I’ve been pondering how to write this post for quite awhile. In fact, it’s been a really really long time. So many people have shared the Gospel at a much more proficient level than I ever could, so it has been a daunting process for me. Nevertheless, I have accepted my assignment to share the Gospel. The most interesting thing I’ve noticed about Christianity is that we have our own language. Similar to some professions, such as attorneys or medical providers, if you haven’t learned the language, someone new to Christianity will most likely not understand everything you are saying to them. Then we send them straight to scripture where Jesus speaks in parables. Are you seeing where a new Christian might get frustrated? My goal is to explain it in very simplistic terms. Most people define the Gospel, (which literally means “good news”) as the life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ that brings salvation to all who believe. (The student Bible dictionary. Godwin et al) So when you hear people talking about the Gospel, they are just trying to share the good news about Jesus with you. The most simplistic way to put it is as follows: Jesus is the son of God. He existed prior to creation. He was actively involved in creating everything that has been created. God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit (known as the Holy Trinity) are 3 separate beings that comprise the one and only God. They are righteous and Holy. Meaning, they are pure and good and they set the bar for what it means to be righteous and Holy. They live in a heavenly realm, where other beings created by God also live, such as, Angels. Some of the Angels became prideful and turned away from God. God and the fallen angels fought a spiritual war, where God cast them out of heaven. Humans were created to also be children of God. Because God is perfect love, he created us to love as he does. He gave us free will to choose to love him and to be righteous and Holy. However, the first human pair, chose a path of unrighteousness (via temptations from the fallen angels), which allowed sin and darkness to enter the world. Sin is anything that does not meet God’s standard and a willful act to engage in anything that is against God’s will. God’s Holiness does not allow him to be associated with sin, therefore sin causes us to be separated from God. Sin in itself causes us unnecessary pain simply by the actions of sin, but separation from God, our creator, causes deep torment to us and God. God longs to be in a right and just relationship with us, as he created us to be. For centuries upon centuries, he has pursued us. His never failing love has always been there waiting for us to return to a right relationship with him. He revealed himself to multiple people and generations throughout history with amazing signs and miraculous events, blessings and curses. He utilized separate individuals as judges and prophets. One of the prophets, Isaiah, foretold of the coming Messiah, derived from a virgin birth, 700 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. Yes, God was that clear, and we still reject him. So far, I have told you about things that occurred in the Old Testament. I have actually heard Christians actually say, “The Old Testament no longer applies to us”. Oh, how wrong they are. The Old Testament gives us “The Why”. God loves us. He wants us to love him back. He wants us to be in a right relationship with him so that we can be together forever. It’s as simple as that.
So here we are, at the birth of Jesus Christ. (Oh and please note, this is where we divide time. Ever notice that? Jesus’s birth is where time was split from BC to AD.) Jesus fulfilled every prophecy written about him hundreds of years prior to his arrival. It boggles my mind that people still don’t believe with so much fulfilled prophesy. Jesus, a member of the Holy Trinity, loved us so much that he came to Earth, took on human form to be with us, to personally show us the exact way to be righteous and holy, to heal us, to comfort us, to feed us, to quench our thirst, and to willingly offer up his pure, blameless, sinless, righteous, holy body to hang on a cross during a brutal Roman crucifixion after being beaten to near death by the same Roman empire. He did this all so that we could be right with God. The shedding of his innocent blood was done for the atonement of the sins of the entire human race, if we believe in his name and accept his gift of mercy. That is the good news, we can be reconciled to God, through Jesus Christ. How do we know its true? Oh yeah, he fulfilled more prophecy, he rose from the dead on the 3rd day and walked the Earth again, showing himself to his disciples and many many other followers. During this time, he gave his disciples their mission: to follow him and tell everyone the good news. But wait, there is great news! Jesus will be returning to Earth once again, in full glory and he will be taking all of us that believe and trust in his name back to live with him, back to being righteous with God. Hallelujah!