Good News!
Imagine standing before a judge, guilty of a serious crime you know you’ve committed. The jury has spoken, and now you are awaiting sentencing. You stand before the judge, your heart pounding as you await your sentence. The evidence against you is overwhelming. You know you are guilty, and you are prepared to accept whatever punishment the judge deems appropriate.
The judge looks at you sternly, and then declares you guilty. Your heart sinks as you realize that you will have to face the consequences of your actions. But then the judge does something unexpected. He says that someone has come forward to take the penalty in your place. You are stunned. You can't believe it. You have no idea who this person is or why they would do such a thing.
The judge continues, "This person has paid the price for your crime. You are free to go." You can't believe your ears. You are overwhelmed with gratitude and relief as you realize that you have been given a second chance.
As you walk out of the courtroom, you think about the sacrifice that has been made for you. You know that you can never repay the debt you owe to the person who has taken your place. But you vow to live your life in a way that will honor the sacrifice that has been made for you.
This scenario is reminiscent of the work that Christ accomplished on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Just like you, we are all guilty of sin, and we deserve to face the consequences of our actions. But Jesus took our place and paid the price for our sins. He suffered and died on the cross so that we could be forgiven and set free. All we need to do is repent and believe!
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6,8).
Verses for study
The Incomparable Christ!
Philippians 2:8b-11: He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Colossians 1:15-23: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And although you were previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
Hebrews 1:1-4: God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
Preeminence of God/Christ
Isaiah 46:8-11: “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My plan will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’”
Isaiah 55:1-9: “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”
Romans 11:33-36: Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him, that it would be paid back to him? For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Daniel 4:34-35: King Nebuchadnezzar exalts the God of Heaven
John 3:31: “He who comes from above is above all; the one who is only from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.”
Ephesians 3:13-21: that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Jude 24-25: Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Revelation 19:6: Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
Jesus’ power
Matthew 8:23-27: “’What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”
John 6:1-15: feeding of the 5000
John 16:16-23: Jesus walked on the water
John 5:1-9: ”Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.’ Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.”
John 21:25: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that not even the world itself would have room for the books that would be written."
The power of the Gospel
1 Corinthians 15:3-9: For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
2 Corinthians 4:5-12: But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.
God’s grace and mercy
Lamentations 3:22-23: The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Ezekiel 36:25-27: Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes and are careful and follow My ordinances.
Exodus 34:4-7: God replaced the tablet Moses smashed in his righteous anger
Jeremiah 31:34: “for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.”
Ezekiel 16:60-63: “Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.
Romans 5:20-21: The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 9:18-23: “So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”
Substitionary atonement; sacrifice for sin; salvation; redemption; mediator
Genesis 1:26-28: garments of animal skin to cover Adam and Eve
Exodus 12:25-32: Passover remembrance
Isaiah 9:6-7: “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us”
Isaiah 53:10: “But the Lord desired to crush Him, causing Him grief”
Luke 2:8-14: “’Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”
John 3:1-8: Nicodemus: “You must be born again.”
John 3:14-21: the snake lifted high in the wilderness—John 3:16
Romans 3:22-29: “but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 5:6-11: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation
Ephesians 2: But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, 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 ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Philippians 3:7-21: But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death
Colossians 1:13-14: For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 2:9-15: And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Isaiah 6:5-7: “’Woe to me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips.’ ‘Your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.’”
Titus 2:11-15: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed
Hebrews 9:11-15: But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption. For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant
1 Peter 1:3-5: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 3:18: For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit
Isaiah 11:1-5: “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.”
Isaiah 54:5: “For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Lord of armies; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the God of all the earth.
Mark 2:17: “And hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”
Luke 16:19-31: the rich man and Lazarus: “’but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
John 3:36: The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 4:10-14: Samaritan woman: Jesus is the living water
John 6:24-71: “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have indeed seen Me, and yet you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.’ So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to leave also, do you?’ Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have already believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’”
John 7:37-39: Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Romans 8:28-38: God accomplished everything for us through Christ! Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ!
Romans 16:25-27: Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.
Galatians 1:3-5: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.
Ephesians 1: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood
1 Timothy 1:15-17: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost sinner Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 2:1-6: This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time
Hebrews 5:8-10: Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:26-28: For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens; who has no daily need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because He did this once for all time when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Hebrews 9:27-28: And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
Hebrews 10:8-14: By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
The dual nature of Jesus
Jesus is fully God:
John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Colossians 2:9-10: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over every ruler and authority.
Matthew 8:23-27: “Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, ‘What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”
Matthew 14:30-33: When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!”
Jesus is fully man:
Luke 2:51-52: And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.
