It was not until this year that I came to clearly understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At my local church, the theme for the year is Grow. As a result, for the past 3 months, the sermons zoned into the Gospel and how it shapes us as believers. Today’s article will be us understanding the Gospel of Jesus together.
What is the Gospel?
Before this year, I can not recall hearing the Gospel in a way I could remember. Have you ever heard the saying, “Repetition makes for understanding”? Frankly, constantly hearing the Gospel for 3 months has sealed it within my heart.
When Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ERV, he presents us with the Gospel:
[3] I gave you the message that I received. I told you the most important truths: that Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say; [4] that he was buried and was raised to life on the third day, as the Scriptures say.
Here’s the breakdown of the Gospel as Scriptures say:
- Christ death for our sins
- His burial
- Him being raised to life, aka His resurrection
All of these Jesus did just as the Scriptures prophesied. This means that when we read the Bible, it speaks of Jesus and the way He will die, be buried, and resurrected.
Romans 1:2-4 ERV says God promised long ago through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures to give this Good News to his people. [3-4] The Good News is about God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. As a human, he was born from the family of David, but through the Holy Spirit, he was shown to be God’s powerful Son when he was raised from death.
Why did Jesus need to die for our sins?
Well, sin stemmed from Adam and Eve’s fall in the beginning. After which every wo/man was born with a sinful nature. Emphatically, it’s not about what you did but how you are born.
Romans 5:12 ERV says it this way:
[12] Sin came into the world because of what one man did. And with sin came death. So this is why all people must die—because all people have sinned.
Consequentially, sin brought death in the picture. And Christ dying on the Cross and resurrecting after 3 days cancelled death; in that all who believe in Him will have life. Reference John 3:16.
Is Jesus an afterthought to sin?
While sin distorted you and I’s access to God, God didn’t send Jesus as an emergency response to sin. No! Jesus was always the plan from the beginning.
Ephesians 1:4 NKJV says just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Ephesians 2:10 NKJV says For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Clearly, we see that God chose Christ and by extension, anyone who will believe in Him before the foundation of the world. Disclaimer: That doesn’t mean God only pre-chose a few people to believe in Jesus. Instead, as many as hear the Gospel and believe, they are chosen. Ultimately, Apostle Paul drives our attention to this fact: even before we knew we had a need for Salvation, God gave us Jesus.
Was Jesus actually a man?
The entire Gospel hinges on the fact that Jesus came in human form, lived, died, and resurrected. In John 3:16, you see how God loved the world so much, He gave us His Son.
In Matthew 1:21, you also see how Mary will have a son, who’ll be called Jesus. Why? He’ll save His people from their sins.
For us to be saved from sin, we see how scriptures allude to Jesus coming as a man. You can clearly see it in John 1:14 and Hebrews 2:17.
John 1:14 ERV says The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his divine greatness—the greatness that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth.
Hebrews 2:17 ERV says ‘For this reason, Jesus had to be made like us, his brothers and sisters, in every way. He became like people so that he could be their merciful and faithful high priest in service to God. Then he could bring forgiveness for the people’s sins. ‘
In summary, although God, Jesus dwelt on earth as a man. Only He could be the worthy sacrifice for Man’s sin. As a result, He died, was buried and resurrected. Why? That you and I may have life in God.
John 3:16 NKJV says For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Knowing the Gospel of Jesus, who will you share this with today?
Thank you for reading – Funmi
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