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What is the gospel? It seems like a simple question, yet it has been known to incite some heated responses, even in the church. How are we to formulate a clear, biblical understanding of the gospel? Tradition, reason, and experience all leave us ultimately disappointed. If we want answers, we must turn to the Word of God.
Greg Gilbert does so in What Is the Gospel? Beginning with Paul's systematic presentation of the gospel in Romans and moving through the sermons in Acts, Gilbert argues that the central structure of the gospel consists of four main subjects: God, man, Christ, and a response. The book carefully examines each and then explores the effects the gospel can have in individuals, churches, and the world. Both Christian and non-Christian readers will gain a clearer understanding of the gospel in this valuable resource.
Qué es el Evangelio?
Realmente, qué es lo que quieren decir los cristianos cuando hablan acerca del evangelio de Jesucristo? Ya que la palabra evangelio significa buenas nuevas, cuando los cristianos hablan acerca del evangelio, simplemente están comunicando las buenas nuevas de Jesús! Pero no son buenas nuevas cualesquiera, requieren una respuesta! Es un mensaje de parte de Dios que dice: Buenas nuevas! Esta es la manera en que puedes ser salvo de mi juicio! Es un anuncio que no puedes darte el lujo de ignorar.
Entonces, cuáles son las buenas nuevas acerca de Jesucristo?
Desde el momento que los primeros cristianos anunciaron las buenas nuevas de Jesús, el mensaje se ha organizado alrededor de estas preguntas:
A lo largo de los siglos desde los tiempos de Cristo, los cristianos han contestado estas preguntas con las mismas verdades bíblicas.
Podemos resumir estos puntos de esta manera: Dios, la humanidad, Jesucristo y nuestra respuesta.
Dios
Lo primero que debes saber acerca de las buenas nuevas de Jesús es que En el principio creó Dios los cielos y la tierra (Génesis 1:1). Allí es donde todo comenzó. Así que si te equivocas en este punto, todo lo demás estará equivocado. Porque Dios creó todo--incluso nosotros--él tiene el derecho de decirnos cómo debemos vivir. Debes comprender esto para comprender las buenas nuevas acerca de Jesús.
Cómo describirías el carácter de Dios? Amoroso y bueno? Compasivo y perdonador? Todos son verdad. Dios se describe a sí mismo como compasivo y clemente, lento para la ira y abundante en misericordia y verdad . . . el que perdona la iniquidad, la transgresión y el pecado. Luego Dios agrega: que no tendrá por inocente al culpable (Éxodo 34:6-7). Eso desmiente casi el 90 por ciento de lo que la gente hoy en día piensa que sabe acerca de Dios. Este Dios amoroso no deja impune al culpable. Para comprender cuán glorioso y vivificante es el evangelio de Jesucristo, tenemos que comprender que Dios también es santo y justo. Él está decidido a nunca ignorar ni tolerar el pecado, incluso el de nosotros!
La humanidad
Cuando Dios creó a los primeros seres humanos, Adán y Eva, había previsto que vivieran bajo su gobierno justo disfrutando del gozo perfecto--obedeciéndole y viviendo en comunión con él. Pero cuando Adán desobedeció a Dios y comió de la única fruta que Dios le había prohibido comer, esa comunión con Dios se rompió. Además, Adán y Eva declararon su rebelión en contra de Dios, negando su autoridad sobre sus vidas.
Los culpables del pecado no son solamente Adán y Eva. La Biblia dice: por cuanto todos pecaron y no alcanzan la gloria de Dios . . . no hay justo, ni aun uno (Romanos 3:23, 10). Sin embargo, comúnmente creemos que nuestros pecados son simplemente violaciones de alguna ley de tránsito celestial, y nos preguntamos por qué Dios se molesta tanto. El pecado es mucho más que eso. Es el rechazo a Dios mismo y a su derecho a ejercer su autoridad sobre aquellos a quienes les da vida.
