THE SIMPLE GOSPEL
a project by Keystone Mission
The word “gospel” literally means “good news” and specifically has to do with the good news about our relationship with God because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The heart of the gospel is that God sent His son Jesus into the world to rescue us from sin and renew creation back to the way it was meant to be.
God is holy (which means “set apart”) and perfect. We sin when we live contrary to God; we make everything about ourselves instead of Him. The Bible says that all of us “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and that the “wages of sin are death” (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23 NIV). In other words, none of us lives up to God’s righteous standard, and the result of falling short is death (both physical and spiritual).
The good news begins with God’s love for you!
“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.” John 3:16 (NIV)
Jesus is the only person to live a perfect, sinless life and He willingly laid His life down for ours, to free us from our sin and “to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22 NIV).
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)
After Jesus lived a perfect life, and then died on our behalf, God resurrected Him to new life. And because of that new life, we too can find new life in Jesus!
We often think that being “saved” means we get to go to heaven, and that is part of it. But the moment we put our trust in Jesus, our souls come back alive! Life has new meaning.
We find our value in God’s love for us. Jesus told his followers, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” That full life doesn’t start when we die, it starts when we put our faith in Him.
So, how do I get a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
Jesus said, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15 NIV) Repent means to turn away; to have remorse over actions.
1) Do you realize that the world is broken and full of sin and injustice?
2) Do you recognize that you, yourself, have lived selfishly and have sinned against a holy God?
3) Do you believe the good news is that Jesus came to earth to reconcile you to God, to provide a way for forgiveness and a new life? Jesus already did all the work!
Your journey into the new life of Jesus can begin with a simple prayer:
Dear God, I recognize that I am a sinner. I have not lived up to your righteous standard, and my sin has separated me from you. I ask you to forgive me because of what Jesus has done for me, and I ask Jesus to rescue me and come and live inside of me. Please give me the new life Jesus promised and help me live my new life with you forever. Amen.
Now that I am saved, what is next on my faith journey?
If you have asked Jesus into your life, everything is different! You are now part of God’s family, and it is important to begin to spend time with the rest of us! It can be scary to visit a church for the first time if you have never been, or maybe you haven’t been to church in years.
Now, Keystone Mission is not a church but a gospel-centered non-profit organization that has built an intentional partnership with churches across Northeastern PA. Don’t hesitate to contact us, and we can point you to a healthy, gospel-centered church right near where you live.
Staying connected is better!
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