WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

"For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" 

1 Corinthians 15:3-4, CSB



The gospel is the "good news" or the "grand announcement" of what God has done to save wicked and rebellious sinners through the person and work of His only Son, Jesus Christ.


In fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, Jesus fulfilled the law of God perfectly, died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of His people, rose from the dead, and sat down at the right hand of God the Father. He now reigns over heaven and earth in all power and authority.


Any person who turns from their sin—acknowledging their helpless state before God—and believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, is forgiven, freed, born again, declared righteous in God's sight, and promised eternal life with God.



"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 

2 Corinthians 5:20-21, CSB


"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." 

1 Peter 2:24, CSB


"...we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified."

Galatians 2:16, CSB


"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, 

so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith." 

Galatians 3:13-14, CSB


WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?

The Apostle Paul gets at the heart of Christianity in his letter to the church at Ephesus. In chapter 2, we read:


"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."


Ephesians 2:1-10, ESV



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If you would like to talk with someone about the gospel or your relationship with Christ, please contact our office at 815-723-3212 and one of our elders would consider it a privilege to speak with you.