What is the Gospel?

Gospel simply means good news; however, this good news is referring to the story of Jesus Christ. The 3 Circles Guide below helps explain the good news of Jesus Christ. Follow along as each part of the 3 Circles Guide is broken down.

God’s Design: In Genesis 1:26, God created Adam and Eve in His own image. Also in Genesis 1:31, the Bible says that God saw all creation and it was very good. At this moment in time, man had a perfect relationship with God their creator. They lived in the garden of Eden and were without sin.

Sin: While in the garden, Adam and Eve was tempted by Satan to eat of a fruit that God had commanded them not to eat. Adam and Eve ate the fruit and disobeyed God and because of this sin entered into the world. God is perfect and cannot be in the presence of sin, so Adam and Eve’s relationship with God was broken. Romans 3:23 states, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Just like Adam and Eve, we too have sinned and are separated from a relationship with God.

Brokenness: Sin and separation from God leads us to a place of brokenness. We can see this in the world around us and in our own life as well. We realize our life has a void within and we try to find things to fill it. Ultimately nothing we try to do is ever enough and we are stuck in need for something greater than ourselves to answer this problem. Proverbs 14:12 states, “There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way to death.” The answer to the problem of brokenness is the gospel.

Gospel: We need a remedy, some good news. Because of His love, God did not leave us in our brokenness. Jesus, God in human flesh, came to us and lived perfectly according to God’s design. Jesus came to rescue us, to do what we could never do for ourselves. He took our sin and shame to the cross, paying the penalty of our sin by His death. Jesus was then raised from the dead, to provide the only way for us to be rescued and restored to a relationship with God. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” This story requires a response from us.

Repent and Believe: We must admit our sinful brokenness and stop trusting in ourselves. We don’t have the power to escape this brokenness on our own. We need to be rescued. We must ask God to forgive us, turning from sin to trust only in Jesus. This is what it means to repent and believe. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Once we repent and believe, we receive new life through Jesus and God turns our life in a new direction.

Recover and Pursue: When God restores our relationship to Him, we begin to discover meaning and purpose in a broken world. Now we can pursue God’s Design in all areas of our lives. Even when we fail, we understand God’s path to be restored, this same Good News of Jesus. God’s Spirit empowers us to recover His Design and assure us of His presence in his life and for all eternity. Philippians 2:13 states, “For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.”