Life began with God. He created the world and everything in it to reflect His truth, beauty and goodness. And God chose to create mankind in His own image and entrusted them to rule over the earth. Adam and Eve were given ultimate purpose - to fill the earth with God’s image by creating life and community. Man was created to worship God and enjoy Him forever. (Gen. 1-2) But…
What God had declared “very good” was tainted. When tempted, Adam and Eve rebelled against God and their divine purpose in order to seek their own glory. The result of Adam’s sin was death. All of creation was corrupted by sin and all of mankind inherited a sinful nature. Man is born spiritually dead, enslaved to sin, guilty before a holy God, unable to restore himself and separated from God forever. This is very bad news. (Gen. 3:1-19, Rom. 3:23, Eph. 2:1-3) But…
God promised to send a Redeemer to rescue sinful man and crush the evil one. In His great love and mercy, God sent Jesus as a substitute to save sinners and restore broken humanity. He lived a perfect life, the life we could never live. He died a gruesome death, the death we deserved because of our sin. He rose from the dead, victorious over sin and death. And now, through faith in Jesus alone, sinful man is made new. This is the gospel, which removes God’s wrath, reverses the effects of sin and bridges the gap of separation that once existed between God and man. This is very good news. (Gen. 3:15, Eph. 2:4-9, 1 Cor. 15:55-57, Rom. 6:9-11, 1 John 2:1-2, 1 Tim. 2:5) And…
God is gathering a people who will worship Him and represent Him to the world. As people are saved by His grace they are forgiven of their sins, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, given a new identity in Christ, and adopted into the family of God – the church. This community follows Jesus in living out the gospel in their lives together and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to their families, community and city. (1 Peter 2:9-10, Acts 2:42-47, Eph. 2:12-22) And…
Jesus has called us to join Him in His mission of restoration. There are many, blinded by sin, who do not know who Jesus is or how desperately they need Him. Some ignore Him, some reject Him, but many simply misunderstand Him. Jesus said “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
The gospel isn't just for those who don't yet know Jesus. Read more
(adapted from Cornerstone Church - Warwick, RI)