The Gospel of Jesus Christ (Pt. 3) - Responding to the Gospel
In the first part of our gospel series, we discussed how our understanding Salvation shapes everything we believe in scripture. If we misinterpret Salvation, it affects all other truths. The Bible can be seen as God's promises to humanity, where the key question is whether He keeps His promises. One key promise was eternal life, which rests on Jesus' resurrection. If Jesus didn't rise, it would mean God lied, and everything else would be meaningless. So understanding salvation is crucial, as God's reputation depends on this promise.
In the second part, we also briefly discussed how our response to the gospel should be shaped by gratitude, faith, and joy. First, gratitude—when we truly understand what God has done, it leads to worship and a heart full of thankfulness. Next, faith—it's not about waiting for God to act, but trusting that He has already provided everything we need. Also, joy—our joy comes from the reality of Christ’s work in us, remaining steadfast even in difficult times.
Now, our goal in this third part is to deepen the conviction of believers and show non-believers that God is trustworthy. So they can have the appropriate response to the gospel, which is to accept it and share it.
1. Accept it
Our text is from Numbers 21:5-9. The Israelites, after being delivered from Egypt and experiencing daily supernatural provisions from God, complained about their circumstances. They complained about the manna, calling it miserable and rejected it. They said, “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we loathe this miserable food.” . In response to this, God sent serpents to bite and kill many of them. In the realization of their sin, they asked Moses to pray for their deliverance. So God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and raise it on a pole. In doing this, anyone who was bitten would live if they looked at it.
This passage shows that rejecting God’s provision leads to death, but God’s mercy offers a way out. The issue of sin is not just outward immoral behavior; but a mindset that is alienated from God. As a result, it devoids us from God’s provision. It is a rejection of God’s provision, much like the Israelites rejecting the manna. Colossians 1:21 describes sin as a “hostile mindset” toward God. This is why everyone, regardless of their actions, faces mortality because of sin. The power to overcome death is a provision from God, and only an eternal, perfect God could offer it. This provision, eternal life, is available to all who accept it by believing in Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-18 clarifies that eternal life is for those who believe in Jesus. Those who reject this provision are already condemned by their refusal, not by God's judgment. This is echoed in John 6:32-35, where Jesus reveals He is the bread of life, sent by God to give eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 confirms that eternal life is in Jesus, and whoever has the Son has life.
2. Share it
As believers who have accepted the gospel of Christ, we are called to share this life-giving message with others, knowing that those who believe in Jesus have the hope of eternal life, free from death’s grip.
The gospel is clear: it’s not about earthly blessings like jobs or marriages, but about eternal life through Jesus Christ. As Paul states, the message must be what Jesus preached: eternal life through His resurrection. This is the core of the gospel. When we preach about anything else, we miss the point, and those who hear cannot receive the full benefit.
So our response matters, as many in the world have never heard the gospel. Our mission is to share this truth—that Christ died for us and we’ve been offered forgiveness, not just for sins like adultery or theft, but also the alienation from God that leads to death. Jesus came to save us from this alienation and provide eternal life.
Conclusion
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells a parable about a master who gives talents to his servants. There’s one servant, the third, who responds in verse 24, saying, “Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping where you have not sown.” He explains that out of fear, he hid the talent in the ground. This kind of misunderstanding of God leads to this kind of response. When we subconsciously view God as a taskmaster, difficult and harsh, it becomes hard to truly love Him.
Truth is, God is not like that. Everything God gives us is life—it’s life, no matter where we are in life. No matter our past, we have access to the life of God, and transformation begins when we truly understand Him. If we think of God as harsh, violent, or ready to strike us at any moment, we’ll never connect with Him in love. But God has never presented Himself that way.
The Bible shows us that Jesus is the perfect representation of God. When we look at Jesus, we see God clearly, in the most perfect way. Prophets and people may have misinterpreted God’s nature in the past, but Jesus shows us the truth. That is the God we preach—the one who has given us eternal life.
