SHARING THE GOSPEL-Part One
What is the Gospel?
Before we discuss How to Share the gospel, we need to define What is the Gospel, and Why Share the Gospel. In this nugget we why discuss "What is the Gospel". Many of you already know what the gospel is. However, read on. Some may believe they know the Gospel, but they have not believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Greatest Commandment
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is, His response was:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all our soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt 22:37-40).
The Gospel
Jesus Christ while on earth fulfilled these commandments. And it is God's will for us to do the same. But there is Bad News. We can't do it. And what is worse, because we are sinners, we must be punished. This is where the Gospel, the Good News, comes to our rescue:
Jesus became sin for us at the cross, died, and rose from the grave. Because of His victory over death, we can have eternal life and fulfill the commandments of God.
1 Cor. 15:1-4
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, [2] by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. [3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 10:9
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;
John 3:15-16
that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. [16] "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 5:21
that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Col. 1:5
because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel,
The Gospel Is Not...
Is not based upon your good works. It is not based upon you being less of a sinner that someone else. It is not based upon going to church, who you know, a vow of poverty, affliction of yourself, or how much money you give to good causes.
Matthew 5:20
"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
The Gospel Is...
Based upon faith alone. Not faith, plus works. Yes, good works should occur after our acceptance of Jesus, but salvation is not faith, plus works. When you first receive the Gospel, you are saved by faith. And your continual salvation is based upon faith, not works. If we are not good enough or our deeds are not good enough prior to accepting Jesus, we are not good enough after accepting Jesus. We continue to walk in salvation the same way we received salvation-by faith alone. It is only because of the Holy Spirit living in us that, we become 'good enough' to have eternal life.
Ephes. 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [9] not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
In the next nugget we will discuss "Why Share the Gospel"?
1 Cor. 15:12-19
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? [13] But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; [14] and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. [15] Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we witnessed against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. [16] For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; [17] and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. [18] Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. [19] If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
Matthew 4:23
And Jesus was going about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Ephes. 6:19
and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
1 Thes. 1:5
for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.