Have you ever heard the TRUE gospel, the good news?
First, what makes good news, good? News that is described as good inherently means that it is describing a situation that is 'better than' the current situation. Let us then, first, look at the current situation...
Now this might sound odd but the problem that humanity faces is not primarily sin, but it's that God is good (Psalm 34:8). If God wasn't good, then sin wouldn't be an issue. But because God is good and Holy, Holy, Holy (Isaiah 6:3) sin and sinners are wicked in His sight and cannot be in His presence (Psalm 5:4-5). The Bible, and therefore God, tells us that all (humanity) has sinned and have fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23) and because of this there are none who are righteous (Romans 3:10). What we, as sinners, have earned for our sins against God and each other is eternal death, that is, eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). Every sinner will stand before Jesus Christ on the day of judgement (2 Corinthians 5:10).
So, what can be done about this situation? Well, what could be done has been done. Before creation God purposed the solution to this Divine Dilemma in Jesus' Incarnation. And 2,000 years ago, God entered into His own creation, putting on flesh, adding humanity to His deity in the person of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God (Isaiah 9:6). Because God's holiness demands justice Jesus took on human nature (Isaiah 7:14, Galatians 4:4) in order to receive the punishment, the wages, the death sinners earned, and to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). When Jesus went to Calvary's Cross He took on the sin of His people and willingly laid down His life to pay the full penalty price (death) for their redemption (Isaiah 53:5). In 1 Corinthians 15:3 the Apostle Paul tells us that "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;". Jesus Christ came and lived the sinless life that we could not. He died the sinner's death in the sinners' place, yet without sinning Himself or becoming a sinner. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states; “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”1 Corinthians 15:4 tells us"... that He was buried,andthat He rose againthethirddayaccordingto thescriptures:" Jesus defeated death and the grave for us!!! This is the Gospel! This is the Good News!
Jesus paid the sin debt, in full, and gives us His righteousness when we believe upon Him in repentance and faith.
Jesus says in Mark 1:15; “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Repent means to turn in faith toward God and away from your sins, trusting in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation. There are no magic words to say or any works of the flesh that you can do to save yourself. Repentance toward God means that you seek Him while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6), asking Him for forgiveness of your sins (Matthew 6:12). Pray as the publican in Luke 18:13; “God be merciful to me a sinner.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31)
So now what? 2 Corinthians 5:17 states; “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". When God saves a person, they have been “born again” spiritually (John 3:3). God‘s grace always has an effect on the life of the believer, “all things are become new “. The sinner no longer lives for himself/herself but has been adopted into the family of God(Ephesians 2:19) and now bears the family resemblance, living now for God and His glory! (Revelation 5:12)
Here's the truth! The Divine Dilemma never was a dilemma in the mind of God. Because at the end of it all, God's eternal plan has always been to be both the just judge and the justifier of those who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:24-26)