Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

The Apostle Paul writes that the Gospel is the power of God to salvation. It is the most CRUCIAL POINT of all Christianity. The word “gospel” is defined as “Good News”. In Christianity, the Gospel-Good News centers around one person alone, His name is Jesus Christ. So what is this Good News?

While world religions, unbelievers, and anti-Christians have turned this Gospel into a convoluted mess, the message of salvation is really quite simple. That Jesus Christ, God from all eternity, was incarnated-born of a virgin and died on a Cross to atone for the sins of all those who place their faith alone in Him. And by His rising from the dead on the third day, those placed in Jesus Christ shall to rise and live eternally with Him forevermore. So believing in Christ alone is the most important cog on how one is saved.
Jesus puts this message simply in John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life”. Keywords here are “shall not come into judgment”. So what is this judgment?

The judgment Jesus is speaking about is God’s justice on sin. All of us are sinners, from the most externally righteous and moral to the least, we all have sinned and fall short (Romans 3:23). God’s plan of salvation was to reconcile His children to Himself by an atonement. A perfect Lamb was needed to be sacrificed to atone for these sins we committed. So what Jesus is stating in John 5:24 is that those who place their faith in Him will not be judged on their sins because He alone was this perfect Lamb and He alone made the atonement on the Cross of which He died. So what is sin and what sins did Jesus atone?

Sin is lawlessness. Every thought, deed, action, or even inaction that circumvents God’s laws and His glory is sin. This Good News states that if Jesus has saved you, every single sin you have ever committed in this lifetime was atoned for by Him. He paid the WHOLE DEBT of your sin, including the punishment and the eternal wrath of God which would be the justice. But those saved have been forgiven and granted mercy for how long? An eternity! What better news is this?

So how can one get to this salvation? Well let’s discuss first how one cannot get to it. It can’t be done by your works or going to church or good deeds or religious involvement. You can say a million Our Fathers or other prayers, and it won’t atone for one white lie on your record of sin. You can be really remorseful and sorry as well, but it won’t forgive you. In other words salvation never comes by works or religious people who deem you “saved”. If I could save the entire human race by a declaration, I would. But I can’t save a single soul. Jesus Christ is the only Savior! Remember, it is always the Gospel which is the power of God to salvation, so faith in that Gospel will be the vehicle by which one is saved. How do you know if God saved you?

If God saved you, there is no more doubting. You are not doubting in an after-life for example or if God actually exists. God grants what is called saving faith. Every part of your being realizes who Jesus is and what He did on your behalf. You have been placed in Him, meaning in His nature. So if you are still questioning whether or not you have been saved for a good long while, most likely you have not been saved. If God has saved you, you also realize more things you did not before such as being actually able to repent (turn away) from sin. You naturally do so not because you still want to be saved, it is because you have been saved. If this is not natural? Most likely you are not saved. God will also grant enlightenment, which means you have a whole new understanding of who He is and what He expects by His word and His promises.

If one says “believe on Jesus Christ”, it is no longer a struggle or argument. You believe the Gospel, and it is that Gospel which is the center of your life, above your career, friends, community, country, parents, spouses, and your children. It is now the authority by which you live by. If you are not doing so, most likely you have not been saved.

If there is an innate desire in you to be saved, this would likely mean God is drawing you to His Son Jesus Christ. What are some of the roadblocks in your drawing? The first one would be a world religion who has told you that you must DO something first. That “DOING” something is a roadblock because it is preventing you from seeing who your Savior is, Jesus Christ who DID everything on your behalf! Again, the roadblock is to the Good News-Gospel. Another roadblock is our fallen nature which always leads us away from God and leads us to sin. Who removes these roadblocks? God does! Again, more Good News. He will remove them according to His plan and to His purpose. When that day comes, you will finally SEE, there are no more roadblocks and only SEE Jesus Christ!