The Everlasting Gospel: The Good News of Jesus Christ
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
This article discusses the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ under the biblical theme of the “Everlasting Gospel.” We find this unique term for the Gospel in the Book of Revelation authored by the Apostle John.
This exploration will provide the reader with a robust understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with its meaning, implications, and various applications to the redemptive history of humanity as revealed in the Word of God.
Introduction
Keyword Definitions
Let us examine the words “everlasting” and “gospel” for a moment.
The word everlasting used in the Bible is translated from the Greek word “aionios,” which means “perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well), eternal, forever.”
Everlasting
- Lasting forever; eternal;
- Lasting or continuing for an indefinitely long time;
- Incessant; constantly recurring.
The word gospel used in the Bible is translated from the Greek word “euaggelion,” which means “a good message or glad tidings.”
Gospel
- The teachings of Jesus and the Apostles; the Christian revelation.
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God has been preached throughout the world for roughly two millennia, with prior announcement also in prophetic anticipation. The purpose of this article is to outline exactly what the Gospel message is, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, assisted by further New Testament material contained in the Holy Bible.
Before the essential message is delivered here, it is important that several things be first noted and some background explored.
The Great Commission
In the Gospel of Matthew, when speaking to His disciples about the signs that would indicate the approaching time of His return, the Lord Jesus Christ said this:
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
This verse indicates that the Gospel will be thoroughly preached to every nation of the world as a witness to Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, before the end of the world and the current age as we know it.
The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded His disciples to preach the Gospel in every nation for people to be saved and to become His disciples.
The Bible says in the Gospel of Mark:
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
The Gospel of Matthew also says:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
These essential commands of Jesus are the driving force behind the widespread proliferation of the Christian Gospel to the public and nations; therefore, the public preaching of the Gospel and all efforts to this end are a core activity and identifying characteristic of the Christian faith and Christian Church.
The Everlasting Gospel
The True Gospel
The Bible says in the Book of Revelation:
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Through this verse, we can understand that there is only one true and Everlasting Gospel, even to the extent that, according to prophecy, an appointed angel is commanded to preach and declare it to all the inhabitants of the earth during the Great Tribulation.
False Gospels
It is written in the Book of Galatians:
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
These verses here let us know that counterfeit gospels exist, which really are not gospels at all, and that those who preach these gospels are accursed (have been placed under a curse from God). Sadly, the fact is that this is the shocking reality that exists today.
Also in the Book of 2 Corinthians it says:
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
According to this verse, we can understand that people can accept counterfeit gospels and continue to believe in them as if they are true. Therefore, it is very important to know what the true Gospel actually is so a distinction can be made between the truth and what is false.
The Power of the Gospel
The Gospel message has far-reaching implications for our modern society today, in which the lines of truth concerning God and life are blurred, and in which moral and ethical standards are frequently questioned, challenged, and even dismissed.
As mentioned above, the Word of God concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been circulating for roughly two millennia. The Gospel is closely interwoven with the historical development of the world as we know it.
The modern Western world was founded and established on Christian principles, from one degree to another. The freedoms and liberties the West enjoys, such as the freedom of speech, the freedom of movement, and the freedom of expression, conscience, and thought, have not always been freedoms humanity has enjoyed.
As a matter of fact, there are many nations in the world today that do not experience these above freedoms and are typically nations that have not been built upon the Word of God or the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, a large body of historical, cultural, personal, and collective evidence testifies to the impacting power of the Gospel and God’s Word.
The Roots of the Gospel
The Gospel message centers on the historical figure, a Hebrew Israelite named Jesus Christ, Who is declared to be the Son of God. It includes events that took place in the first century A.D. in Jerusalem, Israel.
The nation of Israel has inherited a long spiritual tradition dating back to whereabouts of 2000 B.C., and the claim of the Jewish religious tradition is unique in that the God of Israel is considered to be the one true God and Creator of the heavens and the earth and all things contained in them.
The God of Israel
The God of Israel, through biblical revelation and His divine action within the affairs of humanity, is declared to be the Supreme Governor of every seen and unseen force of the universe. The God of Israel created all things and sustains all things by the Word of His power. Throughout history, God has overseen the affairs of every nation on earth and continues to do so today, whether or not this is consciously known to a particular nation.
