THE GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST
A. WHAT IS ETERNAL LIFE?
1. Eternal life is a personal relationship with God
a. John 17:3 3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
2. Eternal life is a free gift.
a. Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
B. WHY DON’T PEOPLE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?
1. Man is a sinner
a. Romans 3:10 as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE
b. Romans 3:23 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
i. Luke 15:11-21 “The Prodigal Son”
2. Man cannot save himself
a. Titus 3:5 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
b. James 2:10 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
c. Galatians 2:16 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
d. Romans 5:6 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
C. WHAT HAPPENS TO SINNERS?
1. All people are judged
a. Hebrews 9:27 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
2. All sinners go to hell
a. Matthew 13:37-42, 47-50; 25:41-46
3. Sinners do not have to go to hell
a. 2 Peter 3:9 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
D. WHAT HAS GOD DONE FOR SINNERS?
1. God sent His only Son Jesus Christ
a. John 3:16-18 but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
2. God became man
a. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
b. John 1:14 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
c. John 1:18 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
3. Jesus bore our sins on the cross
a. 1 Peter 2:21-24 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
4. Jesus rose from the Dead on the third day
a. Romans 10:9 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
b. John 20
5. Jesus brought us to a personal relationship with God.
a. Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
E. WHAT MUST THE SINNER DO?
1. Repent from sins
a. Luke 24:46-47 46 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
b. Acts 2:38 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2. Receive Jesus Christ as your savior through faith.
a. John 1:12 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
b. John 3:16-17 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
b. Romans 10:9-10 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
I. WHAT MUST THE SAVED DO?
a. Remember the Cost and Sacrifice Everything and be a His Disciple
i. Luke 9:23-24 23 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.