I want to talk to you about the gospel of Christ. We’ve been building up to this moment in our series, exploring why we need God, the Bible, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Now, let’s focus on why we need the gospel itself—the good news of Jesus Christ. It is the message that Christ wanted shared with the entire world, as He told His apostles in Mark 16:15-16, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
So, why do we need the gospel of Christ? Let’s consider two key reasons.
The first reason is obvious: we need the gospel to be saved. In Romans 1:16, Paul tells us that the gospel is God’s power to save those who believe. The gospel contains the power of God, and it’s not just any message—it is transformative for those who accept it. Jesus emphasized in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” This message was meant to produce fruit in the lives of believers, as Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:5-6, where the gospel brings forth fruit in all who truly hear and understand it. Ask yourself this morning: Do you truly hear and understand the gospel of Christ?
The gospel doesn’t just save us; it also purifies our souls. Every one of us sins. Though we don’t inherit Adam and Eve’s original sin, we all fall short of God’s glory. The gospel purifies our souls, leading us to be born again, as Peter explains in 1 Peter 1:22-23. Through obedience to the truth, we are born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through God’s living and abiding word. This is the same gospel that was preached to you this morning.
The second reason we need the gospel may not be as obvious: we need the gospel to remain saved. Even after we’re saved, we need to hold fast to the gospel. Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 that believing in vain is possible if we don’t hold firmly to the message that saves us. Some start strong but fall away when temptation comes, as Jesus describes in Luke 8:13. We see it in the church today—people who once obeyed the gospel but drifted away because they weren’t deeply rooted in it. Hebrews 3:12-14 warns us to be cautious of developing a heart of unbelief that departs from the living God.
The gospel reminds us that God loved us first. It reveals what true love is—Jesus laying down His life for us, as John writes in 1 John 3:16. It’s the good news that gives us the strength to endure, helps us to be faithful until death, and promises the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).
If you’re hearing this message today, I urge you to reflect on whether your appreciation for the gospel is as strong as when you first believed. If you haven’t obeyed the gospel yet, I invite you to do so. The steps are simple but powerful: hear the gospel, believe in Jesus Christ, confess Him as your Savior, repent of your sins, and be baptized for the forgiveness of those sins.