This exclusive claim sets the God of Israel above all divine claimants of other cultural and religious traditions for two main reasons: firstly, because God exclusively chose the nation of Israel to reveal His existence and divine revelation to; and secondly, because it was through Israel that He purposed to execute and complete specific plans instrumental to the world’s historical development, ultimate blessings, and final purpose through Jesus Christ.
Because of this, the divine law regarding morality and human life set by the God of Israel is the universal standard that applies to the entire world and every nation, and every person within it, whether or not they acknowledge this to be true.
This statement is proven by the fact that the Word of God testifies to its own validity in that if it is followed and adhered to completely, blessings follow, as it inherently claims; and if it is not followed, curses follow as consequences, as it also inherently claims. Moreover, the revelation of the Word of God touches the very history and heart of humanity, proving itself to be the truth in the spiritual, metaphysical, and temporal dimensions.
Unfolding History
The God of Israel has been unfolding history through His own plans and purposes according to the coming of His Kingdom, and continues to do so up to the present day and will do so further into the future.
The true events concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ are the centerpiece of history and contain the most important truths of life itself. Jesus Christ is the most important historical figure in the world, and His Gospel is the most important news bulletin in history. The Gospel of Jesus Christ concerns what He achieved on earth on behalf of God towards mankind and the implications of those achievements.
As mentioned earlier, the word “gospel” essentially means “good news” or “good message.” Now, if there is good news, that means there must be some bad news to begin with. You must know the bad news first to understand why the good news is good.
The Need for Salvation
The Bad News
The bad news starts with what is called sin. We need to first define this word and then go to a few places in the Bible to explore it. There are two original languages used in the Bible, which are Hebrew and Greek. The language of the Jewish nation is called Hebrew, and the common language used in the time of Jesus was Koine (common) Greek.
The primary word for “sin” in the Hebrew language is “chhata” (khaw-taw), defined most appropriately as, “to miss, offend, or trespass.” The Greek root word for sin is “hamartano,” which is most appropriately defined as, “to miss the mark, to err, fault, offend, trespass.”
Sin
- Transgression of divine law.
- Any act regarded as such a transgression, especially a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.
- Any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense.
- To commit a sinful act.
- To offend against a principle, standard, etc.
The above definition implies clearly the breaking of the law or an offense. Sin in its essence is the breaking of the laws or commandments of God.
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are the most famous set of laws in existence. They are contained in the Old Testament portion of the Bible. The principles of God’s Ten Commandments are known to be the foundation of the practiced discipline of law used in Western law court systems for centuries. These ten laws are God’s basic laws of morality and living and expand out into hundreds of other laws and guiding principles in the Old Testament.
The Ten Commandments are summarized in Exodus 20:1–17 (KJV):
- Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honour thy father and thy mother.
- Thou shalt not kill.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
- Thou shalt not steal.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness.
- Thou shalt not covet.
Israel and the neighboring nations they had contact with were committing the above acts that God’s law condemns. Therefore, Israel was given the law to temporarily curb and cover their evil propensities until God’s plan to deal with sin was implemented.
The law also had a secondary function, which was to distinguish Israel from the other nations around them who were committing evil practices. Because humanity chooses to do the things the law condemns, such as stealing, lying, committing murder, etc., these and other laws were given to Israel (and wider humanity) to be able to consciously understand what sin is and what righteous actions God requires of us.
The Commandments Applied
These commands express the essential laws of morality, and humans are not supposed to break these laws, but rather avoid committing the acts that these laws condemn, and furthermore, do the things that are approved of them.
The entire law of God is located in the first five Books of Moses, called the “Pentateuch” or the “Torah,” and numbers into approximately 613 individual commandments. The Ten Commandments summarize the entirety of God’s law, giving us the moral compass we need to understand what God requires of us.
Therefore, people who break these commandments and actively need to try to keep themselves from disobeying these commandments are under the condemnation of sin because they still do the things that the law of God condemns.
For example, only a thief would have to keep the commandment not to steal. Someone who is not a thief would not need to make a conscious effort to keep this commandment because they actually do what is acceptable by respecting other people’s property. In other words, these laws only apply to sinners, not righteous people (1 Timothy 1:9–11 KJV).
All Have Sinned
The Bible tells us that humanity has broken God’s laws.
It is written in the Book of Romans and the Book of 1 John:
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
This shows us we all have sinned against God’s law, as sin is defined as transgression or the breaking of God’s law. You will know which of God’s laws you have broken before. If you have lied even once, you have sinned and broken God’s law. If you have stolen something even once, you have sinned and broken God’s law. If you have dishonored your mother or father even once, you have sinned and broken God’s law.
