Gospel - the Good News

- the way to heaven revealed

How does one get to heaven? Ask the group to give their views on salvation.

- being good

- following 10 commandments, becoming religious

- making sure good deeds outweigh sins

- because there so many theories, it is important to find out what

God Himself has to say about this from the Scriptures

Gal 1:7 - How many ways are there? Only one way. No other way!

Context: Galatians was one of the earliest New Testament books written, dated about 40-50 A.D.

Gal 1:1 - Who wrote the book of Galatians? Paul

What were his credentials?

Gal 1:6 - What was the problem he was addressing in Galatia?

- Galatians were his contemporaries, people who had witnessed

Jesus’ death and resurrection, people who had seen Jesus’ miracles.

- Now these same people were being fooled into following a different

way to heaven. This explains why Paul wrote to them very strongly.

- What method was used to change the gospel? Subtle distortion,

twisting and changing the truth.

Gal 1:8 - What point does Paul make absolutely clear?

No one, not an apostle, nor an angel can change the gospel.

What was the consequence of changing the gospel?

God’s curses on you!

Gal 1:9 - To make things crystal clear, he repeats himself.

He leaves absolutely no room for misunderstanding

Why? Visualize what happens everytime something supernatural

happens? Imagine an angel appearing from heaven with a message

for you - would you accept his message totally or would you

check it against what the Bible is saying?

- God clearly says - no one, not even an angel, can change the gospel!

What is the true gospel? Why is it important to know the right gospel?

2 Thess 1:7-8 - Those who refuse to accept His plan to be saved..

2 Thess 1:9 - What certain punishment awaits them?

-- everlasting hell (Rev 20:12-15, 21:8)

-- eternal separation from God

1Cor 15:1-4 - The Gospel - the Good News that saves you if you firmly believe in it.

1Cor 15:3-4 - Christ died.. was buried.. arose from the grave

Why is the Resurrection a crucial part of the Gospel?

Because it proves Christ’s deity, that He was God.

To fully understand the true gospel, we need to look at Scripture more closely. There are 4 aspects of this simple, yet profound truth.

John 3:16 - What is the measure of God’s love for us?

Rom 5:8 - When did he do it? While we were yet sinners

John 3:16 - Not everyone experiences God’s love

- only those who believe

- by implication, those who do not believe will perish,

- related to 1 Cor 15:1-4 .. if you hold fast .. if you firmly believe

Rom 3:23 - Why doesn’t man experience God’s tremendous love?

Because all have sinned.

Why do we fall short?

James 2:10 - In God’s eyes, one little slip makes us as guilty as those

who break all the moral laws

-- visualize people trying jump chasm between God and man..

some jump 15 ft, others 5 ft, but all will be short because

chasm is simply too wide to be jumped.

-- think of how many sins Adam and Eve committed

The Wages of Sin is Death

Rom 6:23 - All have sinned.. or the payment for sin is death

- Note that sin is singular (remember Adam and Eve)

- relate to James 2:10

Heb 9:27 - The one certainty in this life is death and after that comes

judgment - the 2^nd death.

Think of man’s favorite theories for going to heaven:

• Following 10 Commandments, church commandments, religiosity - Rom 3:28
• Being good, doing good works, uprightness - Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Isa 64:6
• Making sure good deeds outweigh sins - Rom 6:23, Rev 21:8

Rom 3:21-22 - Not by being good enough, but by trusting Jesus Christ to take

away our sins.

Rom 3:27-28 - Nothing we can do will earn us salvation, nothing at all.

We are saved by believing in Christ.

Col 2:13-14 - You were dead in sin. He forgave you, blotted out all the

charges, nailed your certificate of debt (sin) to the cross.

Rom 10:9-10 - Confessing and believing really means you accept and trust what God

says is the way to heaven - faith in Christ "alone" to save you

John 1:12 - We need to receive and believe in Christ alone.