God has come to save sinners

The gospel is God's plan to save the world. And because it is God we are talking about, it’s not just a potentiality, it is actually what He is doing. God is saving this sinful, broken and dark world. To be more specific: God is saving a people for Himself out of sinful humanity, out from all the nations, by the work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through His life, death, burial and resurrection.

In the Bible we read of “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession” (Titus 2:13-14).

The first thing we must notice is that we are sinners. Jesus didn’t come to save “perfect” people or “good” people. He came for the lost, the broken, the lawless, the impure. Sin is part of our nature as fallen people. And in our sin we have fallen short of living for God’s glory, the way He designed us to live. We sin against God and against one another. Our sin has broken our lives, our world, and most importantly our relationship with the God who made us. And in that state of sin we are all lost and under God’s just condemnation.

This is why the gospel comes to us as such good news. God has come to save sinners. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from sin and to make us His own people. That “giving of Himself” describes Jesus coming to earth from heaven, living the perfect life that we as sinners failed to live, and giving Himself as the sacrifice for sinners on the cross.

Salvation comes through the cross of Christ

The cross of Jesus Christ is at the centre of it all. On the cross Jesus took the weight of our sin on His shoulders. And through this great work of substitution, He brings forgiveness and eternal life for all who repent and believe in Him. This is good news for sinners – and it brings great glory to God!

As you can see, God has made a way where there was no way, for us to be reconciled to Him. And it is all through Jesus Christ.

The Bible says,

But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Jesus paid for the sins of all His people, that is, for all who would trust in Him for salvation. His death accomplished their redemption and forgiveness. And because God has come to save such a great multitude of people from every tribe and nation, it is fitting for Him to be called “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

As truly one day, the earth will be filled
    with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)

Salvation comes through the Resurrected Lord of Life

The world will be filled with glory because Jesus, the Son of God, didn’t stay dead and buried in the tomb, but on the third day He rose from the dead. He defeated death and all evil and is the exalted Lord of History. As the Bible says,

“God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

Jesus is Lord – and He is our only Saviour

This is what the gospel accomplishes: the salvation of the world through the powerful work of Jesus Christ. One day He will return as the judge of all the earth. Then we will see this whole world put to right, and every enemy under His feet, including death itself. Until then, the church spreads this good news to the whole world.

We invite everyone to come to Jesus now, while salvation and peace with God is offered freely to all. There will be a day when that offer will no longer be extended, either at the day of your death, or the Day of Judgement. So, it is critical that we all believe in Jesus now, not later. Today is the day of salvation. As Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

That is the big picture of the gospel. It is the good news of what God has done and is doing to save sinners.