The non-negotiable for the Christian is the gospel – every true and genuine Christian must know the gospel because they had to respond to the gospel if they are indeed “saved”. Jesus made the statement in John 14:6 – “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.”
Consequently the focus of the gospel is upon Christ. Christ Himself is the key to the very nature of the gospel. Here are some statements that shape our thinking from the Scriptures about Christ:
1) He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; Heb 1:3) – He is and has always been fully God.
2) He is the first born of all creation (Col. 1:15) – this does not mean He was created but the one who shares preeminence as God’s one and only unique Son in that He shares the exact same nature as the Father (Hebrews 1:3).
3) He is our Great High Priest – He was tempted in all ways like us yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He was sinless and perfect.
4) He became human – He selflessly left all the privileges of the eternal fellowship of the Godhead in eternity and humbled Himself by taking to Himself flesh and blood – in other words, He took to Himself full human nature (Philippians 2:6-8).
5) Final Sacrifice – He offered Himself as a final sacrifice for sins for all time to be our substitute on our behalf (10:12, 14). There is no longer a need for sacrifices because His sacrifice was completely sufficient for the whole world.
6) He is the only Way to the Father – His personal claim was that He was the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). There is salvation in no one else.
7) He is the Resurrection and the Life – everything that Christ claimed to be and do would be invalid (or only relevant for that time and culture) if not for the physical, bodily resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-20). His resurrection validates the viability of every claim because He lives to enforce and make every promise effectual.
8) He is before everything and in Him everything holds together – everything that had a beginning is viable and sustainable only because God sustains it with the energizing presence of His power (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). Everything means: everything that exists.
9) He alone is the Head of the Church – Christ is the one who has created, sustained and validates the existence of His Church (Colossians 1:18). Pastors, priests, bishops, elders are simply under-shepherds – Christ, and Christ alone, is the true Head of His Church (Colossians 1:15-18).
10) He gives Eternal Life to all who receive Him – eternal life is becoming part of God’s family, saved and adopted by grace, through faith in the person and work of Christ alone. It is never based on our goodness or good works! We not only become part of God’s family, but we have the promise of living for eternity in His presence. We are no longer under judgment and we have passed out of death to life (John 1:12-13; 5:24).
There are my top 10 statements about the Gospel / Christ
Pastor Brad