Una vez que entiendas el pecado de esta manera, comenzarás a entender por qué la paga del pecado es muerte (Romanos 6:23). No es solamente muerte física, sino también muerte espiritual; una separación contundente de nuestro ser pecaminoso y rebelde de la presencia de Dios para siempre. La Biblia enseña que el destino final para los pecadores no creyentes es juicio eterno y activo en un lugar llamado infierno.
El veredicto bíblico aleccionador es éste: Y así como está decretado que los hombres mueran una sola vez, y después de esto, el juicio (Hebreos 9:27). Cada uno de nosotros dará cuentas a Dios. La Biblia advierte que El que cree en El no es condenado; pero el que no cree, ya ha sido condenado, porque no ha creído en el nombre del unigénito Hijo de Dios (Juan 3:18).
Pero . . .
Jesucristo
La palabra Cristo significa ungido de Dios, una referencia a cuando un rey es ungido con aceite al ser coronado. Así que cuando decimos Jesucristo estamos diciendo que Jesús es un rey!
Cuando Jesús comenzó su ministerio público, le dijo a la gente: El reino de Dios se ha acercado; arrepentíos y creed en el evangelio. Siglos antes, Dios había prometido que vendría como un gran rey a rescatar a su gente de sus pecados. Y ahora aquí estaba Jesús diciendo: El reino de Dios está aquí . . . ahora! Yo soy ese gran Rey!
Con el tiempo, los seguidores de Jesús se dieron cuenta que su misión era traer a gente pecaminosa a ese reino. Jesús vino a morir en su lugar, a recibir el castigo que merecían a causa de su rebelión contra Dios. Mientras Jesús moría en una cruz, la carga terrible de todos nuestros pecados cayó sobre sus hombros. Se cumplió la pena de muerte que Dios declaró en contra de pecadores rebeldes, y Jesús murió. Lo hizo por ti y por mí!
Pero la historia no termina allí. Jesús el Crucificado no sigue muerto. La Biblia nos dice que resucitó de entre los muertos. No sólo es el Rey Jesús el Crucificado, sino que es el Rey Jesús el Crucificado y el Resucitado! La resurrección de Jesús de entre los muertos fue la manera en que Dios dijo: Lo que Jesús reclamaba acerca de su identidad y a lo que vino a hacer es verdad!
Nuestra respuesta
Qué espera Dios de nosotros ahora que estamos informados que Jesús murió en nuestro lugar para salvarnos de la ira justa de Dios
Who Is Jesus?
A Historical Person
Maybe you have never really thought about who Jesus is, or whether his claims have any implications for your life. After all, we're talking about a man who was born in the first century into an obscure Jewish carpenter's family. The basic facts of his life--where and when he lived, how he died--are all pretty well agreed upon. But what about the significance of his life and death? Was he a prophet? A teacher? Was he the Son of God, or just an unusually gifted man? And for that matter, who did he think he was? For all the questions, though, everyone seems to agree on one thing: Jesus was an extraordinary person.
An Extraordinary Person
Without a doubt, in his day there was something about Jesus that caught people's attention. Over and over Jesus said things that left his contemporaries amazed at his wisdom, and even confronted them in ways that left them fumbling around for a way to make sense of it all. (Matthew 22:22).
Many who heard him were astonished, saying, 'What is the wisdom given to him?' . . . and 'How are such mighty works done by his hands?' (Mark 6:2)
Then there were the miracles. Hundreds and hundreds of people saw with their own eyes Jesus do things that no human being should be able to do. He healed people from sickness; he made water instantly turn into fine-tasting wine; he told lame people to walk again, and they did; he stood on the prow of a boat and told the ocean to be quiet--and it did; he stood in front of the tomb of a man who had been dead for four days and called to him to come back to life--and the man heard him, stood up, and walked out of the tomb (Matthew 8:24-27; 9:6-7; John 2:1-11; 11:38-44).
With every one of his miracles and in every one of his sermons Jesus was making and backing up claims about himself that no human being had ever made before--claims that he was God.
