The Gospel: Salvation by Grace Through Faith in Christ

It is an unavoidable fact of life: what we believe drives what we do. We may not even be aware of all the beliefs that we have, but behind each of our actions there is a motivating belief. This booklet is part of a series that we can go through together. It will focus on foundational truths that Christians believe so that we can have those truths in the driver seat of our lives. The Gospel: Salvation by Grace Through Faith in Christ What is the gospel? How can we summarize the gospel? In its simplest form, the gospel is God s message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. In that summary which is based on Ephesians 2:1-9 we have the four basic and necessary components 1 of the gospel: (1) salvation (2) by grace (3) through faith (4) in Christ. This booklet will look at Ephesians 2:1-9 and Romans 3:21-26 as case studies to trace and explore those four components. What We Believe: We Need Saving God is the Maker and Loving Ruler of Everything God rules the world because he made the world. Like a potter with his clay, God fashioned the world into just the shape he wished, with all its amazing details. He made it, and he owns it. 2 Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. (Revelation 4:11 ESV) We Were Made to Have Fellowship with Him God made us to know Him, to love Him and to be known and loved by Him. He put humanity in charge of the world to rule it, to care for it, to be responsible for it, and to enjoy all its beauty 1

and goodness. He appointed humanity to supervise and look after the world, but always under his own authority, honoring him and obeying his directions. 2 We are All Rebellious and Have Gone our Own Way God has every right (and power) to impose loyalty and obedience upon His creation, but He has given humanity free will to make our own choices. Sadly, men and women have rejected God since the beginning by doing things our own way. We all do this to some degree. We don t like someone telling us what to do or how to live; we prefer to be the master of our lives. We rebel against God by ignoring him, living our lives according to our own preferences, or simply disobeying his instructions for how to live in the world he made. However we express it, we are all rebels because we do not live God s way. So, God has made the world just the way he wished, but our rebellion whether it be great or small has distorted God s good creation and has resulted in pain, sadness, and, death. The Bible has a word for this rebellious attitude and the actions that come with it: sin. 2 God will not allow us to sin forever and he will not simply ignore the catastrophic consequences of sin; our sin deserves God s punishment. God Exercises Wrath on Sin in Hell God pours out a just, terrible, and everlasting punishment on sin in hell. Hell is a place (Luke 16:28; Acts 1:25; Matthew 25:41). The punishment in hell is a banishment from the presence of God (2 Thessalonians 1:9) and an everlasting experience of agonizing pain (Matthew 18:8; Mark 9:46; Revelation 21:8). The thought of hell is dreadful yet it is the appropriate and righteous judgment for our rebellion, that is the destiny for all who do not trust Jesus for salvation. 2

Salvation First, by saying that the gospel is a message of salvation, it implies that there is a God who is Creator, Ruler, and Judge. We need salvation because we have sinned against a holy God and we deserve the wrath of God. All of humanity finds itself in this desperately lost condition. Ephesians 2:1-3 describes this: you were dead in the trespasses and sins...and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Romans 3:23 addresses this as well: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Second, and more obviously, by saying that the gospel is a message of salvation, hope is introduced. We are lost, we are dead in sin, we need saving; the gospel is the message of rescue and reconciliation. Ephesians 2:1-3 also introduces this hope as it states that the believer was dead and was an object of wrath. Romans 3:21 addresses this by stating that the gospel is the manifestation of God s righteousness (given to the one who trusts in Christ) so that we can be reconciled to Him. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, emphasis added) But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6 ESV) 3

What We Do: Praise the Lord that even though we are blind sinners, he has graciously given us the light of His Word. Reject a man-centered view of sin. Sin is not merely anything that hurts other people. It is true that we shouldn t murder or steal (the sixth and eighth commandments), but we also shouldn t participate in idolatry or taking the Lord s name in vain (the second and third commandments). All sin is against God and a rebellion against Him. Recognize that without the gospel of salvation we would have no hope for anything but the terrible wrath of God. Refuse to participate in the popular mocking of sin and hell. The experience of God s wrath in hell is not humorous. Have zeal for sharing the gospel. How can we go through life carelessly while millions around us are on their way to damnation? We should seriously and earnestly be concerned for the lost, pray for them, and share the gospel. We demonstrate love for family and friends now by sharing the message of salvation with them. Repent of your sin and turn to Christ now. If you genuinely ask Jesus to receive you, he will. 4

