What is the Gospel?

Notes: Episode 1

What is the Gospel?

I.                   Authority on the Subject

a.      Opinion does not matter on the subject of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is what it is regardless of what men believe. What you like is irrelevant.

b.      Truth is not determined by a majority vote: Believing or not believing does not affect reality.

c.       The ONLY authority on what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is, and consists of, is the Holy Bible.

II.                The Person of God

a.      Without a correct view of the person of God you cannot understand the Gospel correctly, and are more likely to reject it because it wouldn’t make sense.

b.      God is:

                                                            a.      Creator (Gen. 1:1; Isaiah 40:12, 28; 45:18) In-dependent (Heb. 1:1-2; 3:4)—Some of the greatest scientific minds in history point to the order and intelligent design of the universe bearing witness to an all-powerful Creator.

1.       Isaac Newton said, "This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being."

2.      Albert Einstein said, "Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe--a spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which our modest powers must feel humble."

3.      Because He created all things by His power alone He is Lord over all things. He needs nothing from the created universe and is not dependent on man at all. Cf. (Acts 17:24-25)

                                                            b.      Lord (Colossians 1:15-17) All things inevitably find their beginning and end in God Almighty in one way or another.

                                                             c.      God and Saviour (Isaiah 43:10-13)

                                                            d.      King (Isaiah 33:22) The only way to escape God’s authority is to escape His jurisdiction as King, Creator, Lord, God, and Saviour: which is an impossibility. As King David himself stated (Psalm 139:7-10)       

1.       It is important for you to understand these truths about God, because now you can understand another:

                                                            e.      He is the only true Lawgiver, and therefore the Judge of all men (Isaiah 33:22)

III.             So what is God’s Law?

a.      God is the King over all creation, and we are told that He is our Lawgiver: So what is it that God has commanded us?

b.      When God revealed Himself to the children of Israel in a special way He delivered them from slavery in Egypt and led them through the desert to Mount Sinai. There He descended from heaven and showed the terribleness of His presence. He made a covenant, which is an agreement, with them that if they would obey His commandments He would be there God and they would be His “peculiar people.”

c.       They consented, and He gave them His Laws:

                                                            a.      First, His moral law: to govern their daily lives.

                                                            b.      Second, His ceremonial law: to govern their worship and service.

                                                             c.      Third, His civil law: to govern their nation.

d.      The Moral Law was the main part of the Law. It is given to us in Exodus 20:1-17:

                                                            a.      You will have no gods but the one true God of Heaven.

                                                            b.      You will not make any idols to worship or serve them.

                                                             c.      You will not take the name of God in vain.

                                                            d.      Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

                                                            e.      Honor your father and mother.

                                                              f.      You will not kill.

                                                            g.      You will not commit adultery.

                                                            h.      You will not steal.

                                                              i.      You will not lie.

                                                              j.      You will not covet, or desire, what belongs to another person.

e.      This is the Law of God. (Psa. 19:7-8)

IV.              New Testament explanation of the Law

a.      Some people will then say, “Is that all? I’ve never lied, stolen, or committed adultery.”

b.      There is one thing that you must understand: The Lord judges by your heart. Scripture says, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

c.       In the New Testament we are taught more clearly about God’s Law:

                                                            a.      We are told you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. If you haven’t always obeyed this commandment then you’ve  broken the first commandment.

                                                            b.      You may not have made an idol with your hands, but if you have ever said, “Well, my god let’s everyone go to heaven.” You’ve distorted the image of the one-true God and have made an idol in your mind. You’re guilty of making a god to suit yourself: that’s idolatry and you’ve broken the second commandment.

                                                             c.      Have you ever hated someone? First John 3:15 equates hatred with murder, and you’ve broken the sixth commandment.

                                                            d.      Jesus said, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Mat. 5:28) If you’ve ever lusted after someone even in your heart then God sees you as an adulterer. You’ve broken the seventh commandment.