God
On a number of occasions Jesus took a name for himself exclusively used for God, the present tense I am (John 8:48-58), which brought to mind the ancient and famous name of Israel's almighty God (Exodus 3:14).
Prophecies that Jesus claimed to fulfill also pointed to his deity. The people of Israel were looking forward to a king occupying the centuries-vacant throne. One prophet described this King as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end (Isaiah 9:6-7). The people of that day would have seen that this promised King didn't sound like just another man who would sit on the throne for a time and then die. They would have heard their God promising that he himself would come and be their King.
Jesus also asserted his identity as, the Son of God. It wasn't just a royal title; it was also a claim that Jesus was equal to God in status and character and honor. John explains: This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because . . . he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God (John 5:18).
One of Us
Christians call the reality that God became human the incarnation. The Bible tells us that Jesus got hungry, he got thirsty, he got tired, and he even got sleepy. He did things with a deeply human tenderness, compassion, and love (Matthew 15:32; Mark 6:34, John 11:33-36). He not only was human; he showed us what God intended humanity to be all along.
Jesus was identifying with us, becoming one with us so that he could represent us in life and death. When Adam, the first man, sinned, he did so as the representative of all who would come after him (Genesis 3:1-15). One trespass led to condemnation for all men (Romans 5:18). Jesus would let God's sentence of death--his righteous wrath against sinners--fall on him. So, Jesus allowed one of his own disciples to betray him to the Roman authorities who sentenced him to be crucified. In Jesus's death on the cross, all the sin of God's people was placed on him. Jesus died for them. He died in their place. There's only one thing that would lead the Son of God to do this: he deeply loves us. For God so loved the world, one biblical writer said, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
But Jesus did not remain dead. When some disciples entered Jesus's tomb two days later, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here' (Mark 16:5-6).
Alive
Through Jesus's resurrection from the dead, something breathtakingly extraordinary happened. Everything he ever claimed for himself was vindicated. (1 Corinthians 15:14-19).
Only the resurrection had the power to turn his own followers--cowardly, skeptical men--into martyrs and eyewitnesses who were willing to stake everything on him for the sake of telling the world, This man Jesus was crucified, but now he is alive!
The resurrection is the hinge on which all Christianity turns. It's the foundation on which everything else rests, the capstone that holds everything else about Christianity together.
Who Do You Say He Is?
Maybe you're not ready to believe his claims. What is holding you back? Once you identify those things, don't just walk away from them. Examine them. Pursue them. Find answers to your questions. Don't put this off. This is the most important question you'll ever consider!
Maybe you're ready to say, I really do think Jesus is the Son of God. I know I'm a sinner and a rebel against God. I know I des
What Is the Gospel? Study Guide will capture your mind's attention and ignite your heart's affection for the God who saves us by his grace through his gospel for his glory.
--David Platt, Pastor-Teacher, McLean Bible Church; author, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
What Is the Gospel?
This simple question has major implications for both Christians and non-Christians alike. This study guide, together with Greg Gilbert's best-selling book What Is the Gospel?, will help you answer this important question and apply the gospel to your life.
A User-Friendly Introduction to Interpreting and Understanding God's Word
Many Christians view the Bible as a book that they know they should read, but it can be hard to know where to start. If they spend time regularly reading it, it can often feel like a chore to be checked off for the day. What many miss is that the Bible is a sweeping story full of narrative, poetry, and letters--something to be marveled at and enjoyed.
In The Epic Story of the Bible, Greg Gilbert aims to teach Christians--or those interested in Christianity--what the Bible is and how to study it. Explaining the various genres and major themes woven throughout Scripture, Gilbert helps readers appreciate the word of God with less confusion and greater confidence. Adapted from the ESV Story of Redemption Bible.
Quién es Jesús?