Justification by Faith
Romans 5:1-2: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we celebrate in hope of the glory of God.
Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Titus 3:5: "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,"
Romans 8:1-11: Therefore, there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The Gospel walkthrough
What is the Gospel? The Good News of Jesus Christ
Genesis 3:14-15
Genesis 12:1-3
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6-7
Isaiah 53:4-12
Micah 5:2
John 1:1
John 1:29
John 14:6
Acts 2:22-24,32-36
Acts 4:12
Acts 5:29-32
Acts 13:36-39
Romans 1:16
Romans 3:10-12
Romans 3:23
Romans 5:8
Romans 5:12
Romans 6:23
1 Cor. 15:1-7
Galatians 3:28-29
1 Tim. 1:15
1 Tim. 2:5-6
Titus 2:11-14
1 Peter 3:18
1 John 4:10
1 John 5:11-12
Rev. 5:9
What the Gospel is not: What we do or how good we are
Matthew 7:21-23
Acts 15:1-2,7,11
Ephesians 2:8-9
Titus 3:5
What is required of us? Believe in Jesus and repent for the forgiveness of our sins
Matthew 4:17
Matthew 7:13-14
Mark 1:15
Luke 15:10
John 1:12-13
John 3:4-7
John 3:16
John 20:31
Acts 2:37-42
Acts 3:19
Acts 9:35
Acts 9:42
Acts 16:30-34
Acts 17:30-31
Romans 10:9-10
2 Corinthians 7:10
What happens when we believe? We cross over from death to life; we are no longer condemned; we are sealed for the day of redemption
John 5:24
John 10:10
Acts 10:44-45
Acts 26:18
Romans 5:1-2
Romans 8:1-4
Romans 8:32,35-39
2 Corinthians 5:21
Galatians 4:4-7
Ephesians 4:30
Titus 3:5-7
1 Peter 2:24-25
Revelation 21:1-5
What if we don’t believe? We are separated from all eternity from the glory of God
2 Thess. 1:8-10
Now what: I would love for us to be so familiar with and so passionate about the Gospel that we preach it to ourselves, each other, and a lost and dying world every chance we get!
Matthew 28:19-20
Acts 1:8
Romans 1:16
Galatians 2:20
Philippians 3:7-9
Romans’ Road:
Romans 1:16
Romans 3:10-12
Romans 3:23
Romans 5:12
Romans 6:23
Romans 5:8
Romans 10:9-15
Romans 10:13
Romans 5:1
Romans 8:1-4
Romans 8:38-39
Article: The Gospel by Bryan Carlson
We are called, as Christ followers, to make disciples, to be His witnesses, to be His ambassadors—to spread the Gospel—the good news! (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:17-21)
God loves you and created you for relationship with Him:
Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV): “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb; I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Life is short:
Psalm 39:4-7 (NIV): “Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.”
We’re all in need of healing—from a condition that we have called sin. Our sin separates us from a holy and pure God:
Leviticus 11:45 (NIV): “I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.”
Romans 3:23 (NIV): “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 6:23 (NIV): “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Our sin leads us to Hell:
Descriptions of Hell: (Matt. 8:12; Matt. 13:24-30; Luke 16:19-31; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 9:1-2) weeping and gnashing of teeth, burned, agony, in fire, gloomy dungeons, lake of burning sulfur, tormented day and night forever and ever, smoky, a gigantic furnace
2 Thess. 1:9 (NIV): “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.
It’s Jesus plus nothing. That’s hard for many Americans to grasp—as we are a self-sufficient, hard working group. But in this case, we can do nothing to work our way to Heaven. All we can do is trust Jesus and believe in Him.
John 3:16: “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.”
Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 14:6: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
These verses make it very clear that we cannot leave Christ out of Christianity. He is the only way to have a relationship with the Father. If we leave Christ out of Christianity, we do not have Christianity—we only have false religion. Without a personal relationship with Christ, we are on the wrong path and do not have a saving faith.
John 14:6: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."
Mark 8:38 “I anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Our entire world on one of two paths—every single person—there are no exceptions.
Matt 7:13-14: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”
We see true believers in Christ on a path that is extremely narrow—Christ plus nothing—and Jesus tells us that there are few people on this path. We see the rest of the world on the wide path. I would like to suggest that many of those on this wide path to destruction think they are on the right path—many who would say that they are Christians.
