The Christian Message
Sin, substitution, and faith: These are three necessary elements to the Christian message.
The Christian message is this: We all have sinned, and consequently can not approach a Holy God (sin). But God in His great love for us sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for all of our sins (substitution). By believing on – or trusting in Jesus as your personal Savior you can have eternal forgiveness of your sins (faith).
Sin
Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…(NIV)
Isaiah 59:2 – But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (NIV)
Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)
Isaiah 64:6 – All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (NIV)
Colossians 2:13 – When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins… (NIV)
Substitution
Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV)
Faith
John 3:16-18 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (NIV)
Assurance
The above information is all that you need to become a Christian (also referred to as being “saved” or “born again”). The following verses give assurance of the completeness of our salvation.
Romans 5:1 -Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…(NIV)
John 10:27-30 – Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (NIV)
Romans 8:39 – Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)
ENJOY JESUS
How can you know for sure that you will go to Heaven after you die? Watch this video to learn more:
Who is Jesus? What has he done? Why is it important? In answering these questions, Keith Davy describes the essence of the gospel in this video:
Have you decided to trust in Jesus to forgive your sins? Do you want to follow Him and live for Him? Reach out to us.
We want to pray with you, answer your questions, teach you more about Jesus, walk along side you, and help you plug-in with other followers of Christ at Midland Free.
We can’t wait to grow with you!