People often wrestle with the idea of God sending His Son Jesus to live on earth and die for sin. If God is all powerful, why would God choose this method for “saving” people? Why not “just forgive” people? Or why not do it another way? Why Jesus?

The Bible offers a simple answer to these difficult questions: Jesus’ coming and dying provided the ONLY sufficient solution to an infinite problem. Thus far I introduced two important aspects of God’s nature and the obstacle created by man’s sin. Last time I explained that in this world three realities are colliding: God’s perfection, man’s imperfection, and God’s love. This collision brings God to the point of finding a way to satisfy His perfection and love in the face of man’s sin.

Again, His solution satisfies four necessary requirements.

1.      The need for a sacrifice.

2.      The need for a human sacrifice.

3.      The need for a perfect human sacrifice. Again, the sacrifice is required because of God’s absolute perfection. If the sacrifice was not perfect, it could not have accomplished its purpose. The primary reason I cannot die for the sins of my neighbor or brother or children is that my death will only pay the penalty for my own sin. I cannot die for you because even if I tried I would only be dying for myself. Imperfection cannot be offered as a means of satisfying God’s perfection. Thus, imperfect people are disqualified from being a sacrifice for other people’s sin.

4.      The need for a perfect person to make the perfect human sacrifice. Similarly, if the person offering the sacrifice is imperfect, he taints the sacrifice. Again, the sacrifice must be perfect or it tarnishes God’s perfection. So in order to preserve the purity of the sacrifice, it must be offered by a perfect priest.

So… why Jesus? Only Jesus could satisfy all four conditions. He could die as a sacrifice. He could die as a human sacrifice. He lived a sinless life so He could die as a perfect human sacrifice. He offered Himself by dying willingly so the sacrifice would not be tainted by a human priest.

Romans 3:26 summarizes that Jesus died “so that [God] might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” In a way He could never accomplish without Him, God satisfies His justice and His mercy perfectly in the death of Jesus.

Why Jesus? Because there is NO OTHER WAY!

People often wrestle with the idea of God sending His Son Jesus to live on earth and die for sin. If God is all powerful, why would God choose this method for “saving” people? Why not “just forgive” people? Or why not do it another way? Why Jesus?

The Bible offers a simple answer to these difficult questions: Jesus’ coming and dying provided the ONLY sufficient solution to an infinite problem. Thus far I introduced two important aspects of God’s nature and the obstacle created by man’s sin. Last time I explained that in this world three realities are colliding: God’s perfection, man’s imperfection, and God’s love. This collision brings God to the point of finding a way to satisfy His perfection and love in the face of man’s sin.

His solution satisfies four necessary requirements.

1.      The need for a sacrifice. The right or just punishment for sin is death. Every person who sins deserves to die. In order for God to uphold His perfection He must punish all sin with death. Again, if He were to overlook sin, His perfection dissipates and He forfeits His “God-ness.” Because of a person’s sin (or his inability to live in faith and obedience to God) he earns death. Therefore, for a person to live God allowed something to die in his place: a sacrifice.

God revealed this truth in the Old Testament through a sacrificial system that used animals. While animals cannot pay the debt incurred by man’s sin, God allowed men to use the system as a way to recognize their sin and foreshadow a better sacrifice that was coming. There is much more to say here, but for now understand: the only way for man to avoid the death he deserves is for someone to die in his place.

2.      The need for a human sacrifice. To satisfy God’s perfection the sacrifice had to be an equal trade. While the Old Testament animal system was symbolic; it could not be effective. An animal cannot pay for the sin of a person. The trade must be even. And this issue is no matter of “fairness” to people. This issue rests on the perfection of God. His perfection has been offended and the right or just reaction is to require the life of the offender.

Two down… two more to come.

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.”

Hebrews 6:19a (ESV)

On the heels of one of the most oft-debated paragraphs in the New Testament, God offers a powerful comfort in the form of a vivid image.

Earlier in this chapter (6:4-8), the writer offers a stern warning to men and women about the judgment that awaits those who abandon Jesus as the Christ and Savior. Again, these verses have sparked much discussion throughout the centuries regarding the security of a person’s salvation. And while the language of these verses provides sufficient ambiguity to support a number of interpretations, the closing promise points us in the right direction.

