GOOD NEWS
What is the good news? We start at the beginning. The Bible tells us that God created the first man and woman in a world of beauty without the presence of sin, which is disobedience to God’s commands (Genesis 2). However, Satan, the Adversary, one of the heavenly angels, tempted the man and woman to disobey God, and they did. As a result, the man and woman suffered spiritual death and separation from God (Genesis 3). This sinful state of spiritual deadness and separation from God was passed down to each human being (Romans 5:12). The Bible tells us, therefore, that no one is in right standing with God and that everyone has done wrong (Romans 3). We rightfully deserve eternal punishment (Romans 6:23).
The good news is that God loved mankind and provided a remedy for man’s separation and sinful state (John 3:16). In Ephesians 2, we are told that God gives salvation based upon his grace, or goodness beyond what we deserve. It is not based upon our doing good things or keeping a set of requirements.
God accomplished this through his Son, Jesus. The Bible, 2nd Corinthians 5:20-21, tells us that God made Jesus, who had not sinned, to take the sins of sinful mankind upon him. He died an innocent death upon a cross (John 19). By doing so, Jesus paid the penalty for sin (Romans 5). God’s approval of the sacrifice on behalf of sinful man was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (1st Corinthians 15).
God calls for sinful man, that’s all of us, to turn away from our sinful lifestyle and openly trust in what Jesus has done for us (Acts 3:19). This genuine change of heart is brought about by the supernatural work of God’s Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1). The Bible tells us that whoever calls on the name of the Lord in this manner will be saved (Romans 10:13). That’s Good News!