What is the Gospel?

up:: Start here Throughout the Bible God reveals himself and gives us understanding about who we are, were we came from and where he invites us to go.

Broken by Pride

You might be familiar with the Creation account: Adam and Eve, a snake and a bitten fruit. This poetic narrative makes a point about human nature: Rather than letting God teach us what is good and evil, we want to decide what is good and evil on our own terms.

Of course there is a huge problem with each of us deciding what is good and evil. Human beings are notoriously selfish and my definition of good might not align with yours. In the Biblical story assessment, this is where humanity’s pain and hurt comes from.

God’s promise

But from day one God pursues the rebellious and violent humanity patiently. Humanity’s habits of selfishness are so ingrained and passed on from one generation to another, yet God promises that one day there will be a man who will break humanity from the curse of pride. The Bible labels that pride “sin”, missing the mark of God’s good plan. It describes how humans by themselves are pretty good at it but how it is amplified by cosmic powers bent on destroying God’s plan and creation (That’s the snake, or, the “Satan”).

Let’s recap: There is a good Creator God in whose communion we flourish. Humanity in pride rebelled against being in his presence. As a result, there is pain and violence in this world. Moreover, our actions and decisions will also carry over into eternity which we can spend in God’s presence or apart from him.

Redemption for the broken

God lowered himself in Jesus to provide a way for us to come back into the life that is communion with God. In his life, death and resurrection he broke the curse of pride, defeated the cosmic powers amplifying it and made a way to become restored into God’s presence. Now, humanity as a whole and each of us has a choice: Will we continue in our rebellious pride, harming ourselves and others by declaring what’s wrong or right, or will we, by faith in Jesus through God’s immeasurable grace be restored into relationship with him and advance the Creation project in close partnership as was His plan from the beginning.

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But don’t take my word for it, let the Bible speak to you

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