The True Gospel

I JUST WATCHED an interview with John MacArthur that, honestly, just made me cry. It made me cry because the true Gospel is so beautiful. It was none of this:

“If you don’t call God by His ‘true’ Hebrew name (that nobody can agree on), then you’re being a pagan.”

“If you are not baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, then it doesn’t count because it wasn’t in the name of Jesus-Christ.”

“The meaning of this word is really this or that because in the original language this or that, etc.”

“If you believe in the rapture, you’ll be in trouble in the hour of trial. If you don’t believe in it, then you don’t trust the goodness of God’s character.”

This and that, this and that.  But hearing the true unadulterated Gospel—Oh, man! That is so sweet. I’m not saying that these and many more issues are of no importance whatsoever—we should seek out t to continue growing in our understanding of what is true as we’re guided by the Holy Spirit.  But sometimes, we forget what is truly, truly, truly important.  “Truly important” sounds like such a cliché, but it’s the only way to put it.  “Truly” because it’s the truth, and what is better than to know what that is? And “important” because if it’s not important, then it’s a side issue.  And the only thing that is important in this life is loving and serving our LORD with everything in us.

So, the TRUE GOSPEL:

1)      God is HOLY.  He cannot stand sin because He is a just and holy God.

2)      Sin = death. God will judge anyone in sin as worthy of death and eternal hell.

3)      You and I, we are sinners.  We are naturally bound and servants to sin. We deserve to be destroyed.  We DESERVE death. We DESERVE hell.

4)      Jesus-Christ took our place!!!  He was spotless—he never sinned. Yet, he paid with his perfect blood for what you and I deserved.  All of God’s wrath was poured out on His only beloved and perfect Son.  We were the guilty ones, but Jesus paid. He did this because he would rather die, than to live without you or me.

5)      Thanks to Jesus-Christ, we are FORGIVEN!!!  When we accept him as Lord of our lives, our debt is paid in FULL!  On the Day of Judgment, there is no penalty for us to pay because Jesus paid that penalty for us!!!  He is victorious in our place over the prince of this world! Jesus is the only one who can deliver us from our bondage to sin.

God’s love for us is AMAZING!!!  Think about what “amazing” means: awe-inspiring! admiration-inspiring! It’s something that is difficult to comprehend.  That is what God’s love for us is. Regardless of whether or not you believe it.