The message of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, is this: Humanity, made in the image of God became tempted and ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, (Gensis 1:26; 3:6). Through this act, sin entered the world. Humanity, now having the Knowledge of Good and Evil, through their free will, recognizes what is wicked, and chooses to do it anyway. All of the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve inherit this curse, a sin nature. God, recognizes the rebellion of humanity, chooses instead of wiping them out, to set forth a path to redemption. The rest of creation is lowered to the fallen state of humans, and God is no longer in the presence of those made in his image, (Genesis 3:23)
On their own, humanity guides themselves deeper and deeper into the darkness of sin. From the great flood to the Tower of Babel, we see a people so devoid of a higher power that they believe their darkest desires are the only altar they need to bow before, (Genesis 6-11). Through this humanity demonstrated to itself that on its own, it could not redeem itself.
God made a covenant, a binding agreement with Abram, promising that through his descendants God will rise up a holy people, set apart from the wickedness of the fall, (Genesis 12:1-3). These people would come to be known as the Israelites, God's chosen people. However, even with God revealing his requirements for righteous life in the ten commandments, humanity was still not able to live a sinless life, (Exodus 20). ...everyone did as they saw fit,"(Judges 21:25). As humanity could not save itself, it would need a savior.
Jesus is that savior. He is God incarnate, the infinite creator limiting Himself to His finite creation, (John 1:1-3;14). Jesus, being God, does not have a sin nature, but rather a divine one. He lived a sinless life and went to the cross to die as a sacrifice for humanity, (John 19; 1 John 3:5). "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him," (Isaiah 53:5). This violent, tragic act was always God's plan, to rob us of the grave, to give us life everlasting, "For God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8).
Christ died for you. He went to the grave in your place because you cannot save yourself. His hands are open, and if you accept the gift of salvation, you will not perish, but have everlasting life, (John 3:16).
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