like the world, but He loved the world. He loved you so much that He created you, made a way for you, and desired a forever relationship with you.
“… that he gave his one and only Son …”
Because of God’s immense love for the world, He gave—generously and sacrificially—His one and only Son … because it’s only through His death that we can have life.
“… that whoever believes in him …”
It’s not enough to know that Jesus existed as a real, historical person—James 2:19 reminds us that even the demons believe that and shudder. Believing in Jesus means we choose to trust Him as Savior and Master...