He’s the center and focus of the gospel. Simply put, we believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Everything we are and everything we have comes from Him and works together for His purpose.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life.
—John 3:16
THE GOSPEL
The Bible calls it “good news,” or the message about Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. It’s a summary of God’s work through Jesus and our response to that work, which leads to salvation.
To help us understand it better, the gospel message always includes four key elements:
- God rules. The Bible says God created everything, including you and me, and He’s in charge of everything.
See Genesis 1:1, Revelation 4:11, and Colossians 1:16-17. - Man sinned. We inherently disobey God. The Bible calls this sin—and sin separates us from God. The punishment? Death.
See Romans 3:23 and 6:23. - God sent Jesus. He’s the perfect solution to our sin problem, rescuing us from the punishment we deserve. It’s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us.
See John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Acts 16:30-31. - We respond in repentance and faith. All you’ve to do is believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He did on the cross. Repent from self and sin, then turn to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus.
See John 14:6 and Romans 10:9-10,13.
NEXT STEPS
When you respond to the gospel and surrender your life to Jesus, everything changes. Here are your next steps of faith:
Professing Your Faith
When something this life changing happens, your first response is to tell others. You declare your faith in Jesus by telling the story of your salvation. Most people begin by sharing their decision to follow Jesus with their family, friends, pastor, or minister.
See Romans 10:9-10, Mark 9:24, and John 9:25.
Baptism
This is a powerful outward symbol of the inner change that has happened. It’s a lived-out picture of the death of your sin and your new life with Christ.
See Matthew 5:13-17, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:36-39, and 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Join The Church
The church is a body of believers following Jesus together. Jesus designed it for every one of His followers to have a place to grow in what they believe, belong to a community of faith, and become more like Him.
See Acts 2:42-47, Ephesians 4:1-16, and Romans 12:1-2.