The Gospel

Many Christians use the word gospel, but how many actually know what the word gospel means?  We as Christians make a habit of throwing around Christian words that sound cool, but if we were honest…we have no idea what these words truly mean.  The Gospel means good news…that:

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  -2^nd Corinthians 5:21

Growing up I always heard the phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin".  As I have grown in my relationship with Christ I have realized Jesus never said such a thing.  As a matter of fact it was Gandhi who uttered those words.  Like most people, this realization was shocking and tough to wrestle with.  The Bible says that we are born in sin and inherently sinful in nature. (Psalm 51:5, Ephesian 2:3)  We do not have a choice on our human nature.  We are inherently born against God.  In order to prove this let me ask some questions.  Do you have to teach a baby to be selfish?   What is one of the first words a baby ever says?....mine.  Have you ever known something was wrong but you did it anyways?  Afterwards you told yourself you would never do that again, only to do it again a short time after that.  Because God is holy, perfect, and righteous the Bible says that he hates sin.  So, because God hates sin and sin is our inner nature….yep you guessed it.  At this point red flags are going up in your head, but I ask that you stay with me.  God’s wrathful nature is not something our culture likes to talk about, but if we don’t first recognize God’s wrathful nature we will never recognize his loving nature.  In the most popular Bible verse known to man the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

So am I saying that God both hates and loves sinners?  Yes, yes I am.  The greatest news that the earth has ever heard is found in Romans 5:8 which says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Because God is just and holy somebody has to pay the penalty.  God has given us a moral law and we all have broken his moral law time and time again.  God cannot allow sin into heaven.  He demands perfection and we deserve God’s wrath.  The great news of the gospel is that Jesus has satisfied the wrath of God.  In Luke 22: 42 before Jesus goes to the cross he says, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.”  What cup? God’s wrath.  Fast forward to Jesus hanging on the cross.  In John 19:30 Jesus says arguable the three most important words in human history.  “It is Finished”  What is finished?  God’s wrath.  The cup of his wrath was overfilling and God in his love for humanity chose to pour out every bit of his wrath onto his son.  Jesus finished the cup.

 So does God hate sinners? Yep.  Does God love sinners? Yep. He loves them so much that he chose to pour out all his wrath on his perfect and blameless son, so that you can have a personal relationship with him.

This means that when you turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ you don’t have to worry about where you will go when you die anymore.  Jesus said he came to give life and life to the full.  The gospel is good news for unbelievers and believers.  The gospel is freedom. 

So, if you have trusted in Christ for your salvation God sees you as perfect, spotless, and blameless in his sight.  It is not because of anything that you have done but all because of what Christ has done for you.  He took your place.  You no longer have to worry because Romans 8:33 says “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.”  Galations 2:20 says, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”  Colossians 1:12 says that you have been qualified, delivered, transferred, redeemed, all because God loved you enough to come and die in your place despite everything you have ever done against him.  That is a supernatural love.  A supernatural love that when understood properly creates a love for God that allows you to follow God and his commandments out of love, not begrudging submission.

If you are struggling with God’s love for you, realize that he loves the version of you right now, not some future perfect version.  It is ok to admit your weakness and struggles before God.  That is what the cross of Christ is all about.  Keep pushing, keep fighting, keep moving forward.  God knew you were going to be messy, he knew it would take time.  Trust in his power not your own.  In and of yourself you cannot overcome the sin in your life but In Christ you can do all things through him who strengthens you.  If you ever doubt his love for you just look at the cross.

Jesus earned God’s approval for me so I can stop trying to

Jesus was Strong for me so I can be weak

Jesus was Someone so I can be no one

Jesus was extra ordinary so I can be ordinary

Jesus succeeded for me so I am free to fail

Jesus won for me so I am free to lose

Take time to think on this today…