Salvation is at the heart of the Christian faith, and the story of salvation sets Christianity apart from any other religion. The Gospel of Salvation is a phrase that Christians often use, and it means GOOD NEWS! But what is the news, and why is it good? What makes Christianity different from any other religion, and why does it matter to you today?

The Gospel of Salvation is important because it is life-transforming. It is significant because it is the true story of how you and I can have a relationship with Jesus and know what it truly means to be loved unconditionally, have hope everlasting, and peace that surpasses all understanding. It is the real-life story of a God who loves the world so much that He would do anything to be reconciled with each person, even though humanity chose to live in rebellion to Him. It is through the Gospel that you and I can know God personally.

The Gospel of Salvation is simple, yet it is mindblowing! I have summarised in the infographic below, but please read on for a more detailed explanation. The Gospel of Salvation is the redemptive roadmap of God.

 

 

God Created the World.

At the very beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 1:1, it says, ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth‘. At the very start of the Gospel, God created the universe, and he made you, and I. Genesis 1:27 says, ‘God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them‘. It is such an incredible truth that you and I are made in the very image of God. Perhaps you do not think very highly of yourself; maybe you find this statement hard to believe, but God really did create you in His image, and when he created the first humans, Adam and Eve, he gave them responsibilities to rule over the earth (Genesis 1:26).

The whole of creation was good, and God walked with man in the Garden of Eden. When God created the world, he created perfect, intentionally, and with purpose. He created you and me with purpose. Whether your parents planned you or not, God knew about you before you were even conceived. You were created to be in a relationship with God like Adam and Eve were in the very beginning.

God created the universe for His glory. Everything in the universe, every person, creature, atom or molecule, is created by God to display His glory and make known his power and splendour. Psalm 19:1 says that ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands‘. Have you ever been in awe of God’s creation? It is so incredibly intricate and beautiful, and it all points to God.

Why then, if everything was perfect, do we need salvation?

 

Humanity sinned.

We all are aware, however, that the world is not perfect. We can see pain, suffering and sin around us each day. Sin is living in a way that is disobedient to God. The Ten Commandments are perhaps the most famous guidance humanity has received from God, but Jesus defined sin as anything that goes against the greatest commandment. In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Each one of us at various points in our life live in opposition to this. So what happened? How did something so perfect become broken? Surely, if God is all-powerful, His creation would remain perfect forever?

Whilst Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, and they were given one rule: Do not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God gave them a choice because, without free choice, there is no relationship, only servitude. In the form of a snake, Satan came into the garden and tempted Adam and Eve, and they ate the fruit. The first sin was committed, and at that moment, sin, shame and selfishness entered the hearts of humanity. There are always consequences for sin, and Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, and they were banished (Genesis 3). As a result of their sin, they brought death to themselves and to their children, the whole of humanity.  They chose to disobey God.

In Romans 5:12, Paul writes, ‘Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned‘. It is as a result of this very first act of sin that we also sin. Each of us has done things that we are not proud of, reacted badly to a situation, or hurt another person. Selfishness and sin is a genuine reality for us and entrapped humanity.

 

Sin separated humanity from God.

Isaiah 59:2 says, ‘But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear‘. God is a just God; justice is at the heart of who He is. There are consequences to our sin that should separate us from God. Relationally and spiritually, sin separates us from God because the consequence of sin is death. Humanity chose to go their own way and to turn their back on God.

This is sounding a lot less like good news. But there is hope because God is also a merciful and gracious God!

 

God sent Jesus

God has a masterplan, a redemptive roadmap, to see the whole of humanity saved and reconciled with Him if they choose to be. God is full of mercy and grace, but yet He is also just. Sin could not be left ignored without consequence. The plan is, was and always has been Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God, came and lived a perfect life without sin. Jesus is God incarnate, and He came to earth so that we might have life everlasting.

The Old Testament was full of laws and commands that were impossible for anyone to attain. The bar was set too high for anyone to be perfect. Yet Jesus fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17). He did not sin. He became the perfect sacrifice, without a single blemish, and died in our place. Jesus died on a cross, innocent, in place of us. He died the death that we deserved and rose from the dead three days later. Because of Jesus, we are forgiven. We no longer need to live in sin and shame!

 

Through Jesus, we can be reconciled with God.

God came to Earth as a human to die in our place. It is because of Jesus that we can receive salvation and forgiveness. As a result of what happened on the cross, we can be reconciled with God. You can have a real and personal relationship with God. There is nothing you can do to earn it or to disqualify yourself from it. All that God requires of us if belief.

John 3:16 say, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.‘

God loves you so much. He wants you to know His love and His peace and to accept the gift of eternal life that He offers. Romans 6:23 says, ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord‘. A gift Is not something that you can earn, or it would be a payment. You cannot buy it, or it would be a purchase. You cannot demand it, or it would not be a gift. Salvation and eternal life are a gift, given by God to those who believe in Jesus.

Perhaps you are reading this, and you feel as though you are too far gone for God to accept you. Romans 5:8 says, ‘God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us‘. God knows everything about you, the good, the bad and the ugly, yet He offers you salvation.

 

What now?

Do you know Jesus? Have you experienced the Gospel of Salvation for yourself?

You might have never heard the truth of the Gospel before, or perhaps you have been in church your whole life. The single most important, life-changing question I can ever ask you is this: Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, and if not, would you like to?

If your answer to my final question was yes, I would urge you to pray this prayer for yourself.

 

Dear God,

Thank you that you love and accept me. Thank you for the sacrifice that Jesus made in my place to be reconciled with you. I am sorry that I have sinned; please forgive me for all that I have done wrong. Today I choose to follow you and live according to your will. Please help me to live my life in a way that is pleasing to you. I believe in you, and I accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. 

Amen. 

 

Congratulations! Now that you have made that decision, please tell a Christian friend or church leader; they will be able to help you grow in your faith. If you are not yet a part of a church, can I encourage you to find one near you? If you are in the UK, this is a great website to start your search: https://www.findachurch.co.uk/. If you are from elsewhere in the world, Google is a great way to find a church local to you.

 

 

Let me know how you came to faith in the comments below!

 

Photo Credit: Photo by Shelby Miller on Unsplash