Beginning in verse 13, the writer explains that the promises of God are based on two unchangeable things: His word and His character. Therefore, those men and women who like Abraham have placed their hope in God (through genuine repentance and faith) live with under the certainty of God’s unchangeableness. And those men and women who only appeared to place their hope in God live under the certainty of God’s coming judgment.

Thus, men and women who have life-altering, saving faith in God cling the dual “anchor” of God’s unchanging word and character. Take heart believers, your salvation is secure. Not because you can hold on to God, but because God will hold onto to you!

The last three posts began to answer a simple, yet critical question. What are the essential elements of the gospel?

The Gospel is the message of God’s plan and work to save sinners from His wrath and bring them into a relationship with Himself through the work of Jesus Christ and the offer of that gift to all who will turn from sin and trust in Christ.

This very pregnant sentence demands unpacking so I began commenting on each phrase. Thus far we have made six statements. First, the “gospel” has a singular definition. Second, the “gospel” is a message or a definitive collection of concepts that relate a specific joyous announcement. Third, the “gospel” relates God’s plan. Fourth, the “gospel” tells of God’s work. Fifth, the “gospel” tells of God’s work to save. Sixth, the “gospel” offers salvation to sinners. Seventh, the “gospel” offers salvation from God’s wrath. Eighth, the “gospel” tells of God’s work to bring sinners into a right relationship with Himself.

Ninth, the “gospel” tells of the “work of Jesus Christ.” God’s work to save was accomplished through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He is only way to salvation thus the message about salvation must center on Him and His work.

Tenth, the “gospel” offers a gift. This message announces the solution to the deepest problem in our soul (our separation from God because of our sin). And this gift is FREE. It requires no work or merit. In fact, any attempt to earn the gift prevents a person from receiving it.

Eleventh, the “gospel” offers a gift to “all.” The only requirement for eligibility is to be a human being.

Twelfth, the “gospel” invites a person to repent from sin. Repentance is a change of mind resulting in a turn from sin. To receive the gospel a person must reorient their will away from sin. Don’t misunderstand, however, repentance is not work or merit. Rather it is a reaction to sin by a person who hears and believes the gospel.

Thirteenth and finally, the “gospel” offers a gift that is received by faith. In other words, faith is the means by which God appropriates salvation. The work of Jesus to cover our sin and reestablish our relationship with God is only applied to persons who trust fully in Christ. This trust is beyond mental acknowledgement of facts about His life, death, and resurrection. Faith in Jesus is life-altering causing us to rely solely on the work of Jesus to deal with our sin and to surrender absolutely to follow Him at any cost. When a person places his faith in Jesus, God applies Jesus’ work to him and saves him.

Therefore, the gospel is the message about salvation for salvation.

Again, read these statements and consider your beliefs regarding the gospel because this message lies at the heart of what it means to be “Christian.”

The last two posts began to answer a simple, yet critical question. What are the essential elements of the gospel?

The Gospel is the message of God’s plan and work to save sinners from His wrath and bring them into a relationship with Himself through the work of Jesus Christ and the offer of that gift to all who will turn from sin and trust in Christ.

This very pregnant sentence demands unpacking so I began commenting on each phrase. Thus far we have made six statements. First, the “gospel” has a singular definition. Second, the “gospel” is a message or a definitive collection of concepts that relate a specific joyous announcement. Third, the “gospel” relates God’s plan. Fourth, the “gospel” tells of God’s work. Fifth, the “gospel” tells of God’s work to save. Sixth, the “gospel” offers salvation to sinners.

Seventh, the “gospel” offers salvation from “God’s wrath.” The wrath of God is best understood as His settled reaction toward sin. Unlike human wrath, His is never out-of-control, never lacks wisdom, and is never cool or indifferent. God’s wrath is His directed, intense, just reaction to sin. It is not an impulsive, flying off the handle, fit of rage.

The practical result of this wrath is death. We die physically as we pay the penalty for our sin. We also die spiritually as we pay the penalty for our sin. In the Bible, spiritual death is described as separation from God. So, God’s wrath is a reaction to sin that brings us physical death and separation from God. The agony of this separation from God will reach its highest (or we might say lowest) point when God judges all people and brings everlasting punishment upon those men and women who rejected Him. The Bible calls the place where these people will suffer for eternity “hell” and describes it as a lake of unquenchable fire. So, the gospel is the message of God’s work to save people from His wrath, which they justly deserve because of their sin.

