The Good News       - The Gospel

The Good News, joyfully proclaimed in the New Testament, concerns the revelation of the love and grace of God by Jesus Christ. It centres on his preaching and sacrifice and explains what is made possible for human beings through that sacrifice. It brings into sharp focus the promises made by God and recorded in the Old Testament. (Ephesians 3:1-6; Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 22:15-18; Galatians 3:29)

 Briefly, some of the features of the gospel (the Good News) are:

• There is a Creator, God, who from His love, wants men and women to use the capacities He gave them to form a spiritual relationship with Him, through Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Peter 2:5; John 4:23-24; 2 Peter 3:9)

·        Through his work, sinless life and sacrificial death on the cross God’s Son, Jesus Christ, made it possible for men and women to be reconciled with the living and holy God. God separated himself from man because of man's sins. We can have our sins forgiven and be offered the hope of eternal life because of redemption in Jesus' shed blood, which is made possible through belief in Jesus and his sacrifice. ( Matthew 26:26-28;  John 3:16;  Ephesians 1:6-7; 4:32; Colossians 1:19-20; 1 Timothy 2:5-6 )

• Through Jesus Christ we can approach God as our Father and relate to Him, personally, in prayer.( Matthew 6:9-13; Philippians 4:6-7 )

• Belief in the gospel develops in us a frame of mind, which views world events against a background of divine purpose. We recognise that God is in control and that world affairs are moving to a climax. Further, believing that there is purpose in the world and that God cares for His children, it is possible for us to have an inner peace even though world events seem to be in turmoil and our own daily life experiences are difficult and troubling.( Acts 17:30-31; Matthew 11:28-30; John 14:27 )

• At a time in the future, a time in God’s will, the kingdom of God is to be established on the earth with Jesus Christ as King.   (Luke 1:30-33; Matthew 24:32-44; Acts 1:6-11; Ephesians 1:20-23; Revelation 1:4-6).

• When Jesus Christ returns to earth to establish God’s kingdom the righteous will be rewarded with eternal life. At his return the dead will be resurrected so that both the living and those who have died may be rewarded at the same time. (Matthew16: 26-27; Romans 14:12; Revelation 3:20-22; 1 Corinthians 15:12-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

• All men and women have an equal opportunity to be included in the blessings through Jesus Christ. (1Corinthians 12:12-14; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 4: 4-6)

• For our part, we are asked to believe in God, in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice, to accept the teaching of the Bible, to be baptised into the saving Name of Jesus Christ and, with God’s help, try earnestly to live as God wishes us to do. (Acts 8:34-36; Galatians 3:25-29; Romans 6:1-14)

• Fulfilled Bible prophecies show to the world at large that God exists and that He is in control of world events. Many prophecies have already been fulfilled and others are yet to be so. From history we can identify the former and we can be alert to recognise the latter as we confidently await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Daniel 2:25-47;Jeremiah 16:14-16; Luke 21:5-37; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)

We are re-assured in the gospel that moral living is both satisfying in itself and bears promise beyond the present. God offers us the opportunity to have the best and most fulfilling of lives now and to have the hope of eternal life in God’s kingdom.