What is the Good News?
The good news is God’s plan of salvation for humanity. Within the Bible it is most commonly referred to as the gospel. In the book of Acts, we read about the expansion of the church and about God’s message of salvation they spread throughout the world. As they spread this message, one of the most frequent questions became, “what must we do?” Or, “what can we do to be saved?”
This question is the most important question we can ask and have answered. The initial question that we must ask is “what must we be saved from?“ The Bible gives us two answers to that question. First, we must be saved from our sin. And Second, we must be saved from God’s wrath.
This question is the most important question we can ask and have answered. The initial question that we must ask is “what must we be saved from?“ The Bible gives us two answers to that question. First, we must be saved from our sin. And Second, we must be saved from God’s wrath.
The Bible tells us that God created all things (Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:15; & Rev. 4:11). And the reason He created all things was for His own glory. When He created mankind, He created them in innocence with the ability to choose right or wrong. We find out from the Bible that God is a holy God who demands absolute perfection. When He created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden of Eden, he gave them His law or rules to obey. Satan crept into the garden and deceived Eve, while Adam chose to disobey, thus, all of mankind inherited Adam’s disobedience. The Bible calls this disobedience sin. Ever since that moment Adam sinned, all mankind have been born with Adam’s sin nature. They want to do their own things and go their own way. The Bible describes mankind as “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). How do we know if we are sinners? Well, the Bible clearly tells us that all mankind are sinners. All have broken God’s law. In the book of Exodus, God’s law is clearly laid out.
And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
“You shall have no other gods before Me.”
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
The Bible also describes God as one who although holy, He is also merciful and gracious. He is one who is ready to forgive sin and freely pardon those who confess their sins (Ps. 103:8; Eph. 2:4). Although our sins must be forgiven, this is not the only reason we must be saved. We must also be saved from God’s wrath (Matt. 3:7; Rom. 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10).
The only way mankind can have their sins forgiven, and the only mankind can be saved from God’s wrath is through the provision which God Himself provides. All the way back in the garden, when Adam and Eve sinned, God made provision for them through blood sacrifice and the promise of one who would come to defeat sin, death, and Satan (Gen. 3:15). This provision of the forgiveness of sins was continually provided for through blood sacrifice. We read in the Old Testament that there were many animal sacrifices that were offered to God for the forgiveness of their sins. And we find in the New Testament, in the book of Hebrews, that it is only by means of shed blood that the sins of mankind can be forgiven. God provided the means of blood sacrifice, but He also provided His Son, Jesus, to save “his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). In this statement, we find out that God creates a people for Himself by means of the shed blood of His Son. We also find out that not everyone will have their sins forgiven. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” We also find out that Jesus is the “propitiation for our sins” in 1 John 2:2. That word propitiation means that wrath is appeased. And whose wrath would need to be appeased? Only the holy, and just God of the universe. So, God provides the means of salvation through His Son Jesus. And then we are told the way for someone to be saved is for them to believe and confess. Romans 10:9-13 tell us, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you would like to learn more about what it means to be saved, please click the link below. Or, you can contact us using the form below and we would love to answer any questions you have.
And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
“You shall have no other gods before Me.”
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
The Bible also describes God as one who although holy, He is also merciful and gracious. He is one who is ready to forgive sin and freely pardon those who confess their sins (Ps. 103:8; Eph. 2:4). Although our sins must be forgiven, this is not the only reason we must be saved. We must also be saved from God’s wrath (Matt. 3:7; Rom. 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10).
The only way mankind can have their sins forgiven, and the only mankind can be saved from God’s wrath is through the provision which God Himself provides. All the way back in the garden, when Adam and Eve sinned, God made provision for them through blood sacrifice and the promise of one who would come to defeat sin, death, and Satan (Gen. 3:15). This provision of the forgiveness of sins was continually provided for through blood sacrifice. We read in the Old Testament that there were many animal sacrifices that were offered to God for the forgiveness of their sins. And we find in the New Testament, in the book of Hebrews, that it is only by means of shed blood that the sins of mankind can be forgiven. God provided the means of blood sacrifice, but He also provided His Son, Jesus, to save “his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). In this statement, we find out that God creates a people for Himself by means of the shed blood of His Son. We also find out that not everyone will have their sins forgiven. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” We also find out that Jesus is the “propitiation for our sins” in 1 John 2:2. That word propitiation means that wrath is appeased. And whose wrath would need to be appeased? Only the holy, and just God of the universe. So, God provides the means of salvation through His Son Jesus. And then we are told the way for someone to be saved is for them to believe and confess. Romans 10:9-13 tell us, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you would like to learn more about what it means to be saved, please click the link below. Or, you can contact us using the form below and we would love to answer any questions you have.