As Christians we are called to share our faith.
Peter exhorts us to:
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” – 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)
But many Christians struggle to share the good news of Jesus Christ because, while they know what they believe, they find it hard to put it into words.
Or else they find it hard to explain their faith in words that someone outside the church would understand.
The Bible is very clear that the gospel is not vague spiritual encouragement or general religious advice.
It is a specific message with life-changing implications.
At its simplest, the gospel can be summarised in one verse:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23 (NIV)
Let’s unpack that…
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God’s plan: relationship with him
The Bible begins with good news: God created us, he loves us and he wants to live in relationship with us.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
We are not an accident. We are made in his image and designed for connection with him.
God is not distant or uninterested. He is personal, relational and inviting.
From the very beginning, God’s desire has been relationship with his people.
In fact, Jesus describes himself as standing at the door and knocking – inviting us into fellowship with him.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” – Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
Our problem: separation from God
But there is a problem.
God is perfectly holy and we are not.
The Bible tells us that we all fall short of God’s perfect standard:
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23 (NIV)
None of us live up to his perfect goodness. This is what the Bible calls sin.
And sin has consequences.
The Bible is very clear: the punishment for sin is death: separation from God now and ultimately forever.
“For the wages of sin is death…” – Romans 6:23 (NIV)
That’s the bad news…
God’s solution: Jesus
But the good news is, because of his great love for us, God did not leave us in that condition.
Instead, he sent Jesus Christ, his Son, to rescue us:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV)
Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, and then died the death we deserved. On the cross, he took the punishment for sin in our place:
“He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’” – 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
But the story did not end there. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin and death, and offering eternal life to all who believe and trust in him:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” – 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)
Our response: receive God’s gift
The gospel is not something we earn. It is something we receive.
We are not saved by good works, effort or religious performance.
Salvation is a free gift:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
And like any gift, it must be received.
To receive this free gift, the Bible tells us we must:
- Admit we have sinned and ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9)
- Believe that Jesus died and rose again (Romans 10:9)
- Commit to following him as Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9)
That is the wonderful invitation of the gospel.
Our assurance: we are saved
When we respond to Jesus in faith, the Bible gives us some strong assurances:
- Whoever believes in him receives eternal life (John 3:16)
- Whoever confesses Jesus as Lord and believes in his resurrection will be saved (Romans 10:9)
- Salvation is a gift of grace, not something we can earn (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This means our salvation is secure not because of our performance, but because of God’s promise.
We can be confident that:
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9 (NIV)
And that:
“Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV)
That is the good news of Jesus Christ that we have to share!
Final thoughts
The gospel message is simple, but profound:
- God created us for relationship with him
- Sin has separated us from him
- Jesus died and rose again to bring us back to God
- Salvation is a free gift – all we have to do is accept it
- Whoever accepts the free gift of salvation will not perish, but have eternal life
This is the good news Christians are called to share.
Your next step: The 30 Day Evangelism Challenge
If you want help building a consistent evangelism habit, I invite you to join the 30 Day Evangelism Challenge.
Each day includes:
- A short Scripture passage to read
- A brief teaching on the passage
- A guided prayer activity
- A short evangelism-related challenge to do at another point in the day
- Reflection questions to help you track your growth
Over the course of 30 days, you’ll grow in your knowledge and understanding of Biblical evangelism, and you’ll begin to build a foundation for a regular habit of evangelism.
Join the 30 Day Evangelism Challenge!
Recommended books on evangelism
- Out Of The Saltshaker And Into The World – Rebecca Manley Pippert
- Stay Salt – Rebecca Manley Pippert
- Honest Evangelism – Rico Tice
- The Case For Christ – Lee Strobel
- Evangelism And The Sovereignty Of God – J.I. Packer
READ MORE >>> Recommended books on evangelism
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