What We Believe: Salvation is in Christ Alone Salvation is possible, but how are we saved? Faith in the Wrong Object is a Worthless Faith Faith is thought of very highly in our culture. Keep on believing. You ve gotta have faith. Any kind of faith will do, it seems. However, if we take even a moment to think about it, we know that a faith is only as good as the object that it trusts. It does not matter whether we believe that a chair will provide a stable seat; what matters is whether or not the chair is truly qualified to be a stable seat. A person might exhibit abundant faith in a rotten chair with a broken leg; casting oneself onto such a chair will only result in disaster. Having faith that things will all work out or that I m a relatively good person is not commendable faith it is an invitation for disaster. Jesus is the One Who Saves To believe the gospel is to understand how Jesus the object of our faith is qualified to save us. Specifically, it is understanding the person of Christ (he was the sinless Son of God), his work (he died on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for sin), and the confirmation of God s acceptance of Jesus sacrifice as paying the penalty for sin (that he rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures). Our faith is in Christ because he is the only one qualified to save us from our sin. Jesus resurrection attests that Jesus paid the penalty of sin for all whom will believe. The Bible uses the word propitiation in several verses to describe what was accomplished by Jesus death on the cross and his resurrection. Propitiation is an accepted sacrifice. To successfully make propitiation is to satisfy the wrath of God and avert God s wrath toward the sinners. Jesus resurrection affirms that Jesus death was effective the payment that Jesus made for us as our substitute was accepted. Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ( John 14:6) 5

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10, emphasis added) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:23-25a, emphasis added) What We Do: Appreciate (and be amazed by) the love and work of Christ. Though we have not seen him, we love him (1 Peter 1:8). Thank Jesus for suffering the wrath of God in your place. Trust Jesus. Anything else that takes top priority in your life or in which you are trusting for security, deliverance, or happiness is a counterfeit god that will fail you. Realize that Christ is the only way of salvation. Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Follow Jesus. To trust him for salvation is to recognize who he is. He is our Savior. 6

What We Believe: Christ Offers the Gift of Salvation on the Grounds of Grace Alone Salvation is in Christ alone and we know that he has purchased our salvation, but what are the grounds; why are we saved? Not by Works We are not the recipients of salvation because we have coaxed God or endeared ourselves to him. God is motivated to save us because of His love for us and because He is gracious. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8) Not by Heritage or Social Status There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ s, then you are Abraham s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:28-29) Salvation is a Gift We are saved by grace (a free gift to one who is undeserving). Salvation belongs to Christ and he offers it freely with no regard to works; it is a gift. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8) and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24) 7

What We Do: View our salvation with humility. We don t deserve it. We don t earn it. It wasn t even our idea. We forgive those who sin against us. To ask for God s forgiveness and hold other sinner s transgressions against them is behaving as if a sin against yourself is a greater offense than sin against God. Do not withhold forgiveness to others. Treat failures as opportunities to improve and not as a measure of our worth. Our salvation, relationship with Christ, and value in Christ is not nullified by failure. Our life and salvation is a gift that is not taken back. Regard successes with thankfulness and humility. Have compassion for those who don t trust Christ for salvation. 8

What We Believe: Faith is the Only Instrument for Receiving the Gift of Salvation If salvation is offered only on the grounds of God s grace, how is the gift received? The Salvation that Jesus Offers is to be Received by Faith Jesus paid the penalty for sin on the cross. But we should not assume that our sin is automatically forgiven. The gift of salvation is offered to everyone, but it does you no good unless you receive it. But how do we receive God s gift? Is it universally applied to humanity whether we are aware of it or not? Can we just hope that it will all work out? No, the gift of salvation is to be received by faith. Faith is recognizing that we are dead in our sin and that our only hope is believing Jesus, what he says, and trusting what he has done to save us. We are to have faith in the person and work of Jesus as well as the resurrection of Jesus that confirms his sacrifice was effective. For by grace you have been saved through faith. (Ephesians 2:8a) But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:21-25a, emphasis added) The right response to the gospel is to turn from your sin, turn to Christ in faith, and confess Christ as Lord and savior. What is Faith? Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) 9