There are many religious people on the path to destruction:
Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"
Ephesians 2:8-10: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Titus 3:5-7: “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
In a recent poll, George Barna, a Christian pollster, found that 84% of Americans think they are Christians. Most who live in America and are “religious” assume they are Christians. However, when they are asked questions that relate to the Gospel, of the 262 million people live in the United States; 187 million (over 70%) do not have a relationship with Christ. Even more disturbing is that Barna, in his research, has found that half of all adults who attend Protestant churches on a typical Sunday morning are not Christians! How does Barna determine who is and is not a Christian? He asks them questions about how they know they are Christians and compares their answers to how the Bible says a person is saved.
We must repent of our sin and turn to God to be saved:
Mark 1:15 The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
John 5:24 Whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
Acts 2:21 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Acts 16:30-31 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
Acts 17:30-31 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
Rom. 10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
1 John 5:11-12 And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life."
Now what:
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Marks of a true Christian:
desire for the Word
desire for prayer
desire for fellowship
desire to do good works
desire for purity
desire to make disciples
love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength
love your neighbor as yourself
the Apostle Paul is a perfect example. Once he crossed over from death to life, his entire perspective changes—to live is Christ and to die is gain; take up your cross daily; I have been crucified with Christ; present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
An abundant life on earth and eternity with God is what we have to look forward to:
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
Revelation 21:1-5 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Article: The Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement and the Implications for Human Guilt Over Sin by Bryan Carlson
Substitutionary atonement is defined as: “the work Christ did in his life and death to earn our salvation” (Grudem 568).
The idea of atonement first appeared in Genesis 1:26-28, where God made garments of animal skin to cover Adam and Eve after they sinned against Him. The act of clothing them symbolized the beginning of the sacrificial system, which involved the offering of animals to atone for sin. Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets spoke of the coming of a Messiah who would make a final and complete atonement for sin. Isaiah 9:6-7 refers to the birth of a child who would be the Savior, while Isaiah 53:10 speaks of the suffering that the Lord would endure to provide this salvation. Jesus Christ, “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29) died on the cross as a substitute for humanity, taking on the punishment that humanity deserved for our sins. Romans 5:8-10 states that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It goes on to say that since we have been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. As enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son and can now be saved by His life. Christ's sacrificial death on the cross was necessary for our reconciliation with God. Similarly, 1 Peter 2:24 says that "He Himself bore our sins in His body” so we can be healed. The nature of the atonement is that Jesus lived a perfect life and suffered on the cross. He endured physical pain, bore the weight of sin, was abandoned by His disciples, and bore the wrath of God. His sacrifice was complete, paid in full, and necessary for the salvation of God's people. (Romans 5:19, Hebrews 5:8, Isaiah 53:3, Mark 15:24, 1 Corinthians 5:21)
The implications of this doctrine for human guilt over sin are profound. Through Christ's death on the cross, we can be healed from the effects of sin and live a life of righteousness. This provides hope for those who are struggling with the consequences of their sins. Through accepting Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we can be forgiven and reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:21). This leads to a liberation from the guilt and shame that comes with sin and the ability to live a life of freedom, peace, and joy in Christ. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we can experience the transformative power of God's grace, be freed from the bonds of sin and its destructive effects and live holy lives in freedom and victory. Christians are holy because of our calling in Christ, because of His atonement for our sins, and because of the continual work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
In Freudian psychology, false guilt is often seen as harmful because it can lead to negative self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. This includes a sense of guilt aroused by the conscience from standards imposed by others (Roy 23) . We need to reject this idea in Biblical Counseling. We are guilty. “Guilt is defined as a judicial condition caused by sin. A person is guilty because they violated God’s standards. Thus, guilt is a legal condition whereby the person has violated the law and is therefore subject to punishment. Our guilt should lead us to repentance” (Faith notes 113).“They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” (Romans 2:15) Our hope over guilt in only in Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 568.
Don Roy, IBCD, ACBC Theology Exam Study Guide, 23.
Faith Biblical Counseling, ACBC Exam Track 5, 113.
Article: The Dual Natures of Jesus Christ and Why this Reality is Crucial for Salvation by Bryan Carlson
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man in one person and will be so forever (Grudem 529). This means that Jesus has two distinct and inseparable natures, one divine and one human. The divine nature of Jesus is characterized by His eternality, omniscience, omnipotence, and all other attributes of deity. This nature of Jesus is without beginning or end and is eternally one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' humanity is clearly seen in His birth (Luke 2:7), His life (Luke 2:52; John 4:7-8), and His death (John 19:1-3; 17-18, 30-33). He was conceived in a human womb and was delivered as any other human baby. He grew, ate, wept, drank, and experienced all of the other aspects of human life. He was scourged, wore a crown of thorns, was nailed to a cross, bled, and had His side pierced.
