Thread by @ThomasCoutouzis

The gospel is not Jesus loves you.

Gospel is εὐαγγέλιον (euaggelion). It was used in secular literature in a military context, primarily as the news of a military victory.

The ancient historian Diodorus Siculus used the word as an announcement of victory & the reward of the...

2/...of the messenger who brought the news. The victorious nation would celebrate upon the messenger's arrival and proclamation. This is translated as "good tidings" in Scripture, denoting the good news of Salvation which was brought to the world and preached by Jesus Christ.

So, what are these good tidings or news?

We have to understand the bad news first to appreciate the good news.

Since the Fall in the garden, man has inherited the sin nature of Adam. We have rebelled against God and only seek to serve ourselves. Scripture says that...

4/...there is no one who does good and no one who seeks after God (Romans 3:10-12). Sin not only infected man separating him from God (because He is holy), but it brought physical death and spiritual death (suffering in Hell for eternity).

5/ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23).

We all deserve to die because we have all transgressed against God. One sin is enough to send a man to Hell for eternity. The only way to heaven is perfection.

6/ So, if there is no one who does good as Scripture states before an all holy perfect God then we are all doomed because there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves to be perfect. This is where the good news comes in.

Christ being in nature both fully God and fully man...

7/...was without sin. He lived a perfect life because He was God incarnate. Sin did not appeal to Him because He did not have a corrupt sin nature like us.

God's requirement to atone for our transgressions was a blood sacrifice. The sacrifice had to be flawless because...

8/...it would in fact be taking the place of the sinner. Christ was that sacrifice. In fact, Scripture records that Christ went willingly to the cross. Why was this necessary?

Because only God could pay the price to save man from their sin because only He was holy.

9/ On the cross Christ endured the wrath of God because only He was able to endure it. So, God in fact absorbed the offenses of man against Him.

Now, this did not save all man as the as the universalist espouses. Scripture makes it clear that in order to be saved...

10/...a sinner must believe in Christ (His life, death, burial, and resurrection) and repent of their sin. Repent meaning "to turn away from". A person who is redeemed will be have the righteousness of Christ imputed to them so that when they one day stand before God...

11/... they will be allowed into heaven because of Christ's righteousness. The price of admission to heaven is perfection. Only Christ met that requirement.

Make no mistake, either Christ paid for your sin past, present, and future, or you will in Hell for eternity.

12/ This is why the word gospel in Greek (euaggelion) means "good tidings" or "good news". Christ was the good news & taught how one could be saved and spend eternity with Him enjoying Him forever.

He did warn in Matthew 7:13 that the gate to destruction is broad & many enter it

*Romans 6:23