Most people would describe themselves as follows: “I'm a good person.” Or, “I'm a believer in God.” Or even, “Jesus is my Lord.”

But this describes most UNSAVED people!

• Cornelius (Acts 10:1-2) was a good person, but needed to hear words by which he and his household would be saved. (Acts 11:14 )
• James teaches that even the demons “believe” … and tremble! (James 2:19)
• And Jesus Himself taught, “NOT everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 7:19-21)

This lesson looks at what makes the difference between a good, believing follower of Christ who is saved , and the same type person who is lost.

“The Gospel” (occurs over 100 times in the Bible)
A.k.a., the gospel of peace, the gospel of God,
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The “gospel” centers on the events of Jesus' mission:

I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you … 3 … that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried , and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

We are to preach these facts to everyone. But the gospel is more than facts:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved ; but he who does not believe will be condemned. –Mark 16:15 -16

The gospel has…

FACTS to be believed, (Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 8:37 )

COMMANDS to be obeyed, (Repent; be baptized; observe all things that Jesus commands. Matthew 28:18-20)

and

PROMISES to be received. (You shall be saved.)

If we don't believe, we will have heard in vain.

2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it . – Hebrews 4:2

If we don't obey , we will have believed in vain.

I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain . 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Obeying the gospel

How can someone “obey” the “death, burial, and resurrection” of the Lord?

A. The death is a death to sin.

This involves repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10 - For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death; Galatians 2:20 )

B. The burial is a burial in water.

C. The resurrection is coming out of the water to walk in newness of life.

How shall we who died to sin (A.) live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism (B.) into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life . (C.) – Romans 6:2-4

The Three Passages About “Obeying the Gospel”

A Problem

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

“Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” -- Romans 10:15-18

A Very Sobering Question

17 The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” -- 1 Peter 4:17-18

The Frightening Answer

It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, -- 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9

Conclusion:

It's good to be a good person.

It's right to be a believer in God.

It's important to call Jesus your Lord.

But to be saved, you must also obey the gospel.

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Written by Ink Man

Quotes are from the New King James Version of the Bible.