Una persona histórica
Tal vez nunca te has puesto a pensar realmente en quién es Jesús, o si sus declaraciones tienen alguna implicación para tu vida. Después de todo, estamos hablando acerca de un hombre que nació en el siglo primero a una familia de un carpintero judío. Los datos básicos de su vida--dónde y cuándo vivió, cómo murió--son datos muy bien acordados. Pero, qué tal el significado de su vida y su muerte? Era un profeta? Un maestro? Era el Hijo de Dios o solo un hombre extrañamente talentoso? Y por cierto, quién pensaba él que era? A pesar de los desacuerdos, todos parecen estar de acuerdo en una cosa: Jesús fue una persona extraordinaria.
Una persona extraordinaria
Sin duda, había algo en Jesús que le llamaba la atención a la gente de su época. Una y otra vez, Jesús decía cosas que dejaban a sus contemporáneos asombrados por su sabiduría. Jesús aun los confrontaba de manera que los dejaba torpemente buscando la manera de darle sentido a todo lo que decía (Mateo 22:22-33). Muchos que le escuchaban se asombraban, diciendo: Dónde obtuvo éste tales cosas, y cuál es esta sabiduría que le ha sido dada, y estos milagros que hace con sus manos? (Marcos 6:2).
También había los milagros. Cientos de personas vieron con sus propios ojos a Jesús hacer cosas que ningún otro ser humano debería ser capaz de hacer. Sanó a personas de sus enfermedades; hizo que agua se convirtiera en vino fino; ordenó a cojos a caminar otra vez; de la proa de un barco ordenó la calma en el mar; se paró frente a la tumba de un hombre quien había estado muerto por 4 días y lo llamó a regresar a la vida. El hombre lo escuchó, se paró y salió caminando de su tumba (Mateo 8:24-27; 9:6-7; 14:13-21; Juan 2:1-11; 11:43).
Con cada uno de sus milagros y en cada uno de sus sermones, Jesús estaba declarando y comprobando esas declaraciones de sí mismo que ningún otro ser humano había declarado antes. Declaraciones de que él era Dios.
Dios
En ocasiones, Jesús usó un nombre que se usa exclusivamente para referirse a Dios: el presente del verbo ser Yo Soy (Juan 8:48-53; 56-58), lo cual evoca el nombre antiguo y famoso del Dios todopoderoso de Israel (Éxodo 3:14).
Las profecías que Jesús decía cumplir también señalaban a su deidad. El pueblo de Israel añoraba tener un rey que ocupara el trono que por siglos había estado vacío. Un profeta describió al rey como un Admirable Consejero, Dios Poderoso, Padre Eterno, Príncipe de Paz. El aumento de su soberanía y de la paz no tendrán fin (Isaías 9:6). La gente de aquel tiempo habría visto que este Rey prometido no iba a ser un hombre cualquiera que se iba a sentar en el trono por un tiempo y luego morir. Habrían escuchado a Dios prometerles que él mismo vendría y sería su Rey.
Jesús también afirmó su identidad como Hijo de Dios. No era solo un título de realeza, era también una declaración que Jesús era igual a Dios en estatus, carácter y honor. Juan explica: Entonces, por esta causa, los judíos aún más procuraban matarle, porque . . . también llamaba a Dios su propio Padre, haciéndose igual a Dios (Juan 5:18; 8:58).
Uno entre nosotros
Cristianos le llaman la encarnación a la realidad de que Dios se hizo humano. La Biblia nos dice que Jesús tuvo hambre, le dio sed, se cansó y aun le dio sueño. Hizo cosas con una ternura humana inmensa, compasión y amor (Mateo 15:32; Marcos 6:34; Juan 11:33-36). No solo era humano, sino que a lo largo también nos mostró lo que Dios había previsto para la humanidad.
Jesús se estaba identificando con nosotros al volverse uno entre nosotros para poder representarnos en vida y muerte. Cuando Adán, el primer hombre, pecó, lo hizo como representante de todos los que vendrían después de él (Génesis 3:1-6, 14-15). Por una transgresión resultó la condenación de todos los hombres (Romanos 5:18-19).
