Faith and What is The Gospel?

Romans 3:28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.

James 2:24: You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Romans 5:9-10. Much more then, having been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to G0d by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of G-d, not of works, lest any man should boast

Cor. 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the deeds done in the body, whether good or bad.

Rom. 2:6-7: [God] will repay every man according to his works. To those who seek after glory, honor, and immortality by patiently continuing to do good, [he will repay] eternal life.

Gal: 6:8-9: He that sows to the Spirit shall reap everlasting life from the Spirit. Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap [eternal life], if we do not faint.



The above verses are not teaching that is by works and faith that we are saved, but rather that we will be rewarded by the works we do to bring G-d glory.

What Is the Gospel?
by R.C. Sproul

There is no greater message to be heard than that which we call the Gospel. But as important as that is, it is often given to massive distortions or over simplifications. People think they’re preaching the Gospel to you when they tell you, ‘you can have a purpose to your life’, or that ‘you can have meaning to your life’, or that ‘you can have a personal relationship with Jesus.’ All of those things are true, and they’re all important, but they don’t get to the heart of the Gospel.

The Gospel is called the ‘good news’ because it addresses the most serious problem that you and I have as human beings, and that problem is simply this: G-d is holy and He is just, and I’m not. And at the end of my life, I’m going to stand before a just and holy G-d, and I’ll be judged. And I’ll be judged either on the basis of my own righteousness – or lack of it – or the righteousness of another. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness, of perfect obedience to G-d, not for His own well being but for His people. He has done for me what I couldn’t possibly do for myself. But not only has He lived that life of perfect obedience, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the justice and the righteousness of G-d.

The great misconception in our day is this: that G-d isn’t concerned to protect His own integrity. He’s a kind of wishy-washy deity, who just waves a wand of forgiveness over everybody. No. For G-d to forgive you is a very costly matter. It cost the sacrifice of His own Son. So valuable was that sacrifice that G-d pronounced it valuable by raising Him from the dead – so that Christ died for us, He was raised for our justification. So the Gospel is something objective. It is the message of who Jesus is and what He did. And it also has a subjective dimension. How are the benefits of Jesus subjectively appropriated to us? How do I get it? The Bible makes it clear that we are justified not by our works, not by our efforts, not by our deeds, but by faith – and by faith alone. The only way you can receive the benefit of Christ’s life and death is by putting your trust in Him – and in Him alone. You do that, you’re declared just by G-d, you’re adopted into His family, you’re forgiven of all of your sins, and you have begun your pilgrimage for eternity.