The Truth of the Gospel: How can I know Jesus?

This is definitely bad news. But it gets worse! We cannot atone for our sin and thus be accepted by God by doing good works. It does not matter how many of these good deeds we do. They simply will not get rid of our guilt before a holy God. Some of the good things that people do that make them mistakenly think they will be accepted by God include…

• Going to church
• Being an all around “good” person
• Helping the poor and giving to charity

Our guilt because of our sin will result in our everlasting death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).

GOOD NEWS!
Now for the good news! Yes, the wages of sin is death, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). Since we cannot work our way up to God due to sin, He corrected that problem by deciding to come down to us! He did this by coming down to earth as a man, Jesus the Messiah (Philippians 2:6-11). The reason that Jesus came to earth was to die in our place for our sins. Romans 5:8 tells us, “God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He took upon Himself the death that we deserve by dying a horrible death on a cross. He died on that cross in our place.

There’s even more good news!! Jesus did not stay dead. Three days later He rose again from the dead in great victory. Jesus conquered sin and death!

So what does this all mean?

Forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Jesus is a gift, a gift all of us need to receive if we are to have eternal life and not perish under the wrath of God. This gift is received by faith in Christ. You need to trust exclusively in Jesus for forgiveness and everlasting life and thus be rescued from the wrath of God. Ephesians 2:8, 9 says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one should boast.”

How do I receive this gift?

Receive the gift of salvation by turning away from your sin and trusting in Jesus for forgiveness of your sins and for righteousness before God. If you trust in Jesus, believing that He died on the cross for sin and rose from the dead, you will be saved. There is nothing you need to do other than believe the good news of the Gospel. No prayer you say, no aisle you walk, no hand you raise, not even baptism, can save you. You can receive God’s mercy only by trusting in Christ, believing that because of what Jesus has done, God will receive you as His child, free of sin and guilt, fully righteous in His sight.

Now what?

If you sincerely trust in Jesus and have believed the Gospel, you are a Christian. New Christians should express their new faith by praying and thanking God for forgiving them and making them His children. Then, the Bible calls all Christians to be baptized as a testimony of their faith and as a sign of union with Jesus through faith (Matthew 28:19). The Christian life is then lived by a continual trust in Jesus to provide all you need to live in a way that is pleasing to Him. Growing in your faith is accomplished by several means: 

• Begin by studying the Bible, God’s Word. We recommend that you start with the Gospel of John (the 4th book in the New Testament).
• Pray. Spend time each day talking with God through prayer.
• Become part of a local church that faithfully preaches the Gospel, like Desert Hills.
• Tell other people the good news about Jesus and the salvation He has provided for sinners who trust in Him.

Why should I believe in the authenticity of Jesus and His claims?

1. Prophecy – Jesus fulfilled documented prophecies that were recorded centuries before His earthly ministry, including his place of birth and the type of death He would experience.
2. The Empty Tomb – Had someone been able to produce a dead body of Jesus it would have been “Exhibit A” that He had not risen. However, the fact that His grave was empty after being heavily guarded by Roman soldiers and sealed with a huge boulder demonstrated that He is God. He rose on the 3rd day, just like He said He would.
3. Eyewitness Accounts – After the resurrection Jesus appeared to at least 500 people. He not only appeared to them but He also physically ate and conversed with them.
4. Miracles – the recording of Jesus’ miracles in the Bible confirms that He was God. What kind of a person has complete power and authority over sickness, death, nature, and spiritual forces? God!
5. Transformed Lives – The disciples who had witnessed the execution of their leader went into hiding fearing for their lives. But then something happened that so transformed them that they were willing to risk everything to spread the news that He was risen. What would cause such a paradigm shift? Seeing the Resurrected Jesus! Think about it, the disciples believed that the Message was worth dying for (and they faced horrible deaths) and now, 2000 years later, people’s lives are still being transformed by the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
6. He claimed to be God – Unlike other religious and spiritual leaders, Jesus did in fact claim to be God, the Messiah. Furthermore, he also had the supernatural miracles and powers to back up that claim. Read John chapter 14, verses 7-10, John chapter 10, verse 30, and John chapter 8, verses 54-59.
7. A Living Lord – Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. We can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ today by seeking His forgiveness of our sins and by placing our trust in Him to rescue us from our wrongs that separate us from God.