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First, what is the gospel?
First, what is the gospel?
First, what is the gospel?
The gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, died for our sins and rose again, eternally victorious over sin and all who would go against Him, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy.
That’s the gospel. And you need the gospel before you put your faith in Jesus and after you put your faith in Jesus. This good news is for our strength and encouragement every day of our lives.
What about people that never hear the gospel?
What about people that never hear the gospel?
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
So people know of God but their hearts choose to ignore Him and worship His creation instead even when all of creation points to Him. There are even stories in scripture and certain parts of the world where Jesus reveals himself to people in visions without any introduction from another person.
Plus, God said to the prophet Jeremiah, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
If God can know Jeremiah before he was born, He can know us as well; He can know if we would respond to His voice, if we would follow after Jesus, He knows us better than we know ourselves.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
So how do I become a Christian?
So how do I become a Christian?
You surrender your will to God by vacating the throne of your life and acknowledge that Jesus is the rightful Lord of your life. That He paid the price for all your sins; your mistakes and your rebellion and that you can spend eternity with Him in Heaven, made perfect in every way with no suffering, no tears, no evil. Only joy and peace that comes with being right with God and in fellowship with Him.
A lot of people like to dedicate that decision with a prayer of confession and faith (like this one…)
What about rededicating my life to Christ? Is that a thing?
What about rededicating my life to Christ? Is that a thing?
Yes and no. We don’t accept Christ over and over because it’s something we do (recognize our need for a Savior) and then we start living differently in that new realization and reality. No rededication is not an official ceremony or instruction in the Bible, but yes it’s a thing that we can do to mark a milestone or a change of direction in our lives. In fact, I like to think I rededicate my life to Christ every morning when my feet hit the floor. Here is a prayer of rededication...