The Gospel: The Good News of Jesus Christ

The Bad News: We Are Guilty Before God

God is perfectly holy, righteous, and just. He demands perfect obedience to His law, yet every one of us has sinned.

Have you ever lied, stolen, lusted, coveted, or used God’s name in vain? Even one sin makes us guilty before a holy God (James 2:10).

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23

God does not grade on a curve. Our good deeds cannot erase our sins. No amount of religion, prayer, or personal effort can make us righteous before Him (Romans 3:20).

Because God is just, sin must be punished. Left to ourselves, we stand condemned, deserving His eternal judgment (Romans 6:23).

So how can guilty sinners be made right with a holy God?

The Good News: Jesus Christ Saves Sinners

God, in His great mercy and love, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, to save sinners.

Jesus lived the perfect, sinless life we could never live. He willingly died on the cross as a substitute for sinners, bearing God’s wrath and paying the penalty for their sins. On the third day, He rose bodily from the grave, conquering sin and death.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21

This is the great exchange: Christ takes the guilt of His people, and His perfect righteousness is credited to them.

We cannot earn this salvation. It is God’s gift of grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ alone—not by our good works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Your Response: Repent and Believe

Jesus commands us:

“Repent and believe in the gospel.” — Mark 1:15

Repentance means turning from sin to God. Faith means trusting entirely in Jesus Christ—His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection—as your only hope of salvation.

You cannot save yourself. Your church attendance, good intentions, and religious works cannot make you right with God.

Christ alone saves.

Those who belong to Christ are forgiven, declared righteous before God, and given new life. We do not obey God to earn salvation; we obey because He has saved us (Ephesians 2:10).

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” — Acts 16:31

Do not trust in your own goodness. Turn to Christ and trust in Him alone.

The bad news is that we are sinners deserving judgment. The good news is that Jesus Christ came to save sinners.

To God alone be the glory.