The Gospel of Jesus Christ
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. – 2 Corinthians 11:3
God is pretty clear to state here that there is simplicity in Jesus and His message. Not only that but God tells us His yoke is easy, His burden is light. Matthew 11:30
The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross is the gospel, according to the scriptures. Let’s see if that is true;
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 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: 1 Corinthians 15
How to get saved
Man is a sinner in the eyes of a Holy God.
Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
There is a price for our sin, the wage (what we earn) is death when we sin.
Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus Christ paid for all our sins, by dying on the cross, shedding His blood; Christ was buried and bodily rose again 3 days later.
Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
By faith in Jesus Christ alone are we saved forever.
Ephesians 2:8 – 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.
Faith alone in Christ alone. That is the gospel, it is simple, pure and it saves you eternally. You cannot lose salvation.
Do you trust that Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh? That He died for all your sins on the cross? That He was buried and 3 days later rose from the dead? If you do, you are now saved.
Biblical repentance is simply TURNING UNTO THE LORD to be forgiven of one’s sins. Acts 11:18 reads, When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Notice that the Bible does NOT call this a repentance from sins. The “baptism of repentance” in Mark 1:4 is clearly not referring to water baptism; but to the “baptism of repentance.” This is the repentance unto life which can only be found in Christ Jesus. The Word of God does NOT teach that we must give up our sins to be saved.
If this were true, then no one could be saved because we are all sinners incapable of ceasing from sin. Even the best of Christians still commit sin! Believers shouldn’t commit any sins; but the fact of the matter is that we all do. So how can you tell an unsaved person to give up their sins to be saved?
There is a woeful misunderstanding about repentance circulating in our churches today. Again, Acts 11:21 states, And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Biblical repentance is TURNING to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. It is a change of mind. Mark 1:15 proclaims, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Notice here that repentance led to believing the gospel—NO mention is made about making a commitment to God nor forsaking sinful bad habits.
