For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

 The Gospel

Jesus came into this world to save sinners like you and me.

What is the Gospel?  The word in the original Greek refers to the good news of victory.  The angel announced the gospel to Joseph, the husband of Mary, saying,

“and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)  God sent His Son into the word to save (rescue, deliver, heal, save) us from our sins, our rebellion against God and His commandments, and the terrible consequences that our rebellion must bring.

Jesus put it this way: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

A little earlier in the chapter Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:3-7)

What was Jesus speaking of and why did He expect Nicodemus to know this?  Hundreds of years earlier God had promised to send a savior and to make a new covenant with people that would save them from their sins, reconcile them with God and make them new.

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.  I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.  And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.  Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. (Ezekiel 36:24-31)

God here promised to do something extraordinary for His people, a people who did not deserve it.  He was going to forgive them, change their hearts and spirits and come and live within them.  And this would be His work, not theirs.  This is what it means to be “born again.”  This is why Jesus came and died for us, in our place, for “the wages of sin is death”. (Romans 6:23a)  But the Apostle does not stop there but adds, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b)  Paul also writes, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

Is this gift of God conditional?  Yes, for remember what Jesus said: “that whosoever believeth [literally, the one who is believing] in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)  And two verses later He says, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)

So then God gives the free gift of salvation from sin and eternal condemnation to those who believe Him, who trust Him.  But to those who refuse to believe He reserves His justice.  Considering the things we have all done that is a horrifying fate to consider. Therefore let us turn to God through Christ Jesus in true faith, trusting in God alone, in Christ alone, in grace alone to save us through faith alone.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  (Romans 10:9-13)