The Gospel in 5 Words
God
- Where did we come from? God
- There is one God. He is infinite in power , goodness, and holiness and yet also personal and loving, a God who speaks to us in the Bible. The world is not an accident, but the creation of the one God (Genesis 1).
- God loves you (John 3:16).
- God is holy and just. He punishes all evil and expels it from his presence (Romans 1:18).
Sin
- Why did things go so wrong? Sin
- God, who created everything, made us for himself to find our purpose in fellowship with him (Colossians 1:16).
- But we rebelled and turned away from God (Isaiah 53:6).
- The consequence of sin is spiritual bondage (Romans 6.15-18) and condemnation (Isaiah 59:2). The penalty is eternal death (Romans 6:23).
Christ
- What will put things right? Christ
- God became human in the person of Jesus Christ to restore the broken fellowship (Colossians 1:19-20). Christ lived a perfect life (1 Peter 2:22).
- Christ died as a substitute for us by paying the death penalty for our rebellion (Romans 5:8). He arose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) and is alive today to give us a new life of fellowship with God, now and forever (John 10:10).
Trust
- How can I be put right? Trust (or Faith)
- Putting our faith in Christ is not about trying harder; it means transferring our trust away from ourselves and resting in him. It is not the quality of the faith itself that saves us; it is what Jesus has done for us.
- I must turn from my sin. I must repent for my rebellion (Matthew 4:17).
- I must trust Christ died to provide forgiveness and a new life of fellowship with God (John 1:12).
- I must receive Christ as my Savior and Lord with the intent to obey him. I do this in prayer by inviting him into my life (Revelation 3:20).
Cost
- What do I do now? Obey
- There is no cost to you; your salvation comes to you freely (Ephesians 2:8-9).
- But it comes at a high cost to God (1 Peter 1:18-19). 13
- Ultimately your response is a life of discipleship (Luke 9:23-24).
Have Questions? Need Support
What to chat more about what the gospel is and what the Bible says about it?
A NEXT STEP
The more we learn, the more questions can sometimes arise.
We can struggle with how to apply forgiveness in our own unique circumstances.
God designed us for community, not to figure everything out by ourselves.
Harbour Fellowship Church in St. Catharines would love to connect with you, hear your story, and join you in moving forward.
I want to be a powerful preacher
no matter how many times I read that Jesus is God, Jesus speaks to the father as is dad like we have our earthly dad why would Jesus cry out father why have you forsaken me he would be talking to himself?
Hi David ,I also have wondered about this so many times,I can only think that it means that Jesus is exactly the same as God in his thoughts and everything he does, this is not the actual answer ,I would also like to know for sure. as I’m sure many others would.
Hi David Riley and Hazel, It is so easy, God is the Tri-une God, consisting of the 3 persons God the Father , who is Spirit, God the son, who is Jesus, who was fully man and fully God, and God the Holy Spirit. Although they are all Spirit beings, they act as persons (yes, not people, for the 3 is one.) . Because they are different persons, but in essence the same, Jesus can talk to God, Right now, Jesus is sitting at God’s right hand, interceding for us. See the three different persons, as each has His own work, Jesus the man-God, the Redeemer: God the Creator, & the Spirit of God lives in us, to guide and convict us of sin. They are 3 persons, you seem to miss that point.
Partnership is my desire