Hey, friends! This chapter has been a work-in-progress primarily because it's about a topic that should never be taken lightly. I pray each of you leaves changed after reading this chapter. If that means falling deeper in love with Christ or wanting to start living for Him, I'm praying you finish reading this and see things a bit clearer than before.

I've always wondered where to start when wanting to share the Gospel with someone and I think a definition will lay the foundation for us.

So what exactly does the word gospel mean?

In Greek, there are couple different translations to look at, but I just want to highlight one of the translations. That word is: euagelion (hope I didn't butcher that one 😅). In the classical Greek etymology of the word, it means "good news" (thank you britannica.com!). Whenever an emperor secured victory, someone would run back and tell everyone about this victory. What an honor to be a bearer of such GOOD NEWS!

I am so honored to be able to share the good news of the Gospel to each of you. I'm running to you to share the life-changing news of what Jesus life, death, and resurrection means for you and all of humanity!

I don't know all the theology behind it, but I would love to share simple doctrine with you that can bring things into perspective.

First and foremost, we fell. No, I don't mean we were walking, tripped, and fell. What I mean is we were created to be in close communion with God. Let's take a trip back to Genesis (the first book of the Bible). In Genesis 3:9 we see God asking Adam where he was. This happened after Adam and Eve ate of the fruit God told them not to eat. God knew where Adam was physically. The man was hiding from God in the garden out of shame. God wanted to know where Adam was spiritually. Because Adam disobeyed—sinned against—God, he fell out of that close relationship with the Father.

Romans 3:23 tells us: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." None of us are exempt from this fall. Sin separates us from God. Every single one of us. This sin leaves us deserving of God's wrath and righteous judgement.

BUT THERE IS HOPE!!

John 3:16 demonstrates how much God loves us. He sent His one and ONLY Son to die for us. If we believe in Him, if we believe all of who He is, we can live and not remain spiritually dead in our sin. The reality is that our sinful nature is punishable by death, as Romans 6:23 explains, but God gave us the gift of eternal life THROUGH His Son Jesus.

Friend, there is NOTHING we could have done to deserve this gift of eternal life in Jesus. We are undeserving of such unconditional love, but Christ died out of His great love for us. He took on our sin, faced the punishment we deserved, and ultimately conquered the grave and sin and death's grip on us. We are FREE IN CHRIST!

There are five things that have helped me remember the Gospel and just how life-changing it is. These five statements are known as the Five Solas (solae). We can trace these back to the Protestant Reformation, but Romana 1:16-17 (written long before the Reformation) shows us just how critical this is to the Christian faith.

Here they are (thank you, Pinterest!):

We are saved by GRACE alone, through FAITH alone, in CHRIST alone, according to SCRIPTURE alone, for the GLORY OF GOD alone.

Salvation (being saved) is not works-based, meaning it's not about what we can do. It's about what Christ has DONE. His sacrifice is a gift offered to ALL, so it is up to each of us to accept it. If we don't, we cannot partake in God's kingdom. If someone offered you a million dollars and you never took it, you can't call yourself a millionaire. We can't refuse Christ's sacrifice and expect to be considered part of God's family.

Friends, this gift has changed my life for the better. No, life did not become a piece of cake. I do have joy, hope, and peace through it all— the good and the bad. I invite you to accept it. If you don't know where to start, feel free to send me a message! I'm here to listen and to help you as best I can.

If you've already accepted Christ into your life, continue to dig deeper in the Word and His love for you. Continue to surround yourself with Godly influences so you may be strengthened.

I'm praying for you. You are not too far gone. I wander, too, but we are never far from God's grace, love, and mercy. He wants you to return home to a life filled with light, joy, hope, peace, and everything you truly NEED.

I love each of you!!! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to voice them.

-tay 💕