THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We all sin. Every single one of us. I think the most difficult piece of the gospel is coming to terms with the fact that we are sinful people who sin against a Holy God. It is part of our human nature to feel like we are a basically good person and don't deserve the severe punishment that is required as payment for sin. The real problem is that we don't understand the severity of sin! God's ways are perfect and just whether we understand it or not. When someone wrongs us we want justice. When someone hurts a loved one, we want justice. When we sin we are committing a wrong against a Holy, Perfect, and Righteous God and that requires Justice. When we sin we are breaking God's perfect law. Laws that are designed for our ultimate good. Again, whether we view them as good or not. God sets the standard of good not us. We humans are constantly lowering the standard of good to fit our ever evolving sinful behavior. Bottom line is our heavenly Father knows what is best for us, these laws are in place out of His love and protection for us. There is a great penalty that is required to satisfy the sin debt-death....

Think that's harsh? That's how serious sin is! 

Romans 6:23

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Here is the Glorious piece of the Gospel. God in His GREAT Love for us, took the punishment for sin upon Himself, satisfying the sin debt in full! We don't have to earn our way to heaven-that's impossible to do. God's plan for salvation is He Himself coming to us in human form, and going to the Cross to die in our place, rising up again in His physical body on the third day. It is by our faith alone in Jesus Christ that we are declared not guilty of our sin. Justice will be served for our sin, either by faith in Jesus Christ or if we reject Christ, justice will be paid by us in eternal separation from God. Jesus endured the torment of the Cross so that we would not suffer the torment of eternal separation from Him.

John 3:16

For God so LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

At the cross we see two things:

1) How serious sin is that it needed to be paid for by death

2) How great God's Love for us that He Himself came to die in our place! 

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own Love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.