What is the Gospel?

The Gospel is the glorious Good News that God is redeeming the whole world through Jesus Christ and that He calls everyone everywhere to repent from sin and trust Jesus Christ for salvation.

Why do I need the Gospel?

To answer this question, we must first understand a few important details...

Who God is

Who I am

Who Jesus is

Why all that matters

God is the holy, just, and gracious Creator of all things.

(Isaiah 43:15; Zephaniah 3:5; Titus 2:11). Because He is holy, He will not be in the presence of sin.

Who am I?

We were created by God, but corrupted by sin. Since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we as humans have been rebelling against God. We seek to do what is right in our own eyes instead of seeking the Lord and obeying His commands. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3:6; Romans 3:10-12). Because of our sin, we are separated from holy God.

Who is Jesus?

Jesus Christ alone is able to remove our sin and restore us to God. He is the perfect, sinless Son of God who took the wrath of God on Himself so that we could be saved. (John 14:6; Hebrews 2:14-18; 1 Peter 3:18) Only a perfect sacrifice can atone for sin.


It Matters!

We can be restored to God! That is huge! God made a way for us to be restored to Himself through the blood of Jesus and we can be restored to Him only through faith in Jesus Christ. (Mark 1:14-15; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 John 1:9)

What must I do to be saved?

In Mark 1:15 Jesus gives us the clear message of salvation, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Repentance and faith are requirments of salvation; if you believe that Jesus is the Lord who saves (faith), you have a changed mind about your sin and yourself (repentance.); and repentance reveals a heart that trusts in Jesus as the Lord who saves.

Repent:

Repentance is turning from your sin and turning to Jesus understanding that He is the only One who can save you from your sin and the wrath of God which is upon every unbeliever. (Romans 1:18).

Believe:

To believe means to be committed to; to rely upon. So to be saved, you must repent of your sin and believe that Jesus is the only way to be saved from your sin. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The only way to be able to have a relationship with God is through His Son, Jesus.

The apostle Peter declared concerning Jesus, “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Paul and Silas gave the Philippian jailer this answer when he asked how he could be saved: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Believe.

But believe is not just to agree that Jesus is Lord. It is to live your life as a reflection of that belief.

Cast your cares upon Him. Trust in His death for the removal of your sins and His resurrection which has the power to replace them with the perfect righteousness of Christ. Then live a life of faith based on that belief.

I'M SAVED.

NOW WHAT?

Once you trust Jesus Christ to rescue you, your life with him is just beginning. You've only reached the ending of the first chapter, and there's so much more story to be told. As you live your new life with Jesus, you'll want to get to know Him better, to know more about Him and to know Him more personally. Below are some suggestions for how to continue discovering the story Jesus is telling in your life. 

His Book is about HIM

The Bible is the story of God's love and faithfulness to His people. It provides encouragement, instruction, warning, and correction that will help you make sense of your life. As you read it, ask God to show you something you can apply to your life. If you're not sure where to begin, start with the Gospel of John in the New Testament.

Body of Believers Who Point You to Christ

Getting connected with others who have trusted in Jesus is essential. A healthy church is a community of Christians gathering regularly to worship God as His family. Every believer should be a part of a healthy church in order to grow in the Word and in their walk with Christ. Each member of the family plays a vital role: similar to the human body, each part helps the whole body function properly. The Church is the Body of Christ. Within a church, you can also develop deep friendships with others who will encourage your faith and for whom you can do the same. We’d love for you to join our church here at Southside where you can get plugged in and grow together with other believers. If you want to learn more about joining Southside Baptist Church, please contact Pastor Jason for information on our Membership Matters Class.

Communicate with God

Talking with God through prayer is another way you will get to know Him. He is always ready to listen and spend time with you, so you can always speak with Him.

Testimony & Baptism

Share this news with everyone! Let them hear the amazing story of God's love and rescue and how it's changed your life. One of the first opportunities you may have to do this is by taking a first step of obedience to Jesus by being baptized. Here you can share your testimony of how God brought you from death to life, from lost to found!

Find Someone to Help You on Your Journey

One integral part of growing in Christ is learning HOW to follow. Many are told to read their Bible and pray not knowing HOW to do that or how to follow Christ. We are not meant to walk alone. Just as newborn infants cannot immediately walk on their own, new Christians should not try to go at the Christian walk alone. The goal of the Church is to encourage one another, serve one another, teach one another, etc and one main element in that is to disciple one another. As a new believer (or even a seasoned one), having someone walk beside you is key! Begin praying to the Lord about an individual who can come alongside you to help guide you in your walk with Christ. Commit yourself to meeting with that person to study, pray, and discuss your walk with the Lord.

The Word of God is Truth

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