The Gospel

We Have All Sinned

Sin is not just doing bad things — it is rejecting God’s rule and living for ourselves. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Every lie, every selfish act, every impure thought is evidence that we are not righteous. Even our good deeds cannot cancel our guilt (Isaiah 64:6). God’s standard is perfect holiness (Leviticus 19:2).

The Penalty of Sin Is Death

Because God is just, sin must be punished. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) — not just physical death, but eternal separation from God.

God cannot simply overlook sin. A judge who lets criminals go free is not good — he’s corrupt. God must punish sin to remain just (Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:3).

Good Deeds Cannot Save Us

Imagine standing before a judge for a serious crime and saying, “But I’ve done a lot of good things.” The judge might acknowledge your charity — but justice still requires a penalty for the crime.

The same is true with God. Our good deeds cannot cancel our guilt. “By the works of the law no one will be justified” (Romans 3:20).

We Need a Substitute

If we can’t pay the debt of our sin, someone else must — someone without sin of their own. But every human being is guilty. So who could take our place?

Only someone perfectly righteous. Only someone who has no sin and no penalty of His own to bear. Only God Himself can meet His own standard.

Jesus: God Becomes Our Substitute

Jesus is God in the flesh (John 1:14) — fully God and fully man, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He lived the perfect life we couldn’t, and then He died in our place.

“He was pierced for our transgressions… and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5–6). “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

At the cross, God satisfied His justice by punishing sin in Jesus, so He could show us mercy without compromising His holiness (Romans 3:25–26).

He Rose Again and Offers New Life

Three days after His death, Jesus rose from the grave — proving He had conquered sin, death, and hell (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

He now offers forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life to everyone who believes (John 3:16).

How Do We Receive It?

Salvation is not achieved — it is received. “By grace you have been saved through faith… not by works” (Ephesians 2:8–9).

To receive the gospel, we must repent — turning from sin — and believe in Jesus Christ as our only Savior (Mark 1:15; Acts 16:31).

But what is sin at its core? It's not just breaking rules — it’s rejecting Jesus. It’s saying, “I don’t need You.” That’s why unbelief is the one sin that cannot be forgiven (John 3:18; Hebrews 2:3). If you reject the only One who can pay your debt, there is no other hope.

When we accept this gospel, everything changes. We don’t just receive forgiveness — we are loved, adopted, and made new (Romans 5:5; Galatians 4:4–7).

His love changes our hearts. The more we know His love, the more we want to turn from sin — not to earn His love, but because we already have it. Grace empowers us to say no to sin (Titus 2:11–12).

So don’t focus on your performance — focus on Him. Keep your eyes on the cross. Live every day knowing there is a God who loved you so much, He gave His only Son to rescue you, forgive you, and call you His child.