Looking Inward
If you have worshiped gods of other religions or idols even once, you have sinned and broken God’s law. If you have taken God’s name in vain even once, you have sinned and broken God’s law. You get the picture. It is important to know that these are not the only things that are considered sinful. There are lists of other forms of sinful behavior in the Bible, which are very important.
Sin is not only restricted to the act of breaking the commandments but also extends to the motives and intentions of the heart. Sin makes slaves of those who practice it. This is evident in the wicked and sinful state of current global society, and the self-destructive patterns of life so many people practice and have even died in.
Sin not only destroys those who practice it but harms others also. Sin brings death to societies, destroys families and relationships, and those who are trapped in deep-seated patterns of sin, such as various kinds of addictions, are literally enslaved to their sins. If you have sinned even once, you are in bondage to sin and death.
Understanding Sin and Death
Penalties for Sin
The punishment for breaking the laws of God is the death penalty. There are two sides to this coin. Humans were not originally designed to have temporal lives but to live in immortality. However, because the first created humans, Adam and Eve, broke the one commandment that God gave them, sin entered into the world, and along with it, physical death was introduced into the world and spread to all humanity—that is why all humans must proceed through life only to encounter physical death (Romans 5:12 KJV).
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve, we all know, were the first humans that God had created at the beginning of creation. They were perfect in all their creation, free of all sin, and also walking in perfect relationship with God the Father. They were given one commandment by God to abide by before the introduction of God’s law, the Ten Commandments.
The commandment was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had created. They were abiding by this commandment until Eve was tempted by the devil or Satan, a malignant evil spirit who is responsible for all rebellion, corruption, and evil that plague the human race. Satan had persuaded Eve to eat of the tree God commanded to be left alone. And in her falling for the temptation, she ate of the tree and gave also to Adam to eat.
This was the first act of sin, and as a result, Adam and Eve were separated from God and expelled from paradise, the Garden of Eden. Through this one sin, Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world, forfeited their perfection, and became the first sinners, handing down this legacy of death to all generations following. Therefore, sin has deeper roots than we think. It has influenced the entire human race, and is the cause of death as revealed in the Scriptures.
The Bible says in the Book of Romans:
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Sin and Death
We know the inescapable fact of life is that we all must die a physical death one day. But there is also what the Bible calls the second death. Sin was not only the root cause of physical death, but also the cause of the second death, which is spiritual death. The second death is described as being cast into a burning lake of fire and brimstone in eternal separation from God forever (Revelation 21:8 KJV).
God is Holy and righteous and takes no pleasure in sin and wickedness. His anger and wrath are reserved for those who practice such things. God, being a God of justice, must pass the penalty or sentence upon sinners; they must be judged and receive the reward of punishment they deserve.
Judgment for Sin
Therefore, humanity, having broken the laws of God, must face divine justice, one way or another. All the world will be judged by God for every sinful and wicked action committed, right down to every word and every intention of the heart. Humanity, apart from God, faces the death penalty of physical and spiritual death in God’s prison called hell, all due to our sins. This is the bad news.
There is no deal we can cut with God to escape this judgment. No amount of good deeds or trips to church on Sunday will help us.
It is written in the Book of Isaiah:
Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Our sin separates us from God, and we need to be reconciled to Him.
The Day of Judgment
God has appointed a day for judgment, and you can count it a certainty that all people will stand before Him and give an account of their lives on that day.
It is written in the Book of Acts:
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
The day of resurrection and judgment is appointed. This is the day in which God will raise all from the grave and reward each according to their works. There is no hiding from God or concealing the things that have been done in this life. He knows all things and sees all things. This is bad news for sinners. However, there is good news following.
The Good News of the Gospel
God’s Master Plan
It is written in the Book of Psalms:
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
God does not desire that anyone should perish in hell. This is not the intention of God for humanity, but rather the sentence for those who would break the law of God without the view of ever doing what is right. He does not take pleasure in the death of anyone, but rather that they would receive life and live.
Because God is loving and compassionate by nature, He has expressed mercy and grace towards humanity in providing a way for us to be forgiven for breaking His laws and for the wicked things we have done in our sinfulness.
