‘THE GOOD NEWS‘

Question: Why is Jesus Christ the greatest gift ever given to mankind?

Answer:    Because the cross is the greatest demonstration of God’s love towards mankind!

 Old Covenant Gospel:

 The Church traditionally has preached a gospel of bad news not good news. We’ve made the message condemning by preaching an Old Covenant application that highlights man’s sin and God’s judgment to follow unless man repents!

 Then and only then can man receive Christ and experience His forgiveness.

 We’ve painted a picture of an angry God wielding the stick of judgement towards naughty boys and girls!

 We’ve made the gospel conditional: You can only have the gift of Christ if you do this, this and this.

 Instead of attracting people towards God, such preaching has made the gospel repellent, turning many away from God!

 How can this be ‘GOOD NEWS!’

NO! — A free gift is a free gift without strings attached! All a person needs do is receive it with gratitude and thankfulness.

 New Covenant Gospel:

 This gospel proclaims that God (motivated by love) took the initiative to save mankind even though we had already turned our backs on Him.

 Rom 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NKJV)

 God first dealt with sin by judging and punishing it in His Son on the cross. He then removed sin completely from His sight, buried it in the deepest ocean, and forgot about it! (Mic 7:19,Heb 10:17)

 2 Cor 5:19  God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation. (CEB)

 God no longer counts man’s sins against him! And our role as ambassador’s for God is to now proclaim:

 God has not come to condemn or make you feel guilty about your sin, mistakes, failures or addictions! He’s not come to point the accusing finger at you!

 He’s come to tell you that all your sin, weaknesses and failures have been punished

in His Son Jesus Christ, and He offers to you the free gift of salvation.

All that remains is for us to receive Christ into our life with thankfulness for His sacrifice!

 This my friends IS ‘GOOD NEWS’

 The gospel continues to be the Good News from the day of our salvation until Christ returns or we depart this earth. That is, we must continue to receive God’s forgiveness in the same way we received it at salvation!

 Col 2:6,7As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (NKJV)

 Thus, when we sin, we no longer have to:

Confess our sin, ask God for forgiveness, show God evidence that we are mourning over our sin etc.

 All we need do is receive His forgiveness and praise and thank Him for it!

 Christ has removed the burden of sin completely so we can live an everyday life of peace, joy and rest!

 What a great God we serve!

Meditation Point: There is no judgement in the gospel of Christ. If i will receive Christ into my life, there is only forgiveness and acceptance from a loving God!