                                                            e.      That’s only 4 of the 10 commandments of God’s moral Law. We’ve not even considered lying, stealing, or coveting another person’s possessions.

                                                              f.      We are told, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

                                                            g.      The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah, “Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.”

                                                            h.      They that truly worship God worship Him in Spirit and in truth. They worship God sincerely from the heart.

                                                              i.      If you have broken one of God’s commandments then you are guilty in His sight of breaking the Law.

V.                 The Purpose of the Law

a.      The Law was not just given to the Israelites:

                                                            a.      Romans 3:29 says, “Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles [non-Jews]? Yes, of the Gentiles also...”

                                                            b.      Romans 3:19 says, “Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

b.      You must understand the Purpose of the Law as it was given at Mt. Sinai.

                                                            a.      Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

                                                            b.      Romans 7:7-8 says, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.”

                                                             c.      God wanted to show mankind His standards of righteousness more clearly: to show man what sin was, because we are told, “Sin is transgression of the Law.” (1 Jn. 3:4)

                                                            d.      The Law was given by God to show you that you have sinned against Him. You’ve broken His law, and are guilty in His sight. You are condemned.

c.       Forgiveness?

                                                            a.      Most people think that they can just ask God to forgive them, and that He will forgive them just because they asked: that’s not the case with God.

                                                            b.      God is a judge (Isa. 33:22). A just judge cannot just let criminals go without punishment. There must be justice in a court of law.

                                                             c.      The Lord said in Proverbs 17:15 that “He that justifieth the wicked…[is an] abomination to the LORD.”

                                                            d.      You are a criminal in the court of God; and a rebel in His kingdom. In God’s kingdom there is always justice.

                                                            e.      “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23

                                                              f.      “The soul that sinneth, it shall die…” Ezekiel 18:20

                                                            g.      “And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?...But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:” (Romans 2:3,5-6)

                                                            h.      “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators [sex outside of marriage], nor idolaters [serving anything above the true God], nor adulterers [including those that lust in their heart], nor effeminate [transgenders/transvestites], nor abusers of themselves with mankind [homosexuals], Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

                                                              i.      “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

d.      Sin is always Willful

                                                            a.      A sinner is someone who sins against God. Sin is always a willful violation of the Law of God.

                                                            b.      We are told in Romans 1:18-20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

1.       The Lord says that His creation bears witness and tells you that there is a God in heaven, and if there is a God He rules over the affairs of the universe and He has standards to which you are absolutely accountable.

                                                             c.      Furthermore, in Romans 2:14-16, “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

1.       God has written His moral law on your heart. You know that it’s not okay to lie, steal, and commit adultery, and all things. You may have seared your conscience by your continual ignoring of its conviction but nevertheless it bears witness to the fact that you haven’t even be obedient to your own standards of righteousness.

e.      Since the wages of sin is death, and the soul that sinneth shall die: what can you do for yourself?

                                                            a.      If you begin to obey God from this day forward, nevertheless your past sins haven’t been punished and wait for you. You haven’t been reconciled to God to begin obeying Him.

                                                            b.      Think of it like this: A business man falls on hard times and begins to run up a line of credit at a certain store. He charges up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to this store trying to work his way out. If he comes to himself one day and begins to pay for things as he purchases them: he still has a massive debt to pay off.

                                                             c.      You have sinned against God for years, and the penalty of sinning against God even once is death! What can you do for yourself? Besides, obeying now cannot take away your past transgression. It is only by the shedding of blood that there can be remission of sin: death.