God had planned, before the foundation of the world, to deliver the world from sin and corruption by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. Through His foreknowledge of all events, God knew humans would fall into sin through our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, at the instigation of the enemy, Satan, and in abuse of their free will. Because of God’s great love for us, He planned to save us by sending Jesus, to sacrifice His life for us and save us.
Jesus Christ Our Savior
Jesus is known as the “Messiah,” the “Christ,” that meaning “anointed one,” and is understood to be the “second Adam” who would not break God’s commandments like the first Adam, but rather, keep them perfectly.
The Jewish nation was waiting for a Savior, an “anointed one” (that is, one who would be endued with divine power and authority), whom God would send to deliver their nation from their afflictions. Jesus Christ was sent to be the Savior, not only of the Jewish nation but of the whole world.
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die for the sinners so that they could be saved from their sins and from the judgment they deserve.
It is written in the Book of Romans:
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
God in His mercy has demonstrated His compassionate love toward us in the act of sending His Son into the world to die for us so that we could have life.
Jesus walked the earth for 33 years. The last three and a half of which He was commissioned to preach the good news–the Gospel–that people could be saved from sin and judgment. Jesus Christ is the salvation of God personified, embodied, manifested, demonstrated, and completed.
The Birth of Jesus
To understand the Gospel message more clearly, we have to explore the key events of the Gospel narrative in chronological order. It started with His miraculous birth from the well-known virgin called Mary or Mariam in Hebrew.
This virgin birth was to be a sign of His coming and was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah roughly 700 years earlier during the Old Testament period.
The Book of Isaiah declares:
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Immanuel means “God with us” in Hebrew. Jesus’ birth and purpose were foretold throughout the history of Israel, making them an important nation for the future plans of God. This miraculous birth is a key sign confirming that Jesus is the Messiah.
John the Baptist and Repentance
Fast-forwarding, when it came time for Jesus to start preaching the Gospel, a prophet named John the Baptist came preaching ahead of Him and baptizing the people of Israel with water to prepare them for the arrival of the Messiah.
John preached the message of repentance. This word repentance is important to understand and is crucial in understanding the Gospel.
The Greek word for repentance is “metanoeo,” defined as, “to think differently, reconsider, feel compunction (guilt or regret).”
Repent
- To feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc.
- To feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one’s life for the better; be penitent.
- To remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition.
- To feel sorry for; regret.
John the Baptist preached repentance to the people of Israel to turn them away from their sins so that they would change their ways and do what is right instead of sinning against God’s law. The above definitions 1 and 2 capture the full idea of repentance accurately because they emphasize both elements of remorse and transformation that John’s broader message carried (Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:4–5; Luke 3:3–18 KJV).
The Kingdom of God
Announcing the Kingdom
Jesus came after John, continuing the repentance message as part of the Gospel but furthermore preaching the Kingdom of God.
The Bible reads, in the Gospel of Mark:
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
What is the Kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God, in its basic sense, is God’s established kingdom on earth through Jesus Christ as the Head and King, and His body as the Church. This is a spiritual kingdom with visible manifestation and operation on earth.
The Kingdom of God is where God reigns supreme inside the hearts of believers by His Spirit, with all believers being united as members of this kingdom operating on earth through His Church. The Kingdom of God is destined for full manifestation and rule, finding its completion in Jesus’ coming supreme reign on earth.
The Earthly Ministry of Jesus
Jesus chose twelve disciples to join Him in His ministry and gained other followers along the way. Jesus, with His disciples, preached and taught the Gospel throughout the cities of Israel while performing many miracles, healings, signs, and wonders.
His teaching and miracles gained Him much recognition from the people and also caught the attention of the leaders of the Jewish religious system of the time. The leaders were skeptical of His teachings and how He performed miracles and healings because they perceived them to be in conflict with their religion.
They were also troubled because many people were beginning to believe in Him, and little did those leaders know He was the One their religion taught about, the Savior they were waiting for. They often tried to persecute Him and kill Him for what He was saying and doing, and it eventually boiled to the point where they plotted His assassination.
Jesus taught that the people needed to repent and turn away from their sins, while at the same time providing them the very power to effect that change. Jesus healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, restored hearing to the deaf, and performed many other astonishing miracles throughout His ministry under the power of the Holy Spirit, bringing the reality of the Kingdom of God here on earth.
He preached and taught about following God, the righteousness of God, the Holy Spirit, love for God and neighbor, the fear of God, obedience to God, the judgment of God, heaven, hell, and many more things throughout His ministry.
