The Essential Teachings of the Bible
The Bible contains great wisdom, inspirational thoughts, and history. It also contains prophecies that were made long ago that were fulfilled in history, and prophecies made long ago of things yet to come. But the central message of the Bible is concerned with who God is, who man is, man’s broken relationship with God and the resulting consequences, what God has done to restore that relationship, and how man is commanded to respond to what God has done. This is called the Gospel. Here is an outline of the basic points of the Gospel; in other words, the central message of the Bible, briefly stated.
GOD
- Created and owns everything.
Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Psalm 24:1: The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.
- Is perfectly holy.
1 John 1:5: This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
Matthew 5:48: Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- Requires perfect obedience to His law.
James 2:10: For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
MAN
- Has broken God’s law.
Romans 3:10,23: There is none righteous, not even one…for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
- Will pay the eternal penalty for sin.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Isaiah 59:2: But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.
- Cannot save himself by his good works.
Titus 3:5: He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.
Comment: Nearly everyone notices two things about life: First, eventually everyone dies. Second, although there is great beauty and goodness in the world, there is also great suffering and injustice. Even the best of us don’t always do the right thing, and some are genuinely evil. The Bible explains these two things. Death came into the world because of sin; and because of sin all men die. Our sin nature is more than the things we do; it is part of who we are because we live in a fallen world. And because we live in a fallen world, mankind is plagued by suffering and injustice. God’s perfect justice demands payment for every sin, but in God’s love He provided a perfect sacrifice that could provide substitutionary atonement for the judgment we all deserve. God has provided the only way we can be changed from within, and restored to a relationship with Him. Consider carefully the passage of Titus 3:5 quoted above.
CHRIST
- Came to earth as both God and sinless man.
Colossians 2:9: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.
- Demonstrated God’s love by dying on the cross to atone (pay) for our sins.
Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 Corinthians 5:21: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (See also John 3:16, 1 Peter 2:24)
- Rose from the grave and is alive today.
1 Corinthians 15:4: And that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
WHAT MUST WE DO?
- We must repent of all that dishonors God.
Isaiah 55:7: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
Luke 9:23: If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
- We must believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Romans 10:9: If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
- QUESTION: Will you repent and believe in Christ?
Acts 17:30-31: Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent. Because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.
What does all of this mean? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). All people will either come to faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, or reject the message of the Gospel. Jesus will either be your Savior or your judge. We must recognize that we are in a lost condition in this world without faith in Jesus Christ. Those who come to faith in Christ receive salvation: forgiveness of their sins, eternal life, and fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit. Those who reject the Gospel are rejecting Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation, and they will receive eternal punishment for their sins.
What does it mean to repent and believe in Jesus Christ? Repentance involves realizing that your ways are not God’s ways, and that you must turn away from your own ways and toward God’s ways. Belief involves more than just mental assent, it involves acting according to God’s will, and trusting in Him. We are saved by grace alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and not by our own good works. And we will never be perfectly conformed to what God wants us to be during our time in this world. But if we believe and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will be changed from within; our lives will be transformed, our minds renewed.
Whether you believe these essential teachings of the Bible are true, or you aren’t sure and simply want more information, we recommend that you go to the section of this website entitled “The Gospel” and study the material.