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Good News
The Gospel of Jesus Christ

 The word Gospel is the Greek word euaggelion it means good news. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, (Luke 2:10-11). When the angels announced the birth of Jesus they called Him, a Savior. A Savior is one who rescues people, like a fireman who rescues someone from a burning building. The name Jesus means, God saves. The title Christ means the “Anointed One”, the “Messiah” who was prophesied in the scriptures. Jesus is the One sent to rescue you and bring you to your Father in Heaven. You can trust Him and rest in Him.

 The Gospel of the Bible is all about Jesus the Christ. The Gospel message includes God’s plan to rescue people from sin and the effects of sin; so that people can be restored to a right relationship with God the Father. Sin separates people from God because He is righteous, holy, and just. Jesus came from heaven to earth and suffered and died for your sins, if you believe and continue to believe. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (1^st Corinthians 15:3-4 NKJV).

 The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important information you will ever hear. Your life on earth and your eternity will be determined by your reaction to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everything good comes from God and every thing bad comes from being separated from God. Sin separates people from God. Jesus is the only way to be restored to righteousness with God. God is the source of light, life, love, beauty, joy, peace, and everything good. God is what makes heaven, heaven. Hell is separated from everything good and it is where everything bad comes from including all suffering.

 Jesus is the way we are restored to righteousness with God the Father. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6 NKJV) God in His righteousness and mercy gave Jesus as your way to become righteous, without guilt before the Father in love, (Ephesians 1:4). This is so you can be with God, as a dear child loved by your Father. But as many as received Him [Jesus Christ], to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 NKJV)

 The God of the Holy Bible is very different from every other god or religion. Every religion says that you have to work your way to God, except Christianity. Only the God of the Bible came down to man and became a man to rescue us from sin. When we believe God from our heart it is counted as righteousness. In this way when you hear the Gospel and believe that Jesus died on the cross for you, something happens inside and you become born of God. We are changed from the inside and God’s Holy Spirit is joined to our spirit. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him, (1 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV). The term “born again” means to be born from above. Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV).

 Paul wrote in Romans chapter one, I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith", (Romans 1:16-17 NIV).

God is righteous, everything He does is right. He has to judge sin and wickedness. God sent His Son Jesus the Christ to earth to become a man and make a way for man to become righteous. Jesus lived a life without sin but He took our sins and suffered the penalty of sin for us who believe. For He [God] made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 Jesus taught the Kingdom of heaven had now come to man and people were to repent. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17 NKJV) To repent means to change the way you think, it also mans to turn away from sin and turn your heart toward God. Jesus taught us to reject our ways and follow the ways of God. From the time of Adam and Eve, God has given people a choice to love Him or reject Him. He did not want us to be forced to love Him. He wanted people to get to know Him and love Him by their own choice. Those who love Him trust Him; they believe His words and they make decisions in obedience to Him. That proves their love for Him. So the choice for man has always been, and continues to be “my way” or “God’s way”.

 The Bible teaches that after we are born again we should be baptized in water. Baptism symbolizes that by faith we die to our old life; we leave behind our sinful self. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:4 NIV) We consider that when Jesus died on the cross we died with Him and we were resurrected with Him when He rose from the dead. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me, (Galatians 2:20 NKJV).

 When someone first believes the Gospel and decides to give their life to Jesus they often feel different inside. Many people experience the feeling of being set free like a heavy burden has been lifted off of them. That is the weight of sin and guilt that has been removed from their conscience. They have a new sense of freedom and a new love and appreciation for God. People often describe feeling happy and joyful. The joy comes from righteousness. But let righteous people rejoice. Let them celebrate in God's presence. Let them overflow with joy. (Psalms 68:3) Righteousness puts us in right relationship with God. He shall pray to God, and he will delight in Him, he shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness, (Job 33:26 NKJV).

 When we are born again we have a new nature, a new spiritual DNA, that of our Father in Heaven. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9 NKJV) We have now been made righteous and holy, allowing us to be in Christ and for Him to live in us. We do not want to sin we want to walk with God in faith and love.

 Today, Jesus may be knocking on the door of your heart. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20 NKJV). The price Jesus paid for you on the cross proves God’s love for you. To ignore Him is not wise. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10 NKJV) If you want to know more about how to give your life to God go to our New Life page at www.SeekGod.org/newlife.html

 There is so much more to know about The Gospel of Jesus that relates to you. There is a multitude of promises for you to know about and believe to receive because of the price Jesus paid for you. The whole New Testament of the Holy Bible is The Gospel.  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32 NKJV) 

Here are a few more scriptures that explain more about the Good News and what happened on the cross and how the power of the Gospel can transform your life.

 Isaiah 53:4-6 NKJV  Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  (5)  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  (6)  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;  (2)  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,  (3)  To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

 Isaiah 61:10-11 NKJV  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  (11)  For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

 Matthew 8:16-17 NKJV  When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,  (17)  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND BORE OUR SICKNESSES."

 Matthew 9:2 NKJV  Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."

 Luke 4:18-19  "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,  (19)  TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

 John 5:24 NKJV Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

 John 11:25-26 NKJV  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  (26)  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

 Acts 2:38 NKJV Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,

 Acts 16:30-32 NKJV And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

 1^st Corinthians 1:18 NKJV For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 1 Peter 2:24-25 NKJV  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.  (25)  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

 REFERENCES: BBE - Bible In Basic English; GWT- God's Word Translation; KJV – King James Version; NASB – New American Standard Bible; NIV – New International Version; NKJV - New King James Version