Controversy and Crucifixion
Controversial Truths
Jesus also taught some highly controversial things that attracted negative attention from the religious and secular authorities of His day. This ultimately led to His severe persecution and death by crucifixion.
Firstly, Jesus claimed to have the authority to forgive sins. This was controversial because the religious system of the time knew that God was the only One Who had the authority to forgive sins. In Jesus doing this, He was basically claiming to hold equal status with God as well as the authority and power of God.
Secondly, Jesus claimed that He was the Son of God. This term “Son of God” caused much controversy because at that time, for Jesus to make such a claim, it meant that He had elevated Himself to equal status with God, claiming that God was His very own Father.
Jesus said in the Gospel of John:
I and my Father are one.
In both of the above claims, Jesus was saying that He was God Himself. This is the main reason why the Jews sought to assassinate Him.
The Mission of Jesus
Jesus knew that He was sent to die for the sins of the world and that the assassination attempt would succeed.
He predicted this for the third time in the Gospel of Luke:
Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
Jesus knew He would be innocently condemned and suffer the death penalty. He willingly did this in obedience to God, for the sake of our salvation.
After being arrested by the Jewish authorities, He was handed over to the Roman government as He predicted, and was humiliated, spat upon, beaten, scourged, had a crown of thorns pressed into His head, and was innocently sentenced to death by crucifixion after persistent effort by the Jews.
What Exactly is Crucifixion?
Encyclopedia Britannica explains crucifixion in the following manner:
“There were various methods of performing the execution. Usually, the condemned man, after being whipped, or “scourged,” dragged the crossbeam of his cross to the place of punishment, where the upright shaft was already fixed in the ground.
Stripped of his clothing either then or earlier at his scourging, he was bound fast with outstretched arms to the crossbeam or nailed firmly to it through the wrists. The crossbeam was then raised high against the upright shaft and made fast to it about 9 to 12 feet (approximately 3 metres) from the ground.
Next, the feet were tightly bound or nailed to the upright shaft. . . . Over the criminal’s head was placed a notice stating his name and his crime. Death, apparently caused by exhaustion or by heart failure, could be hastened by shattering the legs (crurifragium) with an iron club, so that shock and asphyxiation soon ended his life.”
The Ultimate Sacrifice
What is Sacrifice in Scripture?
Jesus died in this manner for the sins of the world. He was crucified for all humanity so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to God by giving Himself as a sacrifice.
What is a sacrifice? Why is it so important? Let us explore it briefly.
Divine sacrifice is something that has become more and more foreign to the modern mindset. Because the justice of God is infinite and must be served, crimes against His law must be punished.
We now understand, from earlier explorations in this article, that the penalty for breaking the laws of God or sinning against God is death. Adding to this, the divine law requires that sin be paid for, more specifically, with the blood of the criminal or perpetrator. Nevertheless, because God is forgiving and merciful by nature, He designed a system of substitution to deal with the penalty of our sins.
Old Testament Sacrifice
In Old Testament times, the law of God provided instructions on how to substitute animals on behalf of humans to pay the penalty for their sins; this is called animal sacrifice. The sacrifice provided what is called “atonement,” meaning to become at one with God, or reconciled to God.
In other words, the death and blood of animals were to be regularly used as a substitute for the death and blood of humans who had broken the law of God, to bring them back into a right relationship with God once they had sinned, and in light of ongoing sinfulness.
The Old Testament system of animal sacrifice as substitution was only a temporary solution until God’s more perfect and permanent system of sacrifice was to arrive. The other problem was that animal sacrifice could only deal with atonement in the temporal sense in this life, not in the eternal sense.
What we needed was not a temporary atonement that the death and blood of animals could provide, covering us only against divine justice in this life, but an eternal atonement, covering us from the second death, the eternal penalty of hell, and separation from God.
This eternal atonement was given to us in the death and blood of Jesus Christ.
The Perfect Sacrifice
Only a perfect sacrifice and perfect blood could atone for sin in the eternal sense. Therefore, God’s perfect system of atonement was to allow His perfect Son to become a sacrifice for us that we might live. Jesus died on the Cross, taking our place and punishment in substitution for us. He died so that we could have new life in peace with God in righteousness and holiness.
