Good News for You
The first good news you find in the Bible is that you are not a genetic accident. You are the creation of a wise and powerful Being (Ps. 119:14). Not only did God create you as a part of an ultimately good plan, but he made you after his own image (Gen. 1:16). (How is that for a high view of what it means to be human?)
The dark background for the good news of the gospel is that we human beings are alienated from God, in rebellion against him since almost the beginning of history (Gen. 3). We are sinners, every one of us (Rom. 5:12). If we were to stand on our own on the day of judgment, we would surely be destroyed (2 Thes. 1:9). But God cared and did something extraordinary for us. As the most famous statement ever spoken puts it, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Is this not good news?
Jesus Christ himself made this statement. He lived a perfect life for us, though we have not measured up to all the requirements of God. And he died as a substitute for us, bearing the penalty for our sins (Rom. 5:8). Jesus' resurrection from death by the power of God showed that he was himself a righteous man, and that his death had been for others (1 Peter 3:18).
So how can you connect with this forgiveness and the blessings that Christ has purchased for his people at such high cost? By faith (Eph. 2:8-9). You must believe that Christ is able to save you from the guilt of your sins. You must rely upon him and him alone to make you right with God.
Why put this off any longer? “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom. 10:13) Confess to God that you are a sinner. Ask Christ to save you, to become your Savior and to help you live for him as you look to the future. The benefits of being a Christian--that is, of being connected by faith to Christ--are truly extraordinary, both in this life and in the next.
We would love to speak with you more about these things. They are so remarkable that it seems almost a shame to be so brief about them!