The Gospel

The Gospel as I know it.

Here is my take on it. I am going to try to put it into language that is simple because, as I see it, the message is simple. If it were not simple enough, only intelligent people could enter Heaven, and that does not really seem like a very godly idea. So, here goes.

 
1. I am a dirt bag sinner worthy of death and Hell, and so are you. (Romans 3:23 NIV) “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

 
2. My sin and yours will lead each of us into the Eternal Prison of Hell – the “second death.” (Romans 6:23 NIV) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 
3. Even though we are guilty and dirty, Jesus gave his life to save us. (Romans 5:8 NIV) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 
4. Finally, if we truly believe Jesus’ payment of death on the cross was for our sin and give our lives over to Him as master, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10 NIV) “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
 

Now, this is the nutshell version, commonly called the “Roman Road,” and it is considered by much of Christianity as the real meat of the matter. It is simple and powerful, but it is also easily deniable. It is easy to say that there is more to the faith than this – or less. But saying it doesn’t make it so, or I could “say” that I can fly, and I would be off to Tahiti. But things just don’t work that way, do they?