Jesús iba a dejar que la sentencia de muerte dada por Dios--su ira justa contra pecadores--cayera sobre él. Para esto, Jesús permitió que uno de sus propios discípulos lo traicionara con las autoridades romanas, quienes lo sentenciaron a la cruz. Mientras Jesús estaba colgado en la cruz, todos los pecados del pueblo de Dios fueron puestos sobre Jesús, y él murió por ellos. En su lugar. Existe solo una cosa que llevaría al Hijo de Dios a hacer esto: Nos ama profundamente. Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, dijo un escritor bíblico, que dio a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que cree en El, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna (Juan 3:16).
Cuando algunos discípulos entraron a la tumba de Jesús dos días después, vieron a un joven sentado al lado derecho, vestido con ropaje blanco; y ellas se asustaron. Pero él les dijo: No os asustéis; buscáis a Jesús nazareno, el crucificado. Ha resucitado, no está aquí (Marcos 16:5-6).
Vive
Si Jesús en verdad se levantó de entre los muertos, entonces algo impresionantemente extraordinario sucedió. Pues todo lo que él había declarado acerca de sí mismo ha sido vindicado. Por otro lado, si no se levantó de entre los muertos, entonces olvídalo. (1 Corintios 15:14-19).
Solo la resurrección tenía el poder de convertir a sus propios seguidores, hombres cobardes y escépticos, en unos mártires y testigos dispuestos a arriesgarlo todo por decirle al mundo: Este hombre, Jesús, fue crucificado pero ahora vive!
Toda cristiandad depende de la resurrección. Es el fundamento de todo lo demás, el remate que mantiene unido todo lo demás sobre el cristianismo.
Quién dices que él es?
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Why Trust the Bible?
Don't believe everything you read. Everybody knows that.
So why trust the Bible?
What can be known about its historical reliability?
Doing History
Even more than other religions, Christianity presents itself as history. At its heart, Christianity claims that something extraordinary happened in the course of time--something concrete, real, and historical.
In the Bible, the New Testament declares that a man named Jesus was born to a virgin, claimed to be God, did miracles like walking on water and raising people from the dead, was crucified on a Roman cross, then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven to reign as King of the universe. Can we conclude confidently these things are true without simply presupposing the Bible is the Word of God?
One way to find out is to approach the New Testament as a collection of historical documents that speak for themselves. But are these documents truly reliable, historically speaking?
Answering that involves a series of questions.
Are Our Bible Translations Accurate?
Although translation from ancient languages is neither easy nor simple, scholars have been working at it for centuries. It really is possible for genuine, accurate, correct communication to occur through translation.
In the New Testament, there is only a small percentage of content that has proven difficult in translation. The best Bible translations acknowledge these places with a footnote.
Moreover, we can confidently say that not one major doctrine of orthodox Christianity rests on any disputed or uncertain passage. We know what the Bible says and what it means.
Were the Original Sources Accurately Copied?
As with other ancient books, the physical pieces of paper on which the original authors first wrote the New Testament have been lost to history. But we have thousands of other ancient writings (on papyrus, vellum, and parchment) with original-language text copied from each book of the Bible--about 5,400 distinct pieces when it comes to the New Testament, many going back to the first three centuries. They allow us to reconstruct with a huge degree of confidence what the originals said. (By comparison, for Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars we have at most ten readable copies, the earliest of which dates nine hundred years after Caesar's time.)
By comparing ancient copies of New Testament content with each other, we find a remarkably stable history of copy-making. For a few passages there's genuine doubt about the original text, as reflected by a relatively large number of variations. The vast majority of these variations are minor, not affecting how we ultimately understand the Bible's meaning.
Were These Originals Truly the Best Sources?
But were these the right documents to be looking at in the first place? Were other Gospels out there telling a different but equally reliable story about Jesus?
Actually, the only Christian books dated confidently to the first century are the very ones that finally made up the New Testament--most of them already recognized by Christians as authoritative by first century's end.
