Will the Real Gospel Please Stand Up – What Is It – Is it the Basics – The Introduction – Neither One – Jesus Is the Gospel – The Gospel Is Good News – Really GOOD News –

If one were randomly to ask people in this country, the United States of America, the question, What is the gospel, very few would say they had never heard of it. Some would say they weren’t sure but it had something to do with Christianity. Some more familiar with the church might say it’s about Jesus dying on a cross and rising from the dead. Some might articulate the precepts of the gospel more fully expressing its link to salvation of mankind. Few would describe the gospel as the foundation and lifeblood of the church. I have learned afresh about the gospel. It is the milk and the meat. It is extremely good news to all that hear it rightly told.

Jesus saves. His life, death, and resurrection together describe the performance of his redemptive work. It is finished. Jesus spoke those words from the cross. Okay, so it’s finished. What is finished? What was accomplished by our Lord’s suffering and His crucifixion?

Jesus conquered death, the devil and all the devil’s realm, sickness, poverty, and the curse of sin on the universe. We have been forgiven, healed, enriched, and empowered. Believers are new creatures. Sin has been abolished, destroyed, removed, done away with, and any other final words describing the end of sin’s reign over us may be spoken appropriately here. Why then is there disease, poverty, and all manner of sorrow and pain, even in the lives of us believers? Condemnation still at work in our hearts distracts us and blocks our understanding and our realization of our completed salvation.

Sin, ugly as it may be, cannot separate us from God. Only unbelief hides this freely-given gift of God in all its glory from us. Life, health, and prosperity belong to us by virtue of Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross. It should be obvious that if one does not believe he is forgiven, condemnation remains active. Condemnation kills. Believe you are forgiven because Jesus died for you, and you are. This same concept includes realization of health and prosperity. We do not so easily believe all there is in these truths, but do not give up, believer. The more we trust, the more we believe; the more we believe, the more we receive. And someday we will have it all. Let God be true and every man a liar.

There is no more condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. The riches of Christ are more fully realized in our lives as we grow in grace and trust in His unfailing love. It’s simple. Don’t complicate it with formulas or rituals. Just believe in Jesus. Trust His unfailing love.

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Emphasis mine…

Romans 3:3-4 – The Bible (KJV) –  For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

John 5:24 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

1 Peter 2:24 –  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Isaiah 53:3-6 – He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Matthew 9:35 – And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Matthew 21:21 – Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

John 14:12-14 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Romans 1:15-17 –  So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Corinthians 3:1 – And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.