If we wish to clearly present the gospel, we must first understand what it is. Here is a very well-known summary verse found in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 (NASB) First and foremost, the gospel is God’s power and means to save people.
As important as prayer is, it cannot do what the gospel does. Prayer can never take the place of the gospel. Neither do good works, great church services, or the powerful gifts of the Spirit. Only the gospel, when it is communicated effectively and believed, can rescue people from sin and darkness. Only the gospel can provide the doorway into God’s favor and family. Only the gospel is the gateway into eternal life in God’s presence. Only the gospel saves people.
Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21 (NLT)
The gospel becomes effective in our lives when we believe it.
Belief is much more than simple acknowledgement of a set of facts or agreement with the Bible’s logic or story.
Faith moves us to put our lives on the line in service of the one who is the focus of the gospel, the Lord Jesus.
This is why Paul wrote that he was not ashamed of the gospel. His faith propelled him into a lifetime of obedient service to Christ and the gospel, regardless of the personal cost.
Faith can be thought of as a combination of trust and allegiance which produces a quality called faithfulness in those who believe.
People who are “full of faith” believe the gospel message that Jesus died for our sins and rose again as our Lord. They trust in God with all their hearts and remain steadfastly loyal to him.
Such heart faith moves people to tell others what they believe and whom they serve in order to invite them to do the same.
Paul wrote to the church at Rome the following.
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. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) Water baptism is a God-given way for us to publicly and unashamedly demonstrate our faith in and allegiance to Christ and the gospel.
A lifetime of faithful service is one of the evidences of true believers. Once we understand the gospel, we must act on it. (If you need to review a concise summary of the gospel, you can click here to read my article.) If you have never believed in your heart and confessed aloud your allegiance to Christ, you can do that now. Below is a model prayer to get started. Once you pray that and mean it, you need to tell others and be water baptized. This will launch your life as a disciple. It is also important to become involved in a local church committed to discipleship. The one I pastor is called LifeNet. Let us know if we can help you.
Prayer
Jesus, I have never before understood the gospel, but now I believe that you died for my sins and rose again in victory over sin, death, and the devil. I acknowledge that you are my Lord and I wish to dedicate my life in service to you. Thank you for forgiving my sins, setting me free, and giving me a brand new relationship with God the Father. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to live in me. Thank you for giving me eternal life. Help me to tell others about you. Amen.
