01. why the gospel is important

Why is the gospel important?

What is the gospel?

The gospel is the good news that God has provided the way for us to be restored in our relationship with Him and experience life with Him, now and forever in His eternal kingdom, through His Son, if we turn from sin to God and place our faith in Jesus.

Why the gospel is important

“The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history; it is the only essential message in all of history.”

Jerry Bridges

Why the gospel is important

“If there’s anything in life we should be passionate about, it’s the gospel. And I don’t mean passionate only about sharing it with others; I mean passionate in thinking about the gospel, reflecting upon it, rejoicing in it, allowing it to color the way we look at the world and all of life.”

C. J. Mahaney

Why the gospel is important

“… very small errors in a person’s understanding of the Gospel seemed to result in very big problems in that person's life.”

C. J. Mahaney

Why the gospel is important

“Early in my Christian life, I thought the Gospel was the message to win people to Christ, then, in disciple-making, one moved on to “deeper things.” What a fallacy! You never move beyond the Gospel. You go deeper and higher with the Gospel, but never beyond the Gospel.”

P.J. Miller

Why the gospel is important

But he replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.”

Luke 4:43

Why the gospel is important

… when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

…in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why the gospel is importantHe is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.

Luke 6: 48-49

Storm Clouds

Destruction

Why the gospel is important

But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel …

Galatians 2:14

Lighthouse Photo

Why the gospel is important

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ…

Romans 16:25

Woman Lifting Barbell

Why the gospel is important

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 1:6-7

Cash

Why the gospel is important

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 1:6-7

Living by Law - Legalism

Legalism is adding our own efforts and works to what Jesus did to either attain or maintain our justification before God and/or to earn or keep God’s favor by what we do.

Jesus + works = legalism

Why the gospel is importantMoreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

Romans 5:20-6:1

Antinomianism Means “against the law” and is the belief that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey. It is the unbiblical practice of living without regard to the righteousness of God, using God's grace as a license to sin, and trusting grace to cover our willful sin.

Jesus + grace = License to sin

Why the gospel is important

Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:2-4

Why the gospel is important

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to

salvation for everyone who believes…

Romans 1:16

Ashamed Photo

Power = Dunamis

Salvation = Rescue

Salvation

Justification – Beginning

Justification is God declaring those who receive Christ to be righteous, based on Christ’s righteousness being imputed to those who receive Christ through repentance and faith.

Salvation

Justification – Beginning

Jesus Photo

Salvation

Justification – Beginning

Sanctification – Middle

The process of being conformed more and more into the likeness of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

Jesus Carrying Cross Photo

Salvation

Justification – BeginningSanctification – Middle

Glorification – End

Glorification is the completion, the consummation, the perfection, the full realization of salvation.

Jesus Returns Graphic

Salvation

Justification – Beginning

Sanctification – Middle

Glorification – End

Why the gospel is important

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to

salvation for everyone who believes…

Romans 1:16

The End