VI.              The Sum of it all

a.      So by God’s Word we see that God is the sole authority in the universe, He has given a law for all the world to obey, you have broken it and are guilty in His sight, you are without excuse because all creation bears witness to the existence of God, your own conscience bears witness to the fact that you haven’t always obeyed God’s moral law and you are guilty and condemned before God, and the only thing left for you in the sight of God is judgment and condemnation…AND NOW: you are ready for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

VII.           The word “Gospel”

a.      Everything that I’ve told you so far from the scriptures has been necessary so that you can understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

b.      Only the sick will seek for a physician, and only a sinner awakened to the true state of his soul before a righteous and holy God will look for salvation.

c.       The gospel is “good news” or “glad tidings”, that’s literally what the word means.

d.      The gospel tells an awakened sinner of how he can be reconciled to God and so it is certainly “good news.”

VIII.        God’s Character

a.      You see, God in His infinite wisdom, has made a way that He can be a just judge, punish the sins of mankind, and forgive sin without compromising his holiness, justice, and righteousness while showing mercy, grace, and reconciling you to Himself without you being sentenced to death and eternal Hell.

b.      “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” (Jer. 9:24)

c.       “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” (Micah 7:18)

d.      The Lord wants to forgive men and reveal Himself to them more than they want to be reconciled to Him.

IX.              Sacrifice

a.      Remember that I told you that God’s Law had three parts: the moral law, the civil law, and the ceremonial law. The ceremonial law was full of instructions for the priests’ robes, how to build the tabernacle, the altars, and yes: sacrifices for sin.

b.      When a man sinned against God in breaking the law he was instructed to bring an offering for sin. The sacrifice for the whole nation of Israel during the feast of Passover was a young lamb without blemish, at other times a man would bring a young bullock.

c.       The transgressor would bring the animal to the door of the tabernacle, or temple, and lay his hands on it and confess his sin to God. The Lord would then accept the animal as a substitute for the man. The animal would be killed on the altar in place of the transgressor. In this manner, a man could be reconciled to God.

d.      There was a problem though: the sacrifice could not change the man’s heart. The Law was weak through man’s proneness to sin. Men are conditioned to seek self-gratification through self-will against the commandments of God.

e.      But the entirety of the ceremonial law was a giant picture of a deeper truth: God was going to make a sacrifice for man’s sins Himself. All the sacrifices and ceremonies were earthly pictures of a heavenly reality so that when it was done man would recognize it.

f.        Hebrews 10 says, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

g.      What is the Gospel? It is the fact that God has made a sacrifice for man’s sins so that if they would confess their sins and put their trust in His sacrifice He would look on it and their sins would be forgiven. 

h.      God needed a sacrifice so effective, so powerful, an so complete that it would not only be effective to cleanse all that would look to it of their confessed sins but that it would also make a way to change the hearts of men to seek after God and do His will. So that men would be reconciled to God, and be brought to agreement with God from the heart. So God in His infinite wisdom and mercy sacrificed…Himself.

i.        John 1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

j.        Men needed to be saved, their sins needed to be paid for: so God became a man in the person of His Son Jesus of Nazareth.

X.                 Foretold

a.      The Lord told us through His prophets over centuries specific details of what would happen so that when the Saviour of mankind came we would know it:

                                                            a.      He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)

                                                            b.      He would be God in the flesh (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6)

                                                             c.      He would be born in the town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

                                                            d.      He would heal many (Isaiah 53:4)

                                                            e.      He would be rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:9; Psa. 69:8)

                                                              f.      He would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, and colt. (Zech. 9:9)

                                                            g.      His miracles would not be believed (Isa. 53:1)

                                                            h.      He would be betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver (Psa. 41:9; 55:12-14)

                                                              i.      He would be forsaken by his followers (Zech. 13:7)

                                                              j.      He would be scourged and spat upon (Isa. 50:6)

                                                            k.      The 30 pieces of silver he would be betrayed for would be used to buy a potter’s field (Zech. 11:12-13; Jer. 18:1-4; 19:1-4)

                                                              l.      He would be numbered with transgressors in his death (Isa. 53:12)

                                                         m.      He would be given vinegar to drink (Psa. 69:1)

                                                            n.      His enemies would pierce His hands and feet (Psa. 22:16; Zech. 12:10)

