What Is the Gospel?
In short, the gospel is good news—the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done to rescue sinners and redeem His creation.
The story begins when all things were first made. God chose to create a world filled with His goodness and designed to display His glory. And it was good—very good. Humans were uniquely made in God’s own image and given the task of cultivating that goodness upon the earth. Best of all, they were created to do this work with God, in relationship with Him, as joyful worship.
[Read Genesis 1–2]
But the story took a heartbreaking turn. The first humans, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God’s good and wise command. They chose their own glory and wisdom over His. From that moment on, every human has been born with a disease in their soul called a sin nature. That means that every person participates in doing what God has called evil and chooses not to do what He has called good and right. This is sin, and because God is holy, righteous, and just, He must judge sin. In His commitment to restore His good creation, all who sin (which is all of us) deserve judgment.
[Read Genesis 3; Romans 1:18–3:23]
But God is not only holy and just—He is also loving, gracious, merciful, faithful, and kind. And that is incredibly good news! God cannot sweep sin under the rug—that would break His justice. So He made a way to satisfy justice without crushing us. That way is Jesus. Jesus is God in the flesh. He lived the perfect, sinless life we could never live—the life that earns heaven. Then He was crucified, and on the cross He bore the judgment our sin deserved. In His death, He took our punishment; in His life, He gives us His righteousness. And in a stunning victory, Jesus rose from the grave, conquering sin and death. Now, eternal life is offered to all who trust in Him.
[Read Romans 5:6–11]
Yet not all receive this gift. Some continue in rebellion and reject God’s offer of forgiveness, choosing separation from Him. And this grieves His heart. He wants you to turn to Him.
[Read 2 Peter 3:9]
For anyone—anyone—who confesses their sin and trusts in Jesus, everything changes. Their sins are forgiven. They are restored to relationship with God. They receive the Holy Spirit. They are adopted as sons and daughters of God. They are freed from condemnation and given eternal life. And they gain a sure hope: that one day, sin, suffering, and death will be no more, and God Himself will wipe away every tear.
[Read Romans 8; Romans 10:9; Revelation 21:1–5]
What Do You Do With This?
This is the gospel we believe. It is what we preach at North Park. It is our joy in suffering, our hope in darkness, and our peace in a restless world. It shapes our identity and gives meaning to our lives. Though this life still includes pain, Jesus gives us His presence—and the promise that one day He will make all things new.
And this good news is for you!
The work of Jesus can change your life. Hear it, recognize your need for it, and trust in Him—and you will be forgiven.
Next Steps
If you have questions, that’s okay—it’s part of the journey. We would love to meet you. Join us on Sundays at 10:30 am, where you’ll be warmly welcomed and hear about Jesus. You can also fill out a connection card, and one of our pastors will follow up with you. Just share your name, how we can reach you, and how we can serve you—we’d love to connect.
In short, the gospel is good news—the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done to rescue sinners and redeem His creation.
The story begins when all things were first made. God chose to create a world filled with His goodness and designed to display His glory. And it was good—very good. Humans were uniquely made in God’s own image and given the task of cultivating that goodness upon the earth. Best of all, they were created to do this work with God, in relationship with Him, as joyful worship.
[Read Genesis 1–2]
But the story took a heartbreaking turn. The first humans, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God’s good and wise command. They chose their own glory and wisdom over His. From that moment on, every human has been born with a disease in their soul called a sin nature. That means that every person participates in doing what God has called evil and chooses not to do what He has called good and right. This is sin, and because God is holy, righteous, and just, He must judge sin. In His commitment to restore His good creation, all who sin (which is all of us) deserve judgment.
[Read Genesis 3; Romans 1:18–3:23]
But God is not only holy and just—He is also loving, gracious, merciful, faithful, and kind. And that is incredibly good news! God cannot sweep sin under the rug—that would break His justice. So He made a way to satisfy justice without crushing us. That way is Jesus. Jesus is God in the flesh. He lived the perfect, sinless life we could never live—the life that earns heaven. Then He was crucified, and on the cross He bore the judgment our sin deserved. In His death, He took our punishment; in His life, He gives us His righteousness. And in a stunning victory, Jesus rose from the grave, conquering sin and death. Now, eternal life is offered to all who trust in Him.
[Read Romans 5:6–11]
Yet not all receive this gift. Some continue in rebellion and reject God’s offer of forgiveness, choosing separation from Him. And this grieves His heart. He wants you to turn to Him.
[Read 2 Peter 3:9]
For anyone—anyone—who confesses their sin and trusts in Jesus, everything changes. Their sins are forgiven. They are restored to relationship with God. They receive the Holy Spirit. They are adopted as sons and daughters of God. They are freed from condemnation and given eternal life. And they gain a sure hope: that one day, sin, suffering, and death will be no more, and God Himself will wipe away every tear.
[Read Romans 8; Romans 10:9; Revelation 21:1–5]
What Do You Do With This?
This is the gospel we believe. It is what we preach at North Park. It is our joy in suffering, our hope in darkness, and our peace in a restless world. It shapes our identity and gives meaning to our lives. Though this life still includes pain, Jesus gives us His presence—and the promise that one day He will make all things new.
And this good news is for you!
The work of Jesus can change your life. Hear it, recognize your need for it, and trust in Him—and you will be forgiven.
Next Steps
- Talk to God
Pray, and tell Him that you are a sinner and need His forgiveness, which is available through Jesus dying on the cross for you. Tell Him that you repent, which means that you are turning from your life of rebelling against Him to a life that seeks to know Him and love Him. - Read the Bible
Start reading the Bible to learn more about this incredible story of God's love for you. Begin with the Gospel of John or the book of Romans. Ephesians and Colossians are also great places to begin and are shorter reads. - Join a church
Become part of a Bible-believing, gospel-centered church. The church is a community of followers of Jesus who encourage one another onward in our faith and trust in Jesus.
If you have questions, that’s okay—it’s part of the journey. We would love to meet you. Join us on Sundays at 10:30 am, where you’ll be warmly welcomed and hear about Jesus. You can also fill out a connection card, and one of our pastors will follow up with you. Just share your name, how we can reach you, and how we can serve you—we’d love to connect.