God loves you and He wants to have a personal relationship with you. But there is one problem—sin. The first few chapters of the Bible tell us the story of creation, how God created everything that exists, including us. Those chapters also tell the story of how sin entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s commands. But sin didn’t stop there. Rom 3:23 tells us, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Sin is a part of the human condition. We all fall short of God’s commands. And sin has consequences. The first part of Rom 6:23 teaches us, “For the wages of sin is death.” Sin separates us from God.

So if we are sinners and are separated from God, how can we have a relationship with Him? Well, that’s the good news of the Gospel. God has made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and made right with Him. Rom 5:8 tells us, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We can’t keep all the rules that God has given us. It’s just not possible. But God knew that, and he sent his son, Jesus, to make a way for us to be forgiven of our sins. Jesus was born as a baby in Bethlehem. He grew up, lived a perfect life, keeping all of the commandments of God. He spent three years traveling around Israel, preaching and teaching, and ultimately, he died on a cross. His death paid the wages of our sins. He paid that price for us. He paid that price for YOU.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Yes, Jesus died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He died, was taken down from the cross, and placed in a tomb, but he didn’t stay there. On the third day, Christ rose to life again, defeating death and making a way for us to have that relationship with God. 

Rom 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Because Jesus died in our place, paying the penalty for our sins, if we believe in Him, we will be saved. And because he rose to life again, we can live our lives in relationship with God. Through prayer, studying the Bible, and experiencing community with other believers, we can grow in that relationship.

Rom 5:1-2 sums it up, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

If you have made a decision to believe in Christ and place your faith and trust in Him, we would love to know about it. Or maybe you have more questions about the good news of the gospel and how you can be saved. If so, please let us know by sending us an email or calling the church office at 703-670-5032.