Eighth, the “gospel” tells of God’s work to bring sinners into a right “relationship with Himself.” Isaiah 59:2 makes a clear and alarming proclamation about sin and its effect on a person’s relationship to God.

“but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.” (ESV)

As we have just seen in looking at wrath and death, we are hopelessly separated from God because we are sinful and He is perfect. To overlook our sin and welcome us anyway would tarnish His perfection. The gospel is the message of how God has crossed this chasm created by our sin and built a bridge for us to return to Him.

Again, read these statements and consider your beliefs regarding the gospel because this message lies at the heart of what it means to be “Christian.”

Last time I began answering a simple, yet critical question. What are the essential elements of the gospel?

The Gospel is the message of God’s plan and work to save sinners from His wrath and bring them into a relationship with Himself through the work of Jesus Christ and the offer of that gift to all who will turn from sin and trust in Christ.

This very pregnant sentence demands unpacking so I began commenting on each phrase. Thus far we have made two statements. First, the “gospel” has a singular definition. Second, the “gospel” is a message or a definitive collection of concepts that relate a specific joyous announcement.

Third, the “gospel” relates “God’s plan.” This message has been unfolding from the foundation of the world. God is not reacting to man’s whims or figuring it out as He goes along. Through Jesus Christ God is working out His plan and the gospel tells this story. Jesus teaches this truth in Matthew 25:34: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (ESV).

Fourth, the “gospel” tells of “God’s work.” This message tells of God’s activity. He is not a mere bystander nor does He simply direct the affairs of salvation from afar. God is active and the message of the gospel reveals His activity.

Fifth, the “gospel” tells of “God’s work to save.” He is not merely making moral people or helping people find their purpose in life. God is first rescuing men and women from the penalty and power of sin. People are drowning in the lake of their rebellion and God is reaching into the water to “save” them.

Sixth, the “gospel” offers salvation to “sinners.” As Jesus said, “For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13b ESV). This message claims that every person everywhere has offended God’s holy standard and is separated from Him. The gospel makes a strong statement about mankind: namely, all people are sinners and in desperate need of salvation.

Again, read these statements and consider your beliefs regarding the gospel because this message lies at the heart of what it means to be “Christian.”

More than two months ago I introduced a book that deals with seven important topics promising to address each of them in turn. Having written about the first two (truth and evangelism), I come now to #3: the gospel.

With much contemporary debate and misunderstanding about salvation, my goal through these entries is to answer one question. What are the essential elements of the gospel?

Also, please don’t lose sight of our goal with this series and with what will be several entries about the gospel… “I want to challenge you to consider your beliefs regarding seven topics (and now ‘the gospel’) because they provide a foundation for your understanding of Christianity and the Church.”

The Gospel is the message of God’s plan and work to save sinners from His wrath and bring them into a relationship with Himself through the work of Jesus Christ and the offer of that gift to all who will turn from sin and trust in Christ.

This very pregnant sentence demands unpacking. And thus we will over the course of a few entries expound upon the phrases of this important definition. (I’ll try to keep track of my first, second, third, etc. as we move along, but I make no promises.)

First and obvious, the “gospel” has a singular definition. Much of the current discussion about the gospel is an attempt to circumvent any negligible definition. The gospel has become something of a moving target that bends and flexes as we roam along from culture to culture and society to society. However, biblical revelation is our guide to all matters of faith and practice and it most certainly provides a single definition. Thus, one can only embrace or share the ‘gospel’ when he or she has rightly identified it.

Second, the “gospel” is a message or a definitive collection of concepts that relate a specific joyous announcement. Often called the good news, the gospel tells a distinct story. Thus, one can only embrace the gospel as good news when he or she has heard and understood a specific message.

I recently had the privilege of preaching from Acts 9, which contains one of the most well-known and significant stories in the Bible related to world missions. During the sermon I presented 7 marks of genuine, biblical conversion. The list is representative and by no means exhaustive as many other marks of conversion are known from the Bible and seen in the world.

However, from this story at least seven emerged as significant in the text. A few days ago I shared the first three and today I share the last four. [Again, you might re-read Acts 9 before you continue.]