Faith is being persuaded by something believing something. But, faith is more than merely acknowledging what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Faith implies action. If we have faith in the person and work of Jesus, we will live our lives in light of that knowledge. What We Do: Turn from your sin and trust in Jesus. Confess Jesus as Savior and Lord Do not just agree with Jesus. Trust him and follow him. Do not view giving and serving as ways to earn salvation. Do not dwell in regret. Past sins can be grievous and a burden, but salvation in Christ is not by works and is to be received by faith. Study the Scripture seriously. Learn more about Jesus, what we can trust him for, and how to follow him. 10

What We Believe: God Is Just Our Salvation is Expensive Our salvation is so expensive that we could never purchase it. Because God loves us, he made a way for His Son to pay the penalty for us. We did not pay the penalty but that does not mean that our salvation is free. Our salvation came at a great cost. You were ransomed...not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19 ESV) God Does Not Ignore Sin A person might see that Jesus willingly subjected himself to great pain and sacrifice in order to purchase our salvation and think, if God wants to be gracious and forgive sin, why go through all this pain and sacrifice why not just say I forgive their sin? But God is just and He never winks at sin. Every sin is a rebellion against God that deserves to be punished. Because God is just, every single wrong (sin) will be accounted for, judged, and paid for either by our own punishment in hell or by the punishment that Christ endured on the cross. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:26) By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3b 4) What We Do: See sin as God does: as deserving of judgment. Marvel at God s great plan of salvation. Before the start of the 11

world, God put in motion the plan that offers the gift of salvation reconciling us to Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) without merely winking at sin. Thank Jesus for lovingly subjecting himself to the punishment we deserve in order to accomplish our salvation. Take comfort in the fact (and glorify God for it) that every sin will be judged and made right. Be in awe at the great justice and power of God. 12

What We Believe: Salvation is Permanent Adopted into the Family For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father! The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14 17, emphasis added) If it were not in the inspired Scripture it would be almost scandalous to think of it: to be reconciled to God through the gospel means that we are adopted as sons and daughters of God the Father and have co-ownership (somehow) with Christ in the things to come. Those Who Have Become Part of the Family are Always in the Family Roman law allowed for naturally born children to be disowned. However, an adopted child could never be disowned, as historian William M. Ramsay writes: The Roman-Syrian Law-Book where a formerly prevalent Greek law had persisted under the Roman Empire well illustrates this passage of the Epistle. It actually lays down the principle that a man can never put away an adopted son, and that he cannot put away a real son without good ground. It is remarkable that the adopted son should have a stronger position than the son by birth, yet it was so. 3 When we genuinely believe the gospel (trust in Jesus for salvation) our sin is forever atoned and we are forever transformed from a rebel to a child of God. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the 13

love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38 39) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13 14) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father s hand. ( John 10:28 29) What We Do: Rejoice that a genuine believer, having been reconciled to God, can never be separated from Him. Thank the Holy Spirit every morning that you wake up and desire to follow, honor and magnify Christ. We are sustained and we persevere in the faith by the work of the Holy Spirit. Whether happy, healthy, and prosperous or when you experience doubt, depression, and times are hard or full of disappointment (in ourselves or others) we are content in the security of our salvation, in the hope that God will make all things right again, and in the fellowship we will have with Christ in Heaven (Philippians 4:11-12). Stand in awe at God s sovereign power to accomplish His purposes. Draw hope from the realization that, as believers, we will endure to the end, see glory, and experience a world made right. Hope in the fullness of salvation to come (Hebrews 9:27). 14

What We Believe: Salvation Changes a Person We Are Made New in Christ 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 ESV) When we trust in Christ for salvation, it isn t only that our sin is not counted against us, but we are made new, given a new heart with new affections, and we are guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Salvation is not a License to Sin What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1 4) Believers are Not Going to Be Perfect This side of Heaven, we will never be perfect. That is still true for believers. We should not expect to be perfect. When we do sin, we should repent of the sin and strive to not sin any more. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 ESV) Believers Desire to Obey Christ Out of Love for Christ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, (Romans 6:17 ESV) We were all sinners and rebels that, upon faith, desire to be obedient 15

