What is the Gospel
The gospel means Good News
The central truth of the gospel is that through the gift of His son to the world, God has provided a way of salvation for men. He bore the penalty for sin, triumphed over death, and now offers a share of His victory to all who will accept it. The gospel is good news because it is a gift from God, not something earned through penance or self-improvement.
The Creator of Your Heart
Understanding your relationship with God begins with acknowledging that He is the Supreme King of the universe. God rules the world, and everything He does is guided by love. God has the right to claim this role because He is the Creator. God created the world and everything in it, and thus he owns it.
This means that you were created by God. God created people who resembled him in some ways. The Bible refers to this as being created in God's image. He created the first humans, Adam and Eve, and gave them authority over the world he created. We were created to rule the world, to care for it, and to appreciate its beauty.
God, on the other hand, did not intend for us to do as we please. God's intention and plan was for men and women to live under God's authority, obey his commands, and worship Him. That was God's plan, and it was a good one.
You are worthy, our Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. (Revelation 4:11)
The Problem in Your Heart
From the beginning, Adam and Eve had the option of following God's plan for life or going their own way, which would lead to death. Unfortunately, they rejected God's authority in favor of following their own path. This is something that we all do, including you. We want to be in charge of our own lives, and we are offended by God's assertion of authority over us. We show our disobedience in a variety of ways. Sometimes we just ignore God and go about our lives as if he doesn't exist. We disobey the commands He has given us in the Bible. None of us have met God's expectations. The Bible uses the term sin to describe our disobedience to God.
As you observe your world and your own life, you will notice that we end up destroying what God created. Because we are all rebellious toward God by nature, we end up pursuing our own agendas. We act as if we are gods. We harmed each other in the process. Our sin is the source of all evil, strife, and suffering in the world.
There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God. All have turned away. (Romans 3:10-12)
The crucial question concerning our sin is, "What will God do about it?" God loves us, but he is also concerned about our sin. God is pure. He is sinless and cannot allow sin to enter or remain unpunished in his presence. God will not tolerate our sin indefinitely. God will judge all sin, and our punishment will be justifiable. Everyone who continues to rebel against God will be separated from God when they die. That separation is permanent, and it includes an eternal existence in a place of judgment known as hell in the Bible.
Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement. (Hebrews 9:27)
The Savior of Your Heart
Our predicament is not hopeless. God, in his loving grace and mercy, devised a plan for our salvation. He does not want us to suffer the consequences of his punishment. He desires that we have a loving relationship with him as his children. God's plan for our salvation included the birth of his eternal son, Jesus Christ.
When Jesus arrived on Earth, he assumed the form of a man and lived as one. But, unlike us, he completely obeyed God. He never committed a single sin. He always did what God expected of him. Despite the fact that Jesus could heal the sick, raise the dead, and perform many other wonderful miracles, he allowed himself to be killed. Jesus did not deserve to die, nor did he deserve to be punished for sin, because he was without sin. Jesus died in our place as a substitute. This is wonderful news for sinful men. Jesus took a punishment he did not deserve in order for you to be free of punishment. Because Jesus was punished in your place, God offers you complete forgiveness for all of your sins.
Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)
God considers Jesus' death to be full payment for your sin. The fact that God raised Jesus from the dead proves that he was accepted by God. Jesus is now with God in heaven, ruling over the world he created. According to the Bible, Jesus will return to this earth one day and will accomplish two things. First, he will punish God's adversaries. Second, he will create a new heaven and earth in which he will reign alongside those who have come after him.
In Jesus, God offers you new life. Your sin can be forgiven. God's just punishment is avoidable. Your eternal home could be a new creation. You can live your life as God's friend, enjoying fellowship with him and his people. You can feel the excitement of a new relationship with God.
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)
The Response Within Your Heart
You must make a decision. You can continue to rebel against God, but you will eventually get what you deserve. God has earned your obedience, and continuing in rebellion earns God's wrath. You can also seek God's mercy. Everything will change if you believe what the Bible says about Jesus and what Jesus did for you, and if you appeal to God's grace and forgiveness. God promises that anyone who believes in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins. God accepts the death of Jesus as payment for sins. Those who put their faith in Jesus are no longer considered sinners. They are considered God's adopted sons and daughters.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:36)
If you don't believe you're a sinner, don't believe God will judge you, or don't believe the Bible's teaching about Jesus, getting a copy of the Bible and reading it for yourself is a good place to start. (A good place to start would be the Gospel of John and the book of Romans.)
If you believe you are a sinner facing God's wrath, there are three things you should do:
The first step is to pray to God for mercy and forgiveness. Recognize that you are a sinner in need of God's forgiveness. Recognize that you deserve his punishment but desire his mercy instead. Tell him that you believe Jesus died for your sins and that you are trusting God for your salvation because of what Jesus did for you. You must also seek God's assistance in changing yourself. You can't keep living in defiance. The salvation God provides includes Jesus becoming the king of your life rather than you, but you will need his assistance to overcome your sin.
The second step is to begin living as if you are a child of God. Many aspects of your life require modification. Begin living it out as you read the Bible and come to understand what God expects of you. This will take you the rest of your life to complete. You will never be completely free of sin until you are with God in heaven. However, God's promise to forgive your sin remains in effect, and he will continue to assist you in obeying him.
The third thing you should do is to continue to trust and rely on God for the rest of your life. You will make mistakes, but God will always forgive you. You will require his assistance and encouragement, which he will provide. Study God's Word, learn everything you can about him, rely on his forgiveness every day, grow as a child of God, and find a church family that teaches the Bible and encourages you to learn of God's path and peace.