Jesus died so we would not have to suffer the second death, but rather have eternal life in immortality with God. Because Jesus gave His life over willingly, sacrificing it for us, it is now possible for us to be forgiven and cleansed of our sins, pardoned from the penalty of the second death in hell, and live a new life born again into a relationship with God.
Without Jesus’ sacrifice, there would be no avenue for humanity to be reconciled to God. Jesus has taken our death sentence, suffering in our place, so that we would not have to receive the punishment we deserve, but rather be pardoned, forgiven, and given eternal life. This is the gift of God, which God, in His loving grace, offers to us all.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The Risen Savior
After the crucifixion, Jesus’ body was recovered, and He was buried in a tomb that was then sealed shut. As mentioned earlier, Jesus predicted that He would rise again from death three days later, and that is exactly what happened.
Jesus said in the Gospel of John:
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Obedience to God
Jesus was not forced to give up His life. He gave it willingly as the obedient Son of God and died knowing that it was in His power not only to give His life but also to rise again from the grave. His followers buried Him in a tomb, and in fulfillment of His words, He was raised from death three days later.
Death was unable to hold Jesus because He lived a perfect life, He did not sin even once, He never broke the commandments of God, and He kept the law of God perfectly.
He is Risen
Jesus triumphed over death. Because Jesus lived a life free of sin, death could not lay absolute claim over Him because sin is what ultimately qualifies someone for death.
Because Jesus rose again from death, He has now abolished the death penalty that sin requires. In other words, because Jesus has conquered death, through Him we also can conquer death’s ultimate hold on us by following Him into eternal life.
Jesus was taken up into heaven following His resurrection, demonstrating to us that there is life after death in the Kingdom of God and Heaven. The resurrection is God’s way of showing us that there is new and eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus.
It is written in the Book of Romans:
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Eternal Life Revealed
The resurrection is symbolic of the hope of eternal life and provides us with a model of how God will raise all people from the grave on the last day and bring them into judgment. It also empowers us to a new way of life in freedom from the bondage of sin, bringing us under the grace and power of God.
Because Jesus has risen from the grave, we can be assured that there is life after death and eternal judgment to consider. We can also know that the gift of eternal life is secured through His sacrifice, and that we can receive new life transformation in our relationship with God, living in a way which pleases Him.
The resurrection gives us a sure sign of God’s power and intention for us, that we may have new and eternal life, forgiven and loved in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Seated in Glory
It is written in the Book of Hebrews:
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
Jesus lives and is seated at the right hand of God and is the only mediator between God and humanity to reconcile them to God in peace. Knowing Jesus is how we get to know God through a relationship, and He has done the work of purging or cleansing us from sin.
Eyewitness Accounts
It is written in the Book of 1 Corinthians:
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
Jesus was seen alive by hundreds of eyewitnesses after His death, as seen in the passage above. At that time He continued certain activities, further directing the Church to action through the Holy Spirit. It did not stop there, as Jesus continued working in the ministry of the New Testament Church. He lives and is returning to judge the world in righteousness.
The Book of 2 Thessalonians speaks about the return of Jesus:
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Jesus came the first time for salvation, and He is coming the second time for judgment.
In the Gospel of John it says:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The Gospel truth concerning forgiveness of sin is only found in Jesus Christ. Release from the bondage of sin and death is only found in Jesus Christ. Salvation from the wrath of God is only found in Jesus Christ. The only way to make peace in reconciliation with God and receive eternal life is through Jesus Christ. Jesus died for all and rose again so that we can be saved, inherit eternal life, and enter Heaven.
The Path to Salvation
You Must Be Born Again
In the Book of John, Jesus said something crucial to a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish Pharisee and ruler of the Jews who was interested in Jesus’ teachings:
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
We all need to be born again. Being born again means we must be reborn into a new spiritual life by the Spirit of God. The biblical term for being born again is Regeneration.
This means we must have a complete supernatural transformation occur, changing our lives forever and becoming a new creation in Christ. This causes us to live a new life in freedom from the bondage and power of sin, living in righteousness and holiness by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Regeneration is achieved through the Word of God and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will enter into a person’s life, teaching them and demonstrating the new way of life in Christ, providing all the power and ability to do so. All people must be born again, or we will not be saved and will die in our sins.
We have all sinned against God, and because of that, we deserve death in hell. But God is gracious and loving, and because He loves us, He does not want us to perish, but He freely offers us the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ.
