“for I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

The Gospel is the message that has saved us from sin and brought us into relationship with God; it is what binds us together in community as a church. It’s content can be summarized with 4 “P’s”: Purpose, Problem, Provision, and Promise.

1. Purpose. God made this world and all that is in it: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:1,27). He created human beings to be like Him and to have unhindered fellowship with Him. The original creation was all “very good” (Gen. 1:31).

2. Problem. Although the first people God created, Adam and Eve, had complete freedom to live in friendship and trust with Him, they chose to rebel (Gen. 3:1-7). Because God chose Adam to represent the entire human race, his sin was catastrophic for us as much as him: “one trespass led to condemnation for all men” (Rom. 5:18). Our fellowship with God was broken. Instead of enjoying His holy pleasure, we instead face His righteous wrath. Through this sin, we all died spiritually (see Rom. 3:1-20; Eph. 2:1-10) and the entire world was subjected to death and decay. We sin because we are sinners; we do become sinners when we sin. 

3. Provision. God would have been perfectly just to leave matters there, with all human beings under His righteous judgment, but He didn’t. Instead God, in his love, set in motion His eternal plan to save His people from sin and judgment and set free the entire creation from its bondage to sin. How? By sending His Son to deal with sin and bring people back to God. This is the good news, the “Gospel”: “For I (Paul) delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to (Peter), then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me” (1 Cor. 15:3-8).

4. Promise . The best-known verse in the Bible summarizes the required response to this good news: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). To “believe in” Jesus entails two parts: repentance and faith.  To “repent” is to grieve for and hate your sin and turn from it unto God. To have “faith” is to receive and rest upon Christ alone as he is offered to us in the Gospel. All who believe in him truly are saved from the curse, forgiven of sins, adopted into God’s family, given the Holy Spirit, and secured for all eternity. 

To respond to this message, you can pray a prayer something like this: God, I come before you to confess that I am sinner, totally unable to make myself acceptable before you, deserving nothing from you but punishment for who I have been and what I have done. I come on the basis of your Son, Jesus Christ, whom you gave for me in love. I believe he lived the perfect life I have failed to live, died on the cross for my sins, and rose on the third day for my salvation. I believe He ascended into heaven and sits now on the exalted throne of heaven. I believe he will come again to judge the living and the dead and usher in a new heaven and new earth. Have mercy on me, save me from your righteous wrath, cause me to be born anew spiritually—all because of Jesus. I turn from my life of sin and ask you would give me your Holy Spirit to help me love and obey you. In Jesus’ name I pray; Amen.

It is important to let others know about the step you have taken to respond to the Gospel. God does not save us merely as individuals; he saves us into a family—the Church. Contact Pastor Ryan (ryan@firstpresclarksdale.com) and he will help you take your next steps as a Christian.