For some, this concept immediately makes them question God. They may say something like, "If God cares so much about me why did He let _____ happen." I mean when we look around us we see a world that seems to be far from the resemblance of a loving and caring God. Did you know there is a reason for this? 

 

The book of Genesis records for us the creation of the universe by God. Upon God finishing creation on the sixth day it says in Genesis 1:31, "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."   

 

Everything was "very good!" But there's one detail in this perfect creation that could change everything (and it did). When God made the first man and women He made them with what we call a "free-will." God wanted mankind to choose to love Him. I mean what would love be without the choice to love?  It wouldn't be love at all!

 

Love being a choice though means that one can choose not to love. And here is where perfection was corrupted. You see, God gave the first man and women (our original ancestors) free-will in a perfect creation by putting one single tree in it that He told them they were not allowed to eat. Genesis 2:16, 17 "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."  

 

This command by God was clear and simple yet, mankind chose to disobey it (Genesis 3). Adam and Eve choosing to not love God brought about exactly what God said would happen; death! This death as the Bible explains was both physical death and eternal death (now for all mankind).       

 

Our original ancestors rebelled against God and cursed the whole human race with a sin nature. But in spite of this direct disobedience, God still cared deeply for mankind and already had a plan to save us from eternal death. Romans 5:19 says, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." This is where the "Gospel" begins! 

 

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”

 

This word ”Gospel” used in the Bible is a word that means, “good news.” 1 Corinthians 15 is declaring the “good news” of what Jesus has done for all mankind because He loves and values us. As it says, He died for our sins, was buried, and three days later He rose from the dead. 

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” The first “he” there is referring to God. God (the Creator of all) had Jesus become sin for us so that we could be made righteous (or sinless). Jesus was chosen by God to do this because Jesus was God. John 5:17, 18 says, “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” You can also read John 1 to see that the “Word” (Jesus) was God. 

 

Since Jesus was/is God, He was the only perfect and acceptable sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10). He became a man in order to die for all mankind. But He didn’t just die, Jesus also rose from the dead. As 1 Corinthians 15 told us, hundreds of eye-witnesses could attest in those days that they had seen Jesus alive after His death. 

 

This is the Gospel! As Jesus declared in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Only through Jesus’ payment for your sin can you be saved and accepted by God. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” We are all just as disobedient as our original ancestors. Without Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection we would all be eternally separated from God!

 

Jesus’ salvation is available to you today, but you must receive it. Receiving it is as simple as the Scripture declares it in Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” All God says you must do to be saved is confess Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him (Jesus) from the dead. 

 

Confessing Jesus is Lord is to declare ultimately that He was and is God (your Creator and Lord). It's to repent of any other way to salvation but by Him. To believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is to believe God did this as our means to be saved. The matter of believing in thine heart is to believe this in your soul (As I often put it: the real you). You see, you personally must choose to believe Jesus rose from the dead (meaning he also died) as your only means of salvation from sin. 

 

Now I've shared with you a lot of information, but everything that you just read can be summarized as follows: Would you repent and confess Jesus is Lord (God) today? Would you then believe in your heart (your soul) that He died and rose again for your sins? 

 

God has demonstrated the value and care He has for you. Why not obey Him right now? Do what His Word says and claim His promise of salvation. Claim His promise of eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 6:23).

 

Maybe you have some questions first. If so, I'd ask you to email me at matt@reachmaui.org or text me at 808.321.6455. I would love to help you through the questions you may have.

 

If you just obeyed God, message us as well. We want to help you find a church that would equip you to grow in this new relationship you now have with your Creator. 

 

I'm so glad you took the time to read this. It's the most import truth you will ever read!

 

– Matt Brunk (Founder and Church Planter for Reach Maui)

 

Want to read more about the Gospel? Download a free e-book titled "DONE" here.