A Simple Gospel

The Gospel in a Nutshell Version 2

Shortly after I put out the first version of this blog post, I received a wonderful comment from a friend, which she very kindly published on FB.

“If I have been wrong in believing that there is a life after death; if I have been wrong in believing that there is a Holy God who created the earth and all there is in it; if I have been wrong in believing that there is a Holy God who sent His only Son to this earth and allowed Him to lay down His life as the perfect Lamb of God, to pay the price for my sins that I might live for Him here on this earth and then with Him for eternity.....If this is all there is and my body returns to the earth, never to be resurrected.....what have I lost? Eternity is a long time to be wrong..... Please hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, and invite Jesus to be the Lord of your life here on earth and in the life to come.” Here and now is a good place to start.

I thought about this for a moment longer and I seemed to be prompted of thinking about a “version 2”, especially for those who perhaps do not yet have a Bible. So, for those of you who do not like a full Bible presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then here is another version. I cannot entirely avoid Bible quotes so you may have to bear with me and just accept them at face value for now, or until you obtain your own copy of the Bible.

In the first part of the Bible, the Old Testament, in the book of Joel, it says in Joel chapter 2 verse 32 “ And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.” Then in the last part of the Bible, the New Testament, in the book of Romans chapter 10 verse 13, it says again that “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Why do I quote these? Because they were written about 700 years apart and have been preserved for us by scholars and historians – so they are seen to be important. They point us towards the person of Jesus Christ.

You see, those who do not know Jesus Christ on a personal level are often termed as being in the dark because they have not yet seen or met the ‘light of the world’, which is another name for Jesus Christ. So how does someone in the dark, get into the light.

By turning from darkness to light – it really is that simple.

Imagine this – if the light is behind you – you will always have to step into the darkness of your own shadow. The solution to this is to turn towards the light – Jesus.

In the New Testament, in the book of John, chapter 8 verse 12, the Bible says “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

You see God, and Jesus, both love you. Again in the book of John, in chapter 3 verses 16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Saved from what and how?

Saved from an eternity of darkness away from God. To reverse this, all we have to do is to “call upon the name of the Lord”, just like we saw in the beginning.

We need to call out, “Jesus – save me.” When we do we turn a little bit.

Then we need to call out again “Jesus – save me.” When we do we turn a little bit more.

Then once more we need to call out, “Jesus – save me.” And we find that we have turned a little bit and completed the turn round to face Jesus – the light.

NOW, all we need to do is to step forward into the light that shines from Jesus.

All you have to do is to call upon His Name like I showed you.

Pray this prayer when you are ready – or call us and we will very gladly help you.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ

I called upon your name and I face you now

Save me

Forgive me my sins

And break every chain that holds me back from you

I put my faith alone in you

I believe with my heart

What I now speak with my mouth

The light of salvation has come

I am a child of God

I belong to Jesus

For ever and ever and ever

In the name of Jesus

AMEN