Not until about a hundred years later did books start showing up that departed significantly from New Testament teaching. Meanwhile, Christians had good, plausible, historically meaningful reasons for explaining why the books in our New Testament should be there while others shouldn't. The earlier documents were recognized as reliable witnesses to Jesus's life and teachings.
Were the Original Authors Trustworthy?
In their narratives, New Testament authors included verifiable details of real, historical facts. Close scrutiny makes clear that these authors weren't writing fiction, or perpetrating some hoax, or under any delusion. They obviously believed that what they wrote really happened. Nor were their writings hopelessly confused, contradictory, or filled with errors. Especially in modern centuries, the Bible has been subjected to scorching and detailed assault by skeptics, but every single alleged contradiction, inconsistency, and error has been met with plausible resolutions after patient study.
Were the Original Authors Mistaken?
So the Bible is a reliable historical record of what these authors believe happened. But did those things really happen?
After all, the Bible is filled with miracle stories that invite our natural skepticism. These miracles appear essential to the Bible's message, and their eyewitness accounts come across as far more plausible than miracles found in ancient myths and legends.
It's here that one miracle in particular leaps out: the resurrection of Jesus. If biblical writers were genuinely mistaken about that, it's unlikely they were right about much else. If Jesus is still dead, he's assuredly not the Christ the Bible speaks of.
Here again, careful historical analysis reveals that what happened at Jesus's tomb couldn't have been his near death, nor some hoax or deception or mass hallucination involving his followers. Their confident insistence that they found his tomb empty and saw the risen Jesus-- a belief embraced even at cost of their lives--is explained by only one possibility: Jesus was bodily, historically resurrected from the dead.
Reason to Believe
Because of that resurrection, Christians believe what Jesus said. And since Jesus himself endorsed the entire Old Testament and authorized the entire New Testament, Christians believe these writings are reliable and true.
To Christians, Jesus's resurrection means that anyone united to him by faith will be resurrected just as he was. They believe God fully accepted the sacrifice for sins Jesus offered on the cross as the more-t
A tremendous resource for those wanting to study and teach the Bible with an understanding of how the gospel is woven throughout Scripture. --Bryan Chapell, Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church
The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word.
These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) Gospel Glimpses highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) Whole-Bible Connections show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) Theological Soundings identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture.
With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God's grace on every page of the Bible.
The book of James has a well-deserved reputation for providing practical advice, yet it also contains challenging teachings on wealth, anointing with oil, prayer, healing, and the relationship between faith and works.
Through clear exposition of the biblical text and thoughtful application questions, this guide helps us rightly understand James as a stirring exhortation to fruitfulness--ultimately reminding us of the necessary connection between genuine faith and heartfelt obedience.
What Is the Gospel?
What exactly do Christians mean when they talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ? Since the word gospel means good news, when Christians talk about the gospel, they're simply telling the good news about Jesus! But it's not just any good news; it demands a response! It's a message from God saying, Good news! Here is how you can be saved from my judgment! That's an announcement you can't afford to ignore.
So, what is the good news about Jesus Christ?
Since the earliest Christians announced the good news about Jesus, it has been organized around these questions . . .
1. Who made us, and to whom are we accountable?
2. What is our problem?
3. What is God's solution to our problem?
4. How can I be included in his solution?
Christians through the centuries since Christ have answered those questions with the same truth from the Bible.
1. We are accountable to God.
2. Our problem is our sin against him.
3. God's solution is salvation through Jesus Christ.
4. We come to be included in that salvation by faith and repentance.
Let's summarize those points like this: God, Mankind, Jesus Christ, and Our Response.
God
The first thing to know about the good news of Jesus is that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Everything starts from that point, so if you get that point wrong then everything else that follows will be wrong. Because God created everything--including us--he has the right to tell us how to live. You have to understand that in order to understand the good news about Jesus.
How would you describe God's character? Loving and good? Compassionate and forgiving? All true. God describes himself as merciful and gracious, slowto anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness . . . forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. Then God adds, but who will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus 34:6-7). That explodes about 90 percent of what people today think they know about God. This loving God does not leave the guilty unpunished. To understand just how glorious and life-giving the gospel of Jesus Christ is, we have to understand that God is also holy and righteous. He is determined never to ignore or tolerate sin. Including ours!
