The good news of Jesus Christ

God is holy, and He made us for Himself

Before there was a world, there was God. He is the living God who created the heavens and the earth, and who made human beings in His own image — to know Him, to love Him, and to walk with Him. He is holy: set apart, pure, and utterly unlike the mixture we have learned to live with. The seraphim around His throne do not grow tired of saying so.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 (BSB)

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27 (BSB)

And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”

Isaiah 6:3 (BSB)

We have all sinned and are separated from God

Something has gone wrong, and it is in us. Sin is turning from God to our own way — treating the One who made us as if He were optional. Scripture tells the truth: every one of us has sinned, and the wage of that sin is death — physical death, separation from the life of God, and the judgment that follows. We cannot talk our way back. We cannot balance the books with enough good works. The distance is real.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23 (BSB)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 (BSB)

We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6 (BSB)

Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again

God did not leave us in that distance. He sent His Son. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who took on flesh, lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to the Father, and then went to a cross in our place. He was pierced for our transgressions. From the cross He declared the work finished. He was buried. On the third day God raised Him from the dead — the Father's vindication of the Son, and the ground of our justification. Death does not have the last word.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (BSB)

But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 (BSB)

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (BSB)

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5 (BSB)

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (BSB)

When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

John 19:30 (BSB)

He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.

Romans 4:25 (BSB)

Salvation is a free gift

You cannot earn this. God saves by grace, through faith — a gift the empty-handed can receive. Jesus is the way: the only way to the Father, and the way is His work, not yours.

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 can boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (BSB)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6 (BSB)

Repent and believe

The call of the gospel is plain. Repent: turn from sin as a person who has been found out and is no longer willing to keep walking away. Believe: trust Jesus Christ — who He is, what He has done, and that God raised Him from the dead. Rest the full weight of your life on Him. Confess Him as Lord — the rightful Ruler with all authority. Call on His name. He has promised that those who do will be saved.

“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

Mark 1:15 (BSB)

Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.

Acts 17:30–31 (BSB)

that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9 (BSB)

for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:13 (BSB)

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Acts 16:31 (BSB)

What comes next

If you have trusted Christ, you have been made new. The old has passed away. Begin where Christians have always begun: read the Scriptures daily, and pray — talk to the God who now calls you His own. Be baptized, as those who first believed were baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ. Find a local church that believes the Bible, preaches Christ, and will walk with you. The Christian life has already been given, and it is lived among the people of God.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (BSB)

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 (BSB)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (BSB)

If you want a place to start reading today, the Berean Life Study Bible is here, offline and free of distraction. Open the Gospel of John, or the Gospel of Mark, and begin. Not sure where to start? Try our New Believer Reading Plan.