In Case You Haven’t Heard It Today…
My youth pastor always says: “If you haven’t heard it today you need to know that God loves you. He loves you so much that he allowed his son to be killed so that your sins could be forgiven. The Bible says it pleased Him for his son to die so that you could be reunited with the father in heaven.”
This truth is at the heart of the gospel. We must be constantly reminded of it. When we know the truth and dwell on it, we can effectively live lives different than the rest of the world.
What is the Gospel?
The Nicene Creed, which is the defining statement of belief for Christianity, states: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
When God created the world, it was perfect, and He gave us a beautiful garden to live in and tend. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve went against this perfect design and ate the forbidden fruit, bringing death and destruction into the world. God can’t have sin in his presence, so he had to punish Adam and Eve for their actions. Thus, He placed a curse on all of humanity.
We all, to this day, suffer from the effects of this curse. Romans 3:23 points this out: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All of us deserve death. Our sin separates us from God.
Thankfully, God had a plan for His children, promising redemption to Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:15 says: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” This verse is a prophecy of Jesus’ eventual coming. It acknowledges His death but points out that He will defeat it. Satan’s fate was sealed even in the first chapters of the Bible!
Fast forward to Jesus: he was born of a virgin, taught Israel about God and His kingdom, performed many miracles, lived a sinless life, and paid the price for our sins through his death on the cross. Jesus’ life and death saved all of the world from its sin. In his love God allowed His son to receive a punishment he didn’t deserve for a people who didn’t deserve to be saved. God, through his son Jesus, gave us a way to life!
Surrendering All
Redemption is a free gift from God. We can’t rely on our strength to save ourselves; we can’t get ourselves to heaven. Only God through Jesus can. All we bring to the table is ourselves along with faith. Romans 10:9 says: “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.”
Redemption is free, but following God isn’t. It requires us to surrender everything and follow God. It requires us to give up our old stubborn ways and sin to pursue a lifestyle of following Jesus. It is to result in complete life change and can often be painful. It requires us to take up our cross and follow Christ no matter what. Following Jesus requires sacrifice.
What is God Calling Us to Do?
We are to live radical lives for Christ.
This is a command, not a suggestion. We must be different from the world and culture around us. This command affects every part of our lives, even the areas where many think God shouldn’t be involved. This includes the subject of abortion and our government processes.
Our faith needs to be one that people see, and want for themselves. We are ambassadors for Christ and have the whole world watching us. We are called to live Godly lives regardless of what we’re doing or where we’re at. God’s call is present no matter the circumstances or our desires.
If our faith makes us uncomfortable, makes us lose friends, makes us hated, or even kills us, so be it, God is stronger than all of these things.
Every aspect of our lives was designed to have God involved. We must spread the good news of the gospel so that people will find true freedom.
Our nation and the earth need God. Nations and people crumble without Him. America’s founders understood this and so built this nation on a Christian foundation. As the Pledge of Allegiance says, America is supposed to be “One Nation Under God.”
Conclusion
The story of the Gospel is one of death being defeated and us being redeemed. It’s the greatest story ever written, and all of it is true! It gives us hope and a reason to live. It’s a story that involves us taking up our cross and following God no matter what.
“In case you haven’t heard it today…God loves you.”
Until next time…
“The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you.”