Mankind
When God created the first human beings--Adam and Eve, he intended for them to live under his righteous rule in perfect joy--obeying him and living in fellowship with him. When Adam disobeyed God, and ate the one fruit that God had told him not to eat, that fellowship with God was broken. Moreover, Adam and Eve had declared rebellion against God. They were denying his authority over their lives.
It's not just Adam and Eve who are guilty of sin.The Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . . none is righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:23,10). Yet, we often think of our sins as not much more than violations of some heavenly traffic law. So we wonder why God gets so upset about them. But sin is much more than that. It's the rejection of God himself and his right to exercise authority over those to whom he gives life.
Once you understand sin in that light, you begin to understand why the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). That's not just physical death, but spiritual death, a forceful separating of our sinful, rebellious selves from the presence of God forever. The Bible teaches that the final destiny for unbelieving sinners is eternal, active judgment in a place called hell.
This is the Bible's sobering verdict: It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Every one of us will be held accountable to God. The Bible warns that whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God (John 3:18).
But . . .
Jesus Christ
The word Christ means anointed one, referring to anointing a king with oil when he is crowned. So, when we say Jesus Christ, we're saying that Jesus is a King!
When Jesus began his public ministry, he told the people, The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news! Centuries before, God had promised that he would come as a great King to rescue his people from their sins. And here was Jesus saying, The kingdom of God is here . . . now! I am that great King!
Eventually Jesus's followers realized that his mission was to bring sinful people into that kingdom. Jesus came to die in their place, to take the punishment they deserved for their rebellion against God. As Jesus died on a cross, the awful weight of all our sins fell on his shoulders. The sentence of death God had pronounced against rebellious sinners struck. And Jesus died. For you and me!
But the story doesn't end there. Jesus the Crucified is no longer dead. The Bible tells us that he rose from the grave. He is not just King Jesus the Crucified, but King Jesus the Crucified and Resurrected! Jesus's rising from the grave was God's way of saying, What Jesus claimed about who he is and what he came to do is true!
Our Response
What does God expect us to do with the information that Jesus died in our place so we can be saved from God's righteous wrath against our sins? He expects us to respond with repentance and faith.
To repent of our sins means to turn away from our rebellion against God. Repentance doesn't mean we'll bring an immediate end to our sinning. It does mean, though, that we'll never again live at peace with our sins.
Not only that, but we also turn to God in faith. Faith is reliance. It's a promise-found
A famed historian once noted that, regardless of what you think of him personally, Jesus Christ stands as the central figure in the history of Western civilization. A man violently rejected by some and passionately worshipped by others, Jesus remains as polarizing as ever. But most people still know very little about who he really was, why he was really here, or what he really claimed.
Intended as a succinct introduction to Jesus's life, words, and enduring significance, Who Is Jesus? offers non-Christians and new Christians alike a compelling portrait of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, this book encourages readers to carefully consider the history-shaping life and extraordinary teachings of the greatest man who ever lived.
The Bible stands at the heart of the Christian faith. But this leads to an inescapable question: why should we trust the Bible? Written to help non-Christians, longtime Christians, and everyone in between better understand why God's Word is reliable, this short book explores the historical and theological arguments that have helped lead millions of believers through the centuries to trust the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Written by pastor Greg Gilbert, author of the popular books What Is the Gospel? and Who Is Jesus?, this volume will help Christians articulate why they trust the Bible when it comes to who God is, who we are, and how we're supposed to live.
What is the gospel? It seems like a simple question, yet it has been known to incite some heated responses, even in the church. How are we to formulate a clear, biblical understanding of the gospel? Tradition, reason, and experience all leave us ultimately disappointed. If we want answers, we must turn to the Word of God.
