Jesus Christ came into the world to redeem men from sin. His teaching, his methods, his death, and his resurrection comprise a message of God’s love and redeeming power against the backdrop of his certain judgment on sin and the unrepentant sinner. Quote for L. Nelson Bell

Mr. Bell did not stop there thankfully. These words do accurately spell out the truth of our salvation but it is a summary conclusion of other truths.

Exodus 3:15 English Standard Version (ESV) God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord,^[a] the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

Footnotes ^[a]  The word Lord, when spelled with capital letters, stands for the divine name, YHWH, which is here connected with the verb hayah, “to be”

This God is THE GOD and there is no other. A proper understanding of the simple gospel has to begin with who is sending this message of salvation. He is the only God who has proven Himself over and over again throughout all the generations with covenant promises. This God is the only God that has make covenants and kept them. A god is not God if he cannot keep his word. Who is the God of promise? This God who has made and kept covenant.

This is the first gospel truth to be accepted. It is important to know the author of the gospel message. If we cannot trust the author of a promise, then the promise has no value.

If we want to begin here than one more truth has to be explored and believed. Is this bible we use the inspired Word of God? For most of us, that issue was resolved before we discovered the gospel message. That might not be the case for everyone who needs to hear the gospel.

Acts 24:24 English Standard Version (ESV) After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

The exact phrase “in Christ” is used 76 times in the New Testament. By virtue of first appearance, Acts 24:24 highlights the most important aspect and that being “faith in Christ”. None of us are in Christ unless we first receive Him into our hearts by faith.

Ephesians 2:8 English Standard Version (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Saving grace can only be achieved by faith. Our identity, who we are in Christ, can only be discovered by faith. Salvation is not an intellectual pursuit. We cannot simply believe our way into Christ.

Matthew 13:18, 23a English Standard Version (ESV) “Hear then the parable of the sower: As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it.”

A proper understanding of the “good news” has to take place in order to know how to place our faith in Christ. As was noted earlier in this series, faith is the key to unlocking the door to our hearts. A proper understanding does not just simply say “Jesus Saves” and be done with it.

This relationship with Christ is not an intellectual pursuit. He wants our hearts. The term “give your heart to Jesus” is often heard but just what that means in terms of “faith in Christ” can be misunderstood. People will give of their time and think that is enough. Some will give money and think that is enough. Some will develop friendship with other believers and think that makes them a disciple.

A proper understanding of the gospel message is required in order to discover just how to use our faith to unlock the door to our hearts and let Christ enter.