What Is the Gospel?

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 9:6 ESV
6 And they departed and went through the villages,  
preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
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People may think they are preaching the gospel
when they invite someone to church,
or when they pray with them,or do a kind thing for them.
All of those things are wonderful.
But this is not the gospel.

God is God and we are not.
He is holy, holy, holy.
He is our Creator and God.
One day we are going to stand before Him.
We will be judged, not according to our own criteria,
or the law of our land, or our church elders,
or even our sixth grade teacher Miss Bramblebee.
We’ll be judged according to God’s law and our ability to keep it.
That is certainly bad news because we can’t.

Or God will see us in Jesus Christ
and we will be judged according to
His ability to keep the law.

That is certainly good news!
Jesus lived a perfect life,
keeping the law that we could not.
And then He died in our place
taking our sin upon Himself,
receiving God’s wrath in our stead.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,  
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy
the justice and the righteousness of God.
Then He rose from the dead!

TAKING THE TRUTH TO HEART

The Bible makes it clear that we can not be made
acceptable by what we do
but only in Christ.
He alone is perfect.
Only He can save us from our sins
and the eternal judgment of a holy, righteous God.
It is in Christ and in Him alone
that we can be saved.

This is the gospel.

Galatians 2:20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me.  
And the life I now live in the flesh  
I live by faith in the Son of God,  
who loved me and gave himself for me. 
21 I do not nullify the grace of God,  
for if righteousness were through the law,
then Christ died for no purpose.

AND BRINGING IT TO LIFE

Chose one truth from today and apply it to your heart.
Take it with you throughout the day.

PRAYER

Lord God, thank you so much for the incredible,
wonderful gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ!

In His hands for His glory,
Laurie
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