Gospel Corner

The Gospel: Cure For Culture

“The gospel is the story of the world and of everyone that has been in the world, whether they know it or not”.
- Richard John Neuhaus

GODS DESCRIPTION OF YOU

He made you special

You are not merely a part of God’s creation but the very heart of it. Why?
Your life matters to God because He put a part of Himself in you!
Genesis 1:26 Let Us make man in our image
Isaiah 64:8 we are the work of Your hands

What did God give you of Himself?
1. He gave you a soul (not a body part) that will never stop existing.
Matthew 25:46 eternal life or punishment?
Zachariah 22:1 He forms human spirit

2. He equipped you with reason, intelligence, and moral sensibilities, to discern truth, beauty, and love.
We are our best selves when we live in a righteous and loving connection with Him.
Micah 6:8 Goodness- do justly, love mercy and walk with God
Acts 17:23-27: “He gives life and breath…that we should seek him and reach out for him and find him”; we were created to lovingly connect with our Creator

This shared image brings with it an inherent moral accountability…

GOD’S DEMANDS ON YOU

He is self-existent and under no obligation to you -but you have an obligation to Him.

Just as there are often harmful consequences in defying a natural law (ie gravity), He has the authority to judge and condemn your violations of His righteous moral Laws.
Ezekiel 18:4 all souls are Mine
Romans 2:16 God will judge our secrets
Isaiah 53:6 guilty of going our own way

God does not need to be reconciled to us. We don’t set standards for what’s right or wrong nor what is to be punished or rewarded. We are not the Creator.
Romans 3:23 all fall short of God’s glory
Psalm 100:3 He made us-not we ourselves
2 Corinthians 5:20 need to be reconciled to God

You are not as bad as you could be but ignoring or violating his moral laws brings chaos, destruction and disconnection enough to incur judgment.
A sense of self-righteousness must be given up.
Therefore you must be WOKE - awakened to your broken condition before a righteous God and His right to eternally condemn you
Psalm 139:1-4/Jeremiah 17:10 God sees all of you
Romans 1:24 we replace the truth about God for a lie to worship ourselves
Hebrews 9:27 after death we face judgement

GOD’S DESIRE FOR YOU

Reconcile on His terms to be forgiven and put in a righteous standing. He can then begin to heal what is broken in us.

What are His terms? It’s a covenant.
God lovingly initiated the basis of terms by sending His son Jesus into the world whose righteous life, death, and victorious resurrection were an acceptable sacrifice so that forgiveness can be offered to you.
There is no negotiation. God’s moral law has been broken, His rightful authority spurned, so He determines conditions of reconciliation.
1 Peter 3:18 Christ’s righteousness can bring me to God (in right standing)
2 Corinthians 5:19 God reconciles us through Jesus
Romans 6:23 sins wages is death, but the free gift of God in Jesus is eternal life

In response, we must acknowledge (confess) our broken condition and trust in the life, death, and resurrection of His son Jesus as God’s means of providing forgiveness and reconciliation.
Trust God at His word! Cry out for His mercy and grace in Christ!
Luke 18:13,14 God responds to the cry for mercy
John 5:24 believe God sent Jesus to avoid judgment and get eternal life
Colossians 2:13,14 God forgives and cancels our debt based on trust in Jesus

God wants to thoroughly save you- yes, get you out of hell but also get the hell out of you.
Come as you are but you can’t stay as you were. He means to heal whatever is broken in you and bring more meaning, peace, joy, purpose, and contentment one day at a time.
Respond to His love and pursue Him!
Acts 2:38 repent and be baptized for forgiveness and the gift of Holy Spirit
Matthew 11:28,29 Come to Me, learn of Me and you will find rest for your soul
John 8:34-36 Jesus can break the chains of sins and brokenness in our lives.

Gospel Corner.