Greg Gilbert does so in What Is the Gospel? Beginning with Paul's systematic presentation of the gospel in Romans and moving through the sermons in Acts, Gilbert argues that the central structure of the gospel consists of four main subjects: God, man, Christ, and a response. The book carefully examines each and then explores the effects the gospel can have in individuals, churches, and the world. Both Christian and non-Christian readers will gain a clearer understanding of the gospel in this valuable resource.
Concise, Scripture-Centered Guide Answers Popular Questions about Gender and Church Leadership
Many new believers have questions about what it means to live as a Christian in the context of a local church, and pastors are looking for resources to pass along to their congregations to help them think biblically about the Christian life. Church Questions is a series by 9Marks that seeks to provide Christians with sound and accessible biblical teaching by answering common questions about church life. Each booklet offers biblical answers and practical applications with the goal of nurturing healthy church practice and commitment.
In this Church Questions booklet, Greg Gilbert answers the question Can women be pastors? Gilbert explains why God reserved the office of pastor and elder exclusively for men by examining the structures of authority God established from the very beginning. Focusing on texts in Genesis 1-3 and 1 Timothy 2, Gilbert makes a case for why God's original design for church leadership is not arbitrary, but part of his good and beautiful plan.
Help Your Family and Friends Develop Daily Scripture-Reading Habits This Christmas Season
Most Christians recognize the value in regular Bible-reading habits but struggle to find the time or motivation. The ESV Daily Reading Bible: A Guided Journey through God's Word was designed to encourage readers by helping them walk through the entire Bible at a manageable pace.
This two-year plan assigns readings to weekdays and leaves the weekends free for further study, deeper reflection, or catching up on missed days. Each reading features brief introductions and notes by Greg Gilbert and Alex Duke, 2-3 chapters of Scripture, and space to answer a reflection question--inviting readers to thoughtfully engage with every chapter of the Bible. Believers in all stages of life will find encouragement in this specially designed reading plan that meets them where they are, helping them to stay motivated as they develop new and lasting habits.
A Guided Journey through the Bible That Helps Christians Develop Daily Scripture-Reading Habits
Most Christians recognize the value in regular Bible-reading habits but struggle to find the time or motivation. The ESV Daily Reading Bible: A Guided Journey through God's Word was designed to encourage readers by helping them walk through the entire Bible at a manageable pace.
One-year and two-year plans assign readings to weekdays, leaving the weekends free for further study, deeper reflection, or catching up on missed days. Each reading features brief introductions and notes by Greg Gilbert and Alex Duke, 2-3 chapters of Scripture, and space to answer a reflection question--inviting readers to thoughtfully engage with every chapter of the Bible. Believers in all stages of life will find encouragement in these specially designed reading plans that meet them where they are, helping them to stay motivated as they develop new and lasting habits.
Guided Notes alongside the ESV Text Explore God's Narrative Storyline and Plan for Salvation
The Bible is the epic story of the unfolding plan of God over the course of the history of the world. The One Story Bible leads readers on a journey through this storyline from start to finish, with conversational commentary written by pastor Greg Gilbert interspersed throughout the full ESV text. With the aim of encouraging interaction and contemplation passage by passage, Gilbert explains how every part of Scripture fits together and is ultimately centered on Christ. Particularly suitable to those who are new to the Bible but rich with insights for even the most seasoned Bible reader, The One Story Bible will draw readers in as they see their place in the greatest story ever told.
Guided Notes alongside the ESV Text Explore God's Narrative Storyline and Plan for Salvation
The Bible is the epic story of the unfolding plan of God over the course of the history of the world. The One Story Bible leads readers on a journey through this storyline from start to finish, with conversational commentary written by pastor Greg Gilbert interspersed throughout the full ESV text. With the aim of encouraging interaction and contemplation passage by passage, Gilbert explains how every part of Scripture fits together and is ultimately centered on Christ. Particularly suitable to those who are new to the Bible but rich with insights for even the most seasoned Bible reader, The One Story Bible will draw readers in as they see their place in the greatest story ever told.