Lesson 14: A Humanitarian by Giving Us the Gospel
Study Guide Pages 108-114
People love to hear good news. Think of how friends and family celebrate when a baby is born.
Or think of the celebrations that take place when people hear their team has won the championship. The streets quickly fill up as total strangers party with each other.
Taking it a step further, imagine how people celebrate when they hear a dreaded enemy has been defeated. The celebrations which broke out at the end of World War II were epic. As soon as they heard the news, people dropped what they were doing and celebrated.
The greatest news is that Jesus has already done everything needed for you to live eternally with God. This message surely deserves the title of gospel since the word “gospel” means good news. This truly is the best news of all.
Many people, however, change the “Done” of the gospel into a “Do.” Instead of seeing that God sent Jesus in our place, to do it all for us, they say Jesus was a great teacher telling us what we must do to become acceptable to God. Still, others combine the two by teaching that Jesus did some things for us but not everything. He requires that we contribute to our salvation.
None of this is good news, however. Rather, it can be depressing, even crushing. It’s like telling a dirt poor man that you will pay most of his loan coming due, but not all of it. What good does that do if he can’t meet the deadline? It makes matters even worse.
That’s not the gospel, the good news of the Bible. The biblical gospel says Jesus paid the entire debt of your sin, and he doesn’t want you to pay him back! It assures you that God forgives you freely and fully because of Jesus’ payment.
Whatever you do, don’t doubt the gospel.
Because of Jesus, God has forgiven you. Believe it! Rejoice in it!
Key Bible Verse
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16
Questions to Consider
- Why can’t we do anything to contribute to our salvation?
- The good news of the gospel is that Jesus has done the work of redemption for us. What are some examples of ways in which people try to DO or ADD TO the gospel?
- Why are all of these “do’s” and “additives” such a big problem?
- The word gospel means “good news.” Why is it appropriate to call it GOOD news?
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