Gospel counterintuitive to common idea of “earning”.

Gospel crushes but also gives HOPE.

“Good” people can be saved?

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” <Ro 3:10-11>

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. <Isa 64:6> 

Not just actual committed sins, but sin as a nature.

Most offending sin to the Creator God is the denial of Him as one’s God and Master.

Sin is not wiped out just by doing more good works than the bad. Every sin must be paid for.

GOOD NEWS: Those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ, their punishment for sin is paid by Jesus on the cross.

Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” <Luke 5:32>

<John 3:36> Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. 

Jesus is enough to save us.

There is nothing we can do to earn our way into heaven!

<Ep 2> 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 

 Jesus is enough when we face life’s problems.

Jesus is enough to help us deal with sin.

<1 Jn 1:9> If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

 Jesus is enough to satisfy us. 

 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” <Php 4:19>

 God’s Grace not only sets believers free from the penalty, but also the bondage of sin.

We are saved not by good works, but we are saved for good works.

<Ep 2:10> For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

SALVATION:

Basis: Christ.

Means: Faith.

Fruits: Good works.