It has life-changing power when we believe it. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) This is the SALVATION IN IT.
The good news that God has eternal life for us does not merely mean we go to heaven when we die—wonderful though that is. The good news is that we receive eternal life as the gift of God the moment we receive Christ.
There are three dimensions:
There is the good news of what God has done with our past guilt. There is a difference between being on parole and being pardoned. If we are on parole it means we are out of jail, but the sentence is hanging over our head still. We have to keep our nose clean, report in to a parole officer, and if we fail then they take us back to jail. A pardon means the record of our crimes is blotted out of the books. It is as though we never did it! That is what God has done with our sins.
The second dimension of the gospel has to do with our present grace. Eternal life is immediately accessible—and eternal life is ours the moment we first believe. This is the very life of God—not just a quantity of time as in everlasting life, though that’s included—but a quality of life as in eternal life—the presence of Christ within you in the person of the Holy Spirit.
The third dimension of this good news brings our promised glory. Yes, heaven is included—and heaven is a wonderful place. It is a place of breathtaking beauty. The best thing is eternal life in heaven in being with the Eternal God. He is an infinite Being whom we will explore and enjoy forever. Our hearts are made for Him and will be restless until we experience Him fully—and that will be the ultimate in everlasting satisfaction!
Have you experienced the life-changing power of the Gospel?
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