                                                            o.      His garments would be parted and gambled for (Psa. 22:18)

                                                            p.      He would be surrounded and ridiculed by his enemies (Psa. 22:7-8)

                                                            q.      No bones of his body would be broken (Psa. 34:20; Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12)

                                                             r.      His body would be buried with the rich (Isa. 53:9)

                                                             s.      He would be raised from the dead before his body began to decay (Psa. 16:10)

b.      Understand that some of these things were told a thousand years before they happened. His manner of death was described before it was invented.

c.       We are told to within the space of years when He would be killed.

d.      To this day, almost 2,000 years later: only one man has ever fulfilled these prophecies. It is Jesus of Nazareth.

XI.              The Gospel

a.      The “good news” is that Jesus Christ came to die in your place, as the scriptures say:

                                                            a.      “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 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. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:1-11)

                                                            b.      Luke wrote to Theophilus saying, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:” (Acts 1:1-3)

                                                             c.      Paul, who persecuted Christians terribly before he saw the Lord himself said, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

                                                            d.      Jesus Christ was seen by more than 500 men at once after his death and resurrection.

                                                            e.      The Bible records the testimonies of men who suffered terribly, were tortured and killed, and that they went to the ends of the earth to proclaim the fact that Jesus Christ died and was resurrected to reconcile men to God.

XII.           The Commandment

a.      So now that you’ve heard the gospel what must you do to be saved yourself:

                                                            a.      “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

                                                            b.      God has commanded you to Repent. That means, to turn from your sin to Jesus Christ.

                                                             c.      Whereas you lived for yourself before: live for Jesus Christ now. As much as you trusted yourself before, trust Jesus Christ now.

                                                            d.      I don’t like leading people in a “sinner’s prayer.” Just think of it like this: If your spouse cheated on you, and wanted to ask your forgiveness, would you want them to read a letter to you that someone else wrote? In like manner, God compares living in sin to spiritual adultery. Don’t just use someone else’s words. Be broken hearted for your sin, and humble yourself before God.

XIII.        What next?

a.      If you have been reconciled to God by turning from your sin and putting your faith in Jesus Christ, here’s some advice:

                                                            a.      Read, learn, study, and live by the Holy Bible. It is spiritual food to teach you ALL things that pertain to life and godliness. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that the Word of God is able to instruct you to live perfect before God. But only if you read it, and obey it through faith in Christ.

                                                            b.      Spend time DAILY in prayer. If you need help learning how to pray read Psalms chapter 51 and 27. Also, as you read the Bible you will see and learn how to pray. You NEED to spend time in prayer daily.

                                                             c.      Spending time alone with God in prayer and reading and studying the bible is the most important thing that you can do. You do not have “leisure time” from the Lord. If He is your Saviour and Lord: He is your life.

                                                            d.      As you read the Bible and do what it says God will change you; and because He will change you to be in agreement with Him on things people will grow to hate you at times. The world is in rebellion against God and His kingdom: if you serve Him they will persecute you also. Be faithful to the Lord even unto death. There is nothing in this world worth separating you from Jesus Christ, because at the end of your life you will give it all up anyways. The only thing you keep is your relationship with Him. Some will meet Him as enemies, and others as friends.

                                                            e.      Some people teach that you can turn from serving the Lord and still go to heaven: understand that that is a lie. Jesus Christ Himself tells us, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12) If you follow Him you will not walk in darkness and sin, the results being that you have the light of life that comes from continuing to walk by faith in Him. Again we are told, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1 John 3:10) If you are a child of God you are walking in righteousness. Yes, you’ll grow as you learn; but there will be a radical change in your life. Jesus will become the central focus of your existence. Do not turn back to sin. If you forsake Him He will forsake you; but if you continue in Him: He will never leave you nor forsake you. If you fall into sin and come to yourself: Repent of it, examine how you fell, and give yourself again to Jesus Christ. He is able to keep you from falling.