The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Recently, I have been teaching a catechism class for the youth in my church.  This past week we went over what the gospel is.  We spent about 45 minutes discussing what the gospel was, using the following 4 steps: God, Man, Christ, Response.  The basic gist of it is:
"First, God is a just, wise, Holy, omnipotent, loving, wrathful, glorious God who hates sin and wickedness.  This same God created the world, and mankind in His image.  Second, those humans who were created in His image sinned, and caused the whole human race to be born in sin from that point on, totally inadequate and without hope.  The human race has no chance of salvation because of their wretched sinful hearts, and the fact that Scripture teaches that everything done apart from faith is sin. Third, God sent Jesus Christ as the saviour of those wretched sinners.  He is fully God and fully man, He lived a perfect life, and died a sacrificial death to take upon Himself the entirety of God's wrath for His people.  Fourth, in light of this, we are commanded to repent of our sins and turn and walk towards Jesus.  If we love Him we will do as He commands, and we will confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead."
In light of this, I wanted to create an easy to follow guide when talking to others about this wonderful truth.  I have taken each point and boiled it down to questions with the answers being entirely scripture.  This is hopefully a useful tool for anyone that is looking for a simple and concise way to tell others about this wonderful good news of our Saviour's sacrifice on our behalf.  I want to add a small caveat here before you go on.  This is simply a guide for your reference.  You may want to add more scripture to each point or add something that you think the Bible teaches as an essential to a gospel presentation.  If you do see anything that could be improved or changed, please comment and let me know.



1. God
(1) Who is God?  - "To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Timothy 1:17
(2) What has God done? - "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." - Genesis 1:1

2. Man
(1) How was man created? - "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." - Genesis 1:27-28
(2) What went wrong? - "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned" - Romans 5:12
(3) What is the state of our hearts? - "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"  - Jeremiah 17:9
(4) Are human beings righteous? - "as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."  - Romans 3:10-12

3. Christ
(1) Who is Christ? - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:1-5  "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
(2) What has Christ done? - "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know- this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." - Acts 2:22-24
(3) Why did Christ do this? - "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." - Hebrews 9:22  "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." - Hebrews 10:4  "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. - Hebrews 10:10

4. Response
(1) What do we do? - "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." - Romans 10:9-10   "And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38
(2) How should we live? - "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" - 1 John 5:1-5   ""For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit," - Luke 6:43

Embracing Good Doctrine and the Proper Interpretation of Scripture - Grace to You

**I am taking a break from my posts on Bethel to show you how Scripture is well applied to a statement of doctrine in a church.  For my example I have taken a statement from Grace To You Ministries affiliate church, Grace Church.**

True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin (Luke 13:3, 5; 1 Thessalonians 1:9), pursue Christ (Matthew 11: 28-30; John 17:3), and obey Him (1 John 2:3). It isn't enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don't love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10).


Taken From: http://www.gracechurch.org/About/Gospel

Luke 13:3

1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2 And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?

3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?

5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

6 And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

7 And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?'

8 And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.

9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

-Luke 13:1-9

What we are looking for here, is that Grace to You (hereafter GTY) is correctly using the Biblical text when they cite it as a proof for their doctrinal statement.  In this case, they have stated that repentance is a necessary part of saving faith.  That true saving faith will indeed result in repentance.  In this passage, we see that Christ is saying that all sinners are equal.  That these particular tragedies were not as a result of the people's sins.  Thus when he says to the people that unless they repent they will perish, we see in the larger context of verses 6-9 that this perishing is not simply a earthly death, but an eternal death.  Therefore, as you can see, this passage supports what GTY is saying in their doctrine.

1 Thessalonians 1:9

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

-1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

In this next passage, we are seeing why GTY uses the particular term 'turn from your sin'.  The verse that they cite gives us a great example of what repentance looks like practically with the Thessalonian people 'turned to God from idols'.  The context supports the doctrine, and specifically the terminology GTY used to describe repentance.

Matthew 11:28-30

20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

 - Matthew 11:20-30

Here we have a great example of the invitation that Christ gives to us to pursue him and take His yoke which is easy and light.  GTY tells us in their doctrinal statement that part of true saving faith and repentance is a pursuing of Jesus Christ.  In the larger context we also see in verse 20 that the cities that Jesus is denouncing, He was doing so because of lack of repentance.  This contrast between the cities and Christ's invitation is striking, and the inference drawn here is that the opposite of not repenting like those cities, is going to Jesus to find rest for our souls.

John 17:3

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

6 "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.

8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

- John 17:1-19

This is again a passage telling us why it is important to pursue Christ.  We are looking at Jesus' High Priestly prayer, and we see that everlasting life, that true saving faith, is found in knowing God, and Jesus whom He has sent.  The context here is just amazing, that Jesus would pray for us like this, is absolutely incredible.  When we see this, I believe we should have no response but to praise Him!

1 John 2:3

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

- 1 John 2:1-11

The next portion of the doctrine that we see here is that we will obey Christ if we truly repent.  We can see here that verses 3-11 greatly displays this doctrine.  If we truly are the disciples of Jesus, and have true saving faith, our lives will change, and we will obey His commandments.  So far it is obvious that all of the statements that GTY has made in their doctrinal statement have been backed up by a correct reading and interpretation of the Scripture.

James 2:19

18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-and shudder!

20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"-and he was called a friend of God.

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

 - James 2:18-26

This is a very interesting passage in general, and is important for us to remember as we share the gospel with people.  It is not enough to simply acknowledge and believe in God.  There must be something accompanying your faith to show that it is true.  GTY is not saying, nor is the Bible, that works are necessary to achieve salvation, but that works necessarily flow from true saving faith.  We are not saved by our works, but we are saved to our works.  Believing in facts is not enough, true saving faith will bring about repentance.

Ephesians 2:10

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands-

12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

-Ephesians 2:1-13

I feel that I don't even need to expound here, as the verse and entire passage are so clear that our faith will show itself in good works.  Just as in the passage in James, so here in Ephesians we see the outworking of our faith is works, and that we are not saved by them (vv. 8-9).

Conclusion

To conclude, if you have read my two previous posts, you saw how badly the Word of God can be twisted to come up with foolish doctrines that have no basis in true Christianity.  I wanted to write this post, because there are good churches out there that do not twist the Scriptures and that use them properly.  GTY is one such organization and church, and there are others out there.  My hope in these posts is that you will look at your churches doctrines and statements of faith and will open your Bible and make sure that they are not twisting God's Word.  Remember as you do this, the 5 rules of hermeneutics.
1.Context
2.Context
3.Context
4.Narrative is not Normative
5.A text can never say what it never said.
If you can follow these rules and test everything, you will be a better informed Christian and you will know what God says in His word.  Semper Reformanda.