The Truth of the Gospel - Foundations – Part 1 - October 20, 2024

The root of a lot of our problems is our addiction to religion.
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins ... ” Ephesians 2:1 (CSB)
Sin doesn’t just make you bad, sin makes you dead. 
“2 … in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.” Ephesians 2:2-3 (CSB)

1. Religion makes it about earning, not receiving.
2. Religion focuses on outward compliance, not inward transformation.
3. Religion breeds pride or despair.
4. Religion turns following Jesus into a scoreboard. 
5. Religion creates distance from God, not closeness.

Grace

Religion builds walls, while grace tears them down, leading to a life of freedom, not striving.

“4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, 5made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift ​— ​9not from works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:4-9 (CSB)
Five Truths of the Gospel of Jesus: 
#1 - The Gospel Raises 
  • Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, He came to make dead people live. 

  • True transformation begins when we stop trying to be our own savior. 
#2 - The Gospel Rescues
  • Our faith in Jesus is like grabbing the lifeline of grace.
#3 - The Gospel Redeems 
  • On the cross, your sin was nailed to Jesus, and His righteousness was nailed to you. 
#4 - The Gospel Restores 
#5 - The Gospel Reforms
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (CSB)

God’s grace is the foundation, faith is the response, and good works are the outcome.
Grace rewrites your story—not by your works, but by His finished work—so the question isn't ‘Are you worthy?’ but ‘Will you receive it?’