Jesus' deity is also clearly seen in His birth (Matt. 1:18), His life (1 John 3:5), His death (Rom. 5:8; Isaiah 53:5), and His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:3-8). He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, lived a perfect life completely without sin, and His death has the power to save us from our sins. After three days, the stone was rolled away and He conquered death and sin. While living on this earth, He possessed attributes only God could have (John 5:18; Heb. 7:26) and was given names and titles of deity (Isaiah 9:6). Colossians 2:9 says, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form." This means that Jesus is fully God in every way. In John 1:1, it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This verse affirms that Jesus is God. Hebrews 1:3 also says, "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power."
The reality of the dual natures of Jesus Christ is crucial for salvation because it provides a way for us to be reconciled to God. Jesus, as the perfect God-man, was able to live a sinless life and to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins on the cross. By His death, He satisfied the righteous demands of God's justice and made it possible for us to be forgiven and to receive eternal life. Romans 8:3-4 says, "For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering." Hebrews 10:12 also says, "But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God."
Furthermore, Jesus' dual natures make Him the perfect mediator between God and man. As both God and man, He is able to understand our struggles and temptations and to intercede on our behalf. This truth is expressed in Hebrews 4:15-16, which tells us that we have a high priest who is able to sympathize us as He "has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” We are now able to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." In this way, Jesus not only offers us forgiveness of sins but also provides us with the necessary grace and strength to overcome sin and live a life that is pleasing to God. As believers, we can trust in Jesus as our mediator and advocate, knowing that He always intercedes on our behalf and stands as our perfect representative before God.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 529-567.
Article: An Explanation and Biblical Defense of Justification by Bryan Carlson
Justification is a term used in Christian theology to describe the process by which God makes a legal declaration of righteousness for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. “Justification is based on the work of Jesus Christ and is the response of God to repentant faith, where he makes a legal declaration that his elect are forgiven of sin and possess his own righteousness” (Lambert 287). “Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight (Grudem, p. 723, IBCD). This legal declaration is based on the merit of Christ, and his righteousness is imputed to us through faith. Forgiveness of sins is one part of justification, but it is not enough on its own to give us a record of righteousness before God. The other part of justification is the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us, which allows God to declare us righteous in his sight (Roy 27).
The book of Romans provides a clear understanding of justification through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. The essence of justification is to be made right with God, and this is possible only through faith in Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect life on earth, died on the cross to save us from our sins, rose again, and is seated in heaven, interceding for His saints. The grace of God is shown to us freely and is not a result of our righteous deeds but the mercy of God. Romans 3:23 affirms that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that there is no one righteous. It is only through the love of God that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), and we can be redeemed through his blood, according to Ephesians 1:7. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23). God sent His son to redeem us from the power and guilt of sin that leads to eternal separation from God. The Son of God humbled himself to take upon himself the sin of man and die a painful death on the cross, but through His resurrection, he defeated the power of death that had held humanity captive. As per Acts 1:9-11, he ascended into heaven and is interceding on behalf of those who put their faith and trust in him.
Sin, according to Romans 3:23, is missing the mark and falling short of God's ideal. In the Garden of Eden, sin first occurred, and since then, every person born on this earth, except for Jesus Christ, has sinned and is deserving of eternal death (Romans 5:12). No person can have a relationship with the righteous Heavenly Father through their own merit. Man is guilty and doomed as described in Romans 2:2, 3:10-18, 23. Sin has a death penalty, and it is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we can escape eternal separation from God.
Faith without works is dead, according to James, and genuine faith produces good works. Our good deeds do not justify us before God, but they prove our faith. The emphasis of justification is on faith in Jesus Christ, as per Romans 10:9-10. It is by grace that we have been saved through faith, and this is not of our own doing but a gift of God, as mentioned in Ephesians 2:8-9. Our good deeds are a result of our faith in Jesus Christ and are not the means to our salvation. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
Heath Lambert, A Theology of Biblical Counseling, 287-289.
Don Roy, IBCD, ACBC Theology Exam Study Guide, 27.
Resources
“Bible Walkthrough; Redemption Story” (workbook) by Bryan Carlson (email: bryan.carlson@biblicalcounselinghub.com to obtain a copy)
“Unlikely Fighter” by Greg Stier
“A Gospel Primer” by Milton Vincent
“The Words and Works of Jesus Christ” by J. Dwight Pentecost
“Fifty Reason why Jesus Came to Die” by John Piper
“Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis
“Cross: Unrivaled Christ, Unstoppable Gospel, Unreached Peoples, Unending Joy” by David Mathis and John Piper
“Our Sufficiency in Christ” by John MacArthur