The Book of Romans tells us:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
It was purely by His gracious kindness that God had provided a way of salvation to the world, considering the sinfulness of humanity and His legal grounds to execute judgment upon sinners. God has laid out the path, and we all must now put our faith and trust in Jesus, and by His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, keep the commandments necessary to walk that path.
Salvation by Grace Through Faith
We are saved by grace through faith. Let us examine the word “grace” for a moment.
The Greek word for grace used in the Bible is “charis,” which means, “graciousness, benefit, favor, gift.”
It is written in the Book of Ephesians:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast.
The Living God, by His Invincible Grace, has given us salvation in Jesus. It is a free gift we must accept by faith, believing in Jesus and the Gospel. We must sincerely, and in truth, believe and have faith in Jesus to be saved.
To have true faith is to believe, from the heart, that Jesus died for us on the cross and rose again so that we can be forgiven, born again, and saved, being pardoned from our death sentence as He has taken our punishment.
This free gift is yours and mine upon faith. This is the Everlasting Gospel.
What Must I Do to Be Saved?
Repentance and Faith
Salvation also begins with repentance. To come to faith, we must, through the grace of God, repent of the sin we have committed in our lives in breaking God’s law. We must now, by the help of God, turn away from all wickedness and the course of life in sin we are currently practicing, and turn to Jesus and follow Him and His ways.
This is the evidence of having real faith. After this, we follow the teachings of Jesus and obey His commandments by His grace and Spirit.
Repentance and faith are needed to be saved.
A Confession of Faith
One Faith Gospel Ministries encourages all people to make their peace with God through the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is written in the Book of Romans:
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Search the Bible, call out to God, and let His grace lead the way to salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
If you want to become a child of God and receive the free gift of salvation, you can receive it right now by making a confession of faith.
The Apostle Paul declared in the Book of Romans:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Prayer for Salvation
The Bible tells us that we must make a faith confession of Christ, truly believing in Him by faith from the heart. If this is your time to believe, pray this prayer out loud or in your heart:
Our Heavenly Father,
I thank You that You love me, and that You have sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for me. Father, I repent of my sins and breaking Your law, and now ask for Your forgiveness and grace through Jesus. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and rose again from the grave that I might receive eternal life.
I now put my faith and trust in Him. Father, I ask You now for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and for the power and ability to live for Jesus. Father, I thank You for Your grace, forgiveness, and love, and for eternal life.
I pray this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Receiving the Holy Spirit
Once a person has repented, believed the gospel, and placed their faith and trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God will come into their life beginning the transformation, and they will know and experience life with God personally.
John the Baptist said in the Gospel of Matthew:
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
The Bible declares that Jesus will baptize His people with the Holy Spirit and fire. This is called the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. In other words, Jesus will plunge new believers into His Spirit and effect the new spiritual life in them, compared to a fire in intensity, as if the new life burns within them, causing serious supernatural change and movement.
Jesus leads us to experience the supernatural transforming power of God, as the Holy Spirit will come to us and change our lives completely and forever. All of these realities are sealed to us under the promises of God.
Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts:
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The gift of the Holy Spirit has been promised to each believer from God the Father, as the Spirit is referred to as “the promise of the Father.” He will teach us the way of all truth and supernaturally empower us to live this life now for the purposes of God.
The Holy Spirit will speak what Jesus wants us to know and understand. He will then help and lead us by His supernatural power into the life God has planned for us as children of God and witnesses to Him and His truth.
Water Baptism
As we have been born again and believe in Jesus, we must follow and obey Him by keeping His commandments, making Him the central focus of our lives. Being baptized in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a command that must now be obeyed to express true obedience and faith as a sign and symbol of repentance and faith.
Water baptism can be performed through the guidance of other believers or through the instrumentation of a local Bible believing church.
Conclusion
A New Journey
Salvation begins through understanding the Word of God and believing the Gospel.
Our article has outlined key biblical knowledge about the Gospel and salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is a lifelong journey that involves growth in the knowledge and practice of the Christian life.
Great assurance has been given to us in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ—the only way of salvation and object of our faith. This is the Everlasting Gospel.
Please see our Contact & Info page or simply email us at info@ofgministries.com with any questions about salvation and other topics, or if you would like further support in your new, born-again life.
Please feel free to explore our Resource Library to discover further biblical insights about Jesus, the Church, and the Christian life. We pray the Lord bless you abundantly and introduce you to the wonderful riches of eternal life in Jesus Christ.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
