A Series on Sin Part 4: The Gospel

There is only one person who has walked this earth without sin: Jesus, the Son of God. We’ve probably heard this scripture before, but if not, then now is a good time to hear it:

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus was not born to condemn the world for its sins, but to save us from them. He does not have to condemn us because we are condemned already. We have sinned and we will face the judgment of God and the just punishment for our sin: death (I encourage reading the entire chapter of John 3).

God has given all judgment to the Son. Jesus walked this earth as a man, and although He was sinless, He understands our nature and He has much compassion for us.

If we put our faith in Jesus, we will pass from judgment to life.

John 5:21-25

²¹ For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

²² For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

²³ That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

²⁵ Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Jesus will save every person that He intends to save. He died on the cross for our sin. He took our punishment, and that might seem barbaric or foolish to some, but to those who receive His sacrifice it is the best news of all. It is life (1 Corinthians 1).

Jesus will raise us from the dead so that we can live with the Lord forever in His Kingdom. That is the good news—and there is more.

We do not have to wait for death to enjoy the benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven. If we love Jesus and learn His ways—if we hear His voice—we begin to experience the things of heaven now in this present life. The ways of Jesus bring truth and life to those who live thereby.

However, our nature is very contrary to the ways of Jesus. So, we need to be forgiven. We need to regret our sin, pray for forgiveness, and seek Jesus for strength so that we can find freedom from the sins that we are easily entangled in. If we continue and seek Jesus in faith, He sends us the Holy Spirit (John 14). The Holy Spirit shows us the truth, and by the truth we are made free!

Overtime, the Holy Spirit will change our natures into that of Jesus Christ. There is none good like Him, but He is the mark Christians should aim for. The more we learn about Jesus and the closer we get to Him, the more we hit the mark, and the less we “miss the mark” which is to sin.

As we put on this new nature, we are “taking up our cross” also (Matthew 16). We must die to sin and that often means going through troubling and painful times. However, we are not alone in these times. Jesus is with us. So, we call out to Him. We pray often. We forge a relationship with the Lord so that we are made stronger in our faith and so that we can serve Him better.

When we are saved from death, we enter the service of Jesus. He will provide us with everything we need to perform that service, but we cannot expect to continue living as we once did. It is a process of many ups and downs, but Jesus is faithful and true. We struggle. We fight against sin. We fail and we overcome by His power.

We strive to serve Jesus by living a good Christian life that preaches the gospel to others—not just in word—but in action. Jesus shows us what this looks like. He lived it.

We are not bound to the destruction of this world. We can live for a greater kingdom through faith in Christ Jesus.

The gospel is more than an escape from God’s wrath. It is a gift that provides us with a great freedom that no kingdom of this world can provide.

We can find true love in a world of hate, happiness amidst hardship, peace in fearful times, patience and forgiveness towards those who hate us, self-control and power over sin the destroys us, and so much more.

The riches of the Kingdom of Heaven are innumerable and far more precious than any earthly treasure or the pleasures of sinful living. It is worth seeking, and as Jesus teaches, those who seek will find. “Blessed are those who seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Whether we are considering the gospel for the first time or for the hundredth time, today is the day of our salvation. Seek more of the Kingdom today and each day! Jesus is strong to save and He will.

For more about the Christian faith, check out this article series: Christian Faith (Complete Series).

Does a Christian sin? How should a Christian treat sinners? There is some debate over these questions, so I want to write about that in the next article within this series.