The Good News

Not many people truly need to be convinced of their own failures. We all seem to know deep down our complete inability to measure up to that standard that seems to hang over us like a dark cloud. A quick glance at God's commands in the Bible further convinces us that we have been weighed on the scales of perfection and come up short. "Do not murder"1 (or hate your brother without cause) 2 , "do not commit adultery" 3 (or gaze at someone in lust) 4 , "do not covet (crave) your neighbor's belongings," 5 "love the Lord God above everything else," 6 "do not lie" 7 ... The list goes on 8 . If this is really the standard God has established, who can have hope?

Many of us try to outweigh the wrong that we've done with good deeds. But however hard we try, we never find security in our own efforts. 9 There's no assurance that we've done enough to get by. And apart from that, we know deep down that nothing we do can truly cover over our wrong; we have been declared guilty 10 , and nothing we do can erase what we've done. Most of the world is living with these doubts and fears deep within their hearts. They must be covered over and hidden, though, so no one can find out who we truly are, or what we honestly deal with.

There is hope though. When the very first humans sinned for the very first time, they separated themselves and the rest of creation from a Holy God. 11 But God, in His infinite goodness, planned a way to bring the creation He loved back to Himself. 12 Apart from God's goodness we are all without hope and destined to pay the penalty for our rebellion against His commandments. This penalty is death and eternal separation from God in Hell. 13 But the Good News came when Jesus the Son of God and God himself, after having lived a perfect life, died on our behalf. He willingly wore our sins like a garment and allowed Himself to receive the full punishment for all of our offenses. 14 Then, three days after His death, He rose from the dead. 15 In doing this, He makes available to us the choice of life.

When we accept Jesus' death as payment for our sins and allow Him to completely lead our lives, He can then cover over our wrongs and release us from the guilt and shame we are trapped under. 16 His death covers over all of our wrongdoings, and they are never held against us again. 17 We are completely freed to love Him and be loved by Him on into eternity. That is the Good News that is available for everyone!