If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into My heaven?” What would you say?

The gospel is the message that we are all separated from God because of our sin. The result of this sin is an emptiness, an ever-present guilt, and a certain fear of death. Yet, because God loved us, in spite of our rebellion, He sent His own Son to die in our place and to bridge the gap between Him and ourselves.

A technical definition of the word gospel is “good news.” But, just as a jeweler displays a beautiful ring or necklace against a dark velvet background to accentuate its beauty, so God first tells us the bad news to show just how good the good news of the gospel really is. That bad news is that we have all sinned—sometimes in ignorance, but often knowingly.

Man is sinful and separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.

  • Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

  • Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Because there was no other way to satisfy the righteous demands of God, because of our inability to improve ourselves (much less save ourselves), because we faced a future in Hell because of our sin, God, in His great love, sent His own Son to come down from Heaven and to die on the cross in our very place. Jesus, who was both God and man, without sin or fault, was uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God.

Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Through Jesus Christ, we can have our sins forgiven and be restored to a right relationship with God.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation”

  • Romans 5:6-8 “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

  • John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me“

  • 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”

We know that God is perfect. We know that man is imperfect and sinful. The only way God could resolve this serious sin issue was to send His Son, Jesus, to take our place and to pay the price for our sins.

We must have faith in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of salvation and know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.

  • John 3:16“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“

  • Romans 10:9 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

  • Romans 10:10 “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

  • Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Because of what Christ has done for us on the cross, we now can have a relationship with God.

  • Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

  • 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

God is calling you to a perfect and loving relationship with Him. If you want to answer his call, take a moment now and speak to Him. If you are not sure what to say to Him, below is a suggestion. There is nothing special about these words, no “magical formula.” Just share your heart with God. Maybe these words can help.

“God, I recognize that I have not lived my life for You up until now. I have been living for myself and that is wrong. I need You in my life; I want You in my life. I acknowledge the completed work of Your Son Jesus Christ in giving His life for me on the cross at Calvary, and I long to receive the forgiveness you have made freely available to me through this sacrifice. Come into my life now, Lord. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my Lord, and my Savior. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow You all the days of my life. Those days are in Your hands. I ask this in Jesus’ precious and holy name. Amen.”