to Christ not because we have to, but because we want to. Out of love and gratitude. This also means that we will not just give in and lazily wallow in sin. No, we will fight against sin even when sinning is what we desire on some level. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (Romans 6:12-13) Believers Are Confident in Christ (Not in Works) Our salvation is never accomplished by what we do. Our salvation is by grace alone trough faith alone in Christ alone. We cannot outsin Christ s grace (Romans 8). The presence of sin in a believer s life is not the single indicator of whether or not one has saving faith; trusting Christ is the single indicator of whether or not we have saving faith. We should not gloss over sin, but we also should not regard the presence of sin in our lives as being more powerful than the promises of Christ and his ability to save. Our assurance should rest first on the person and work of Christ, second on the repentance and grief we have over sin, and last, on whether or not we are becoming more like Christ, battling sin, and seeing the fruit of abandoning sin in our lives. Too often, it is the especially humble and spiritually sober in our churches who grieve over their sin to the peril of their assurance. True grief and repentance over sin is an evidence of faith and a reason for assurance. Warning Sign If someone never exhibits any fruit, it is a warning sign. The big point of James epistle is that faith is made evident by our actions. Here s the major fruit to look for: (a) publicly professing faith in Christ as their savior, (b) following Jesus in believer s baptism, (c) wanting to read the Bible, (d) wanting to pray, (e) wanting to witness, (f ) having a changed life, (g) repenting of sin, and (f ) loving followers of Christ and fellowship with them. 16

What We Do: Cooperate with God s work in you. Aim at a lifetime of wise, purposeful obedience to Christ. Read the Bible, seek God in prayer, hear the Word preached, engage in Christian fellowship, and seek to serve in the Great Commission. Hate the sin in your life and work to put those deeds and desires of the flesh to death. Make all of this your permanent, conscious commitment and ask God to help you. Avoid sin and desire obedience to Christ not because we are saved by doing good, but because we desire to obey Jesus out of love. Do not expect to be perfect. Do not focus on a single sin and despair, a true believer would never do x. Grief over sin and concern over its eternal consequences are evidence of trusting Christ. Regularly reflect on how God has changed you as well as how He is changing and growing you. Be confident in Jesus for salvation. 17

A Summary of the Gospel 18

Endnotes: 1. It is not necessary that a gospel presentation be arranged into these exact four components in order to contain all the necessary elements of a gospel presentation. The four components outlined here are used merely to organize the underlying detail. For example, one theological scholar accurately and helpfully arranges the essentials of saving faith into five categories: (1) Jesus Christ; (2) the Son of God who died and rose again; (3) to pay one s personal penalty for sin; (4) gives eternal life to all who trust Him; and (5) Him alone for it. I agree with the categories and the underlying detail. Similarly, Professor Jimmy Stallard s (Baptist Bible Seminary) identifies the essentials of the gospel in four main categories: (1) the gospel of grace; not by works, (2) the lost condition of mankind, (3) Christ s atoning work on the Cross, and (4) the reality (and impact) of the resurrection. So, any difference in identifying these four components is not an indication of disagreement in what constitutes the essential gospel, but rather diverse arrangements of summary that convey the same essential detail. 2. Matthias Media, Two Ways to Live, http://www.matthiasmedia.com. au/2wtl/2wtlonline.html 3. W. M. Ramsay, A Historical Commentary on St. Paul s Epistle to the Galatians, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1979; p. 353. 19

Your Notes Observations: 20

Questions: 21

Application: 22

We Believe A WORTHVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH DEVOTIONAL SERIES What one believes drives what they do that is an unavoidable fact of life. This booklet is part of a series that we can go through together. It will focus on foundational truths that Christians believe so that we can have those truths in the driver seat of our lives. To that end, this booklet will have sections describing What We Believe each with a corresponding description of What We Do. About Worthville Baptist Church As a church, we seek to bring glory to God and declare the gospel of Jesus Christ in Worthville, Carrollton, Carroll County, Kentucky, and to the ends of the Earth. We would be glad to serve you, meet any spiritual needs you might have, and invite you to any of our services. WBC Calendar SUNDAYS Sunday School and Group Bible Studies 10am Sunday Morning Worship 11am WEDNESDAYS Kids for Christ 6:30pm Youth Bible Study (Grades 7-12) 6:30pm MONTHLY Men s Bible Study Breakfast - 1st Saturday of each month 7am Women on Mission - 4th Sunday of each month 5pm Public Food Pantry - 2nd Tuesday of each month 2pm Public Food Pantry - 4th Saturday of each month 10am 652 HWY 467 / WORTHVILLE, KY 41098 / (502) 732-4242