The Gospel of Grace

It was Jesus who saved you by His death on the cross; it was the Father’s love that saved you by sending Jesus to the cross in your place; and it is the Holy Spirit who is bringing that salvation into your life by His work of helping you to believe, trust and obey. But the vehicle they are using to drive all this home into your heart and life is the Gospel of Grace.

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

All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.

What is the Gospel of Grace?

“Gospel” means good news. It is the almost unbelievable good news about the grace of God.[1] Jesus preached the good news of what He called the “gospel of the kingdom” everywhere He went.[2] His message was that God was bringing His heavenly kingdom to earth, giving blessing away to all who will “repent and believe” the good news.[3]  We are to turn to God (repent), believe in God’s grace, and follow Jesus. Through His life, death, and resurrection we have a clearer picture of how good the good news really is: God through Jesus is cancelling all our sins, restoring us to high favor and giving us the Holy Spirit to help us live as Jesus does.

1) The Gospel Is Message and Messenger

It is a message that can only come to you through a messenger. We need both in order to receive it. God’s truth is the message; grace is the means by which God helps us believe His truths. A grace-filled messenger makes the message about God’s grace believable.

Jesus was the first and greatest messenger of the gospel: He was filled with “grace and truth.”[4] He then entrusted the message of the gospel to the disciples and through them to us. The ultimate messenger is the Holy Spirit who has been sent to “lead us into all truth.”[5] However, the Holy Spirit prefers to work through us, teaching us to speak the truth with love. This helps us all “grow up” into being like Jesus.[6]

2) The Gospel is Power

Paul said that he was not “ashamed” of the gospel for it is “the power of God unto salvation.”[7]  Think about that for a moment. We need the saving love, mercy and help of God to “rescue” every aspect of our lives that is falling short of heaven’s fullness. The gospel has the power to bring that salvation to us.

The gospel “powers up” or activates our faith. By means of the gospel getting across to us, we turn from the grip of spiritual darkness (fear, despair, bitterness, etc.) and believe the good news that God is with us and for us, not against us. This happened when we first became saved by believing the gospel, but the gospel is not just about what Jesus did at the cross. It will also bring saving grace to us every time we turn to believe the good news of any truth from God sent to liberate us.

You don’t just get this once. Do not think for one minute that because you are “saved” for heaven that you now know all there is to know about the gospel. The gospel is God’s way of leading you into a heavenly life on earth. You will always need messages from God and messengers to bring it to you, if you want to enter into all that this New Life has in store. It is God’s power for causing His salvation to flow into our lives.

3) The Gospel Turns on the Lights

We hear truth under the light of recognition and we are empowered to respond to it. That’s what the gospel does! It gives us those “Aha! So that’s what this is about…” moments as well as “Oh dear God, now I can see how wrong I was” moments. We need both in order to grow. One is revelation, the other repentance. Both are positive, leading us out of darkness into greater light, powered up by the gospel every step of the way.

More to Explore of God’s Grace

Gifted with Acceptance  We all want to be accepted, don't we? We yearn to find those people, places and events where we feel like we truly belong, where we can "be ourselves" and not have to put up a false front. What if there is a place we can always go and be accepted immediately—just as we are, even when we are most messed up? What if there is someone who will never push us away, but always welcome us with open arms? Wouldn’t you want to go running to that Person? Wouldn’t you always want to be with that Person?

Free Downloads

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Gospel Scriptures

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:14-15

And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Mark 16:15

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

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-9

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." Galatians 3:8

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. Philippians 1:27

Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel. Colossians 1:5

Because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 1 Thessalonians 1:5

And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. Revelation 14:6