I’ve Got Good News…I’ve Got Bad News

bad news stormYou can’t have one without the other.

What is a beautiful day unless you have experienced a stormy day?

What’s sunshine without rain? What is good news without bad? It takes one to contrast and highlight the other.

I’ll start with the bad news. You are broken. You are sinful, and there is nothing you can do about it.  God, through Jeremiah, said, “Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying ‘I have not sinned’” (Jeremiah 2:35). Writing to Christians, John said, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us “ (1 John 1:8). This may offend and even anger us because we usually think quite well of ourselves. We don’t claim perfection, but we do see ourselves as pretty good people. We don’t break laws, and we are nice to others. We help out when others need help. The idea that we are a rank sinner is hurtful!

I think we overlook what sin really is. Sin is not determined by comparing ourselves to the guy next door or the man down the street who kicks his dog and beats his wife. Sin is the contrast between God and me. Sin is the result of a comparison between God’s glory and my attempt at reflecting that glory to others. We have fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23).

There is no diagnosis worse than sin.

But the good news is that there is a cure! Sin need not be a permanent condition. There is good news!

This good news is called the gospel. The original word in the New Testament can be translated as “good news” (Acts 8:12, 35; Romans 10:15) or as “gospel” (Matthew 4:23; Luke 9:6; Acts 8:25). There is good news!

The good news comes from God. As far back as the Garden of Eden, God declared the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin while, at the same time, he proclaimed the good news of one who would destroy sin forever – the offspring of woman, Jesus (Genesis 3:1-15). It was Jesus who first began to spread the good news of the coming kingdom (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:14).

Not only was Jesus a messenger of the good news, he was the good news! Jesus declared of himself “the son of man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). From the day of his birth, until the nails pierced his hands, Jesus was doing the will of God to save man from sin (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). As the life slipped from his torn and tortured body, he could say, “it is finished” (John 19:30). God had come into the world in the form of man (Philippians 2:5-8) and offered his perfect life as the ransom for my sins. As we sing, so says the Bible, he paid a debt he did not owe (Colossians 2:5; c.f. Hebrews 4:15)!

The good news has been preached. The gospel of the kingdom of Christ has been once for all delivered (Jude 3). You have been set free in Christ. Romans 8:2: “for the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Christ’s law is the absolute antidote for sin. It is Jesus who breaks the bonds of the imprisoned sinner and allows the inspired Paul to shout “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

Have you come to the great physician for your treatment? Have you come to the free fountain of life for healing?  Jesus awaits. Do not delay. By submitting to Christ in all areas of life, one may be saved from the eternal ravages of sin. There is good news for you in Christ!

 

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