Have You Heard the Good News?
The word Gospel means good news. What is this news? What makes it good? Have you heard it?
The good news could be summarized in this statement:
God loves you, and wants you to know Him. He offers you peace and joy and a fulfilled life.
The Bible says,
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you" John 14:27
"you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory" 1 Peter 1:8
The Problem: Our Sin
Everyone is born with a tendency to sin. Everyone has the freedom to make choices. We have all chosen to sin.
The Bible says,
"There is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10
"your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you" Isaiah 59:2
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves" I John 1:8
Sin's Result - Death
God is holy and just. God will punish sin. The punishment is death - eternal torment, separated from God.
The Bible says,
"the wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23
"These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" II Thessalonians 1:9
"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation 21:8
What People Have Tried to Do
People try many ways to deal with their sin and reach God. Some try by doing good deeds or keeping the Ten Commandments. Some try by going to church or giving money. None of these will ever take away sin. Doing things cannot save us.
The Bible says,
"There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12
"not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" Titus 3:5
The Good News! God Did It!
Because God loves us and does not want us to die, He did what we could not do. He made a way for us to know Him and to be saved. God sent Jesus Christ to earth to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
After three days, Jesus rose from the dead and He is still alive!
The Bible says,
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" I Peter 3:18
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
Receive the Good News by Faith
Faith means believing on the risen Lord:
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" Acts 16:31
Faith means trusting the living Lord Jesus to save you.
"there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" Acts 4:12
Faith means repenting of our sin - being sorry and turning from sin.
"the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" Mark 1:15
Faith means inviting Jesus to live in you and to take complete control of your life.
"Thomas answered and said to Him[Jesus], “My Lord and my God!" John 20:28
Only by faith can we receive the wonderful gifts God gives us in the living Lord Jesus Christ.
How You Can Receive Jesus
Admit your need - you are a sinner.
Repent of your sins. Tell God you want to turn away from all sin.
Ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins, come into your heart, take control of your life, and be your Lord and Master.
Believe in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus, trust Him to forgive your sins, and to give you the power to resist temptation.
Will you repent, surrender to Jesus, and receive Him now as your Lord and Savior? Why not tell Him so right now?
Growing in Your Walk With God
God reached out to you to wonderfully save you. If you truly repent, you will want to love Him more and know Him better. Here are some steps to help you grow.
Read the Bible, especially the New Testament. God loves to speak to us through the Bible.
Obey. Obedience is the way we show our love for God. Seek to obey everything you read in the New Testament.
Pray. Prayer is simply talking to God. Talk to Him often throughout the day. Tell Him you love Him. Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit and to make you more like Jesus. Prayer honors Him. He is happy to hear you pray about the problems you face.
Remember, you have an enemy - Satan. You will face difficulties. But trust and obey Jesus, He will help you overcome trials and become more like Him.
Fellowship with other believers. Find and join a church that teaches and obeys the Bible. God wants His children to be part of a local body of believers. Contact us if you are interested in visiting our church. Even if you are not in our area maybe we can help you find a church in your local area.
Tell others about the wonderful things Jesus has done for you.
The content of this page was adapted from the Have You Heard the Good News tract by Christian Light Publications.
Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.