Conversion brings the Holy Spirit. (see 9:17). Luke, the author of Acts, does not narrate Saul’s receiving the Holy Spirit, but he certainly assumes it. At some point while or just after Ananias laid his hands on Saul, he received the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit changed Saul. Every genuine conversion involves the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Is there evidence of the Holy Spirit in you?

Conversion opens our eyes to the truth (see 9:20). So one day Saul is persecuting men and women for what he thought was blasphemous worship of Jesus, and a few days later he recognizes Jesus as the Son of God. The truth about Jesus became plain to him. Every genuine conversion opens a person’s eyes to the truth.

What do you believe about Jesus? Does it match what the Bible says about Him?

Conversion produces an immediate testimony about Jesus (see 9:20). Saul began testifying about Jesus at once. We must consider the validity of our conversion if we have never shared with another person about Jesus. Every genuine conversion produces a testimony about Jesus.

Have you ever shared the truth about Jesus with another person?

Conversion gets attention (see 9:21). Word about Saul’s conversion spread quickly among his friends and enemies. It is biblically inconsistent for a person to come to faith in Christ without the people in his life noticing a dramatic change. Every genuine conversion attracts the attention of other people.

Who can testify to the change brought in your life by your conversion?

Acts 9 contains one of the most well-known and significant stories in the Bible related to world missions. A man named Saul, who was also and more famously known as Paul, met Jesus and was converted on a journey from Jerusalem to Damascus. This man would become the greatest missionary and most fruitful author the church has ever known.

I recently had the privilege of preaching from Acts 9 during which I presented 7 marks of genuine, biblical conversion. The list is by no means exhaustive as many other marks of conversion are known from the Bible and seen in the world.

However, from this story at least seven emerged as significant in the text and today I share the first three of them. [You might re-read Acts 9 before you continue.]

Conversion is orchestrated by God (see 9:3-7, 10-16). Saul did nothing to invite or entice God to save him. He did not ask for Jesus’ to appear to him. He was simply ‘minding his own business’ when God met him and changed him. Saul’s conversion was an act of God. Every genuine conversion is an act of God.

Take a moment to remember what God did to orchestrate your conversion.

Conversion involves brokenness (see 9:9, 17). Immediately after seeing the vision of the risen Christ, Saul was blind. The once strong man was now weak. The once leader was now a blind follower. The once sufficient man was now completely dependent. Saul was not just humbled physically; he was humbled spiritually. After 3 days of blindness, he would place his life into the hands of a man he had been committed to arresting. His submission to Ananias demonstrates his brokenness. Every genuine conversion is marked by brokenness and humility.

Is your life marked by brokenness over sin and humility or indifference toward sin and arrogance?

Conversion includes a divine calling (see 9:15-16). God saved Saul for a general purpose and a specific calling. Saul was a chosen instrument for the spread of the gospel (general) to certain people in particular places (specific). While our purpose mirrors Saul’s (to spread the gospel), our specific calling will differ. Our calling, however, is no less real or important. Every genuine conversion includes a calling to share the gospel to specific people.

With whom are you called to share the gospel?

To embrace and appreciate the gospel (that is… the good news regarding God’s act to save us) fully, a person must grasp its necessity. The gospel is not just one particularly helpful solution to a problem that many people in our culture face. The gospel is the ONLY hope for every single human being (except Jesus).

Until we come to grips with the universal depravity of mankind, we will not love, appreciate, or treasure the gospel or the God who designed, planned, and carried it out.

¹⁰as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
¹¹no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
¹²All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”

Romans 3:10-12 (ESV)

At the heart of Paul’s systematic presentation of the gospel in his magnificent letter to the church in Rome, he labors to show mankind’s universal need for salvation. In fact, he devotes a massive chunk of this letter to establishing the foundation for these three verses.

For in these verses provide a summative declaration regarding the natural state of every human born into this world (except Jesus). Namely, we are enemies of God by our own choosing and we don’t know, understand, or even want Him.

If these verses describe our condition correctly, a few conclusions are obvious. I am naturally evil not good. Even on my best day I don’t want God. My hope of gaining merit with God is lost. My sinful heart leaves me with no value before a holy, perfect God.

Christian, don’t run from these conclusions for they are wonderful. Don’t ignore them or downplay them or hide from them or treat them like extraneous details or reject them. Embrace Romans 3:10-12. Thank God for its truthfulness because only in the light of our depravity does the gospel appear glorious and the God who accomplished it appear praiseworthy!