I was challenged a while back to add a reasonably short, very understandable, intimately relatable explanation of the good news of what Jesus accomplished on the cross for His creation. I recently realized that I would want it on the website so I could link to it easily from other articles.

This is not meant to be an in-depth conversations of the theology of soteriology (salvation) or harmartiolgy (sin) or even of the atonement.  It is a short, simple statement to show that I need a savior, I ain’t it, and Jesus is.

The Gospel
I am a donut guy.  I know different people are tempted, food-wise, by various things, but donuts are a pretty easy sell to me.

There have been many, many times when I have said to myself, “I am only going to have one donut.”

(If it were that one, it wouldn’t be very impressive from a self-discipline perspective, I guess 😉

I mean it when I say it. However, later, when someone offers me another, I often (ok, usually) say yes.  I’ll bet that there is something like this in your life as well.

Knowing that we are like this, what can we possibly be thinking to consider that we might be able to depend on ourselves and our good behavior for eternal salvation? Or be in doubt that we need one.   If I am too weak to say “no” to a second donut, then how could I possibly be strong enough for stuff like, defining my own value, creating my own purpose, or saving my own soul?  I doubt myself because, though I may be weak, I am not stupid enough not to.

I need someone else to offer to save me… someone who would stand in for me… who might actually have the chops to pull off saving me.  I considered a lot of different options and opinions, but most of them said that the whole thing depended mostly, largely, or entirely on me. .. and we have been over that already.

Fortunately, there is such a person who did all the heavy lifting for us, as a free gift, because He loves us that much and because that was apparently His Plan.  They called His name Jesus, because He came to save His own.  I have put my faith in Him.  All the eggs are in His basket.  If He could live the way He did, and die the way He did, and conquered death they way He did, then I know my chances with Him are good.  I believe that I am secure in His Hands, and I know that I am NOT in mine.

I hope that if you have never asked Jesus to save you, if you have never put your faith in Him and out of you, then I hope you will do so today.  Someone challenged me  that one more article needed to be in my Gauntlet book, and this is it.  It isn’t really a skill, but it is something we all need to know.  All you have to do is talk to God about it – there aren’t magic words, just a confession of needing Him and calling on Him to save you.

You can find all of these concepts clearly described in the Holy Bible in: Romans 3:10-27, Ephesians 2:1-10, Romans 10:9-13… and John 3:1-21.  Don’t take my word for it – go read them yourself.