1. What is the gospel? Is it merely a type of music -- something in between rhythm and blues and country western? The Gospel, the good news which Jesus lived and preached, is a message that is both joyful and serious.

2. What does the Bible Say? The Bible tells us what the Gospel is in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, "Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..."

The above passage says we are saved by the Gospel. Romans 10:9-10 says,
"if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

3. Saved, from what? The Bible says that we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23). As sinners, we fall short of God’s righteousness, and deserve condemnation, not eternal life in heaven. Sin results in judgment. God loved the world, and sent his Son Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sins by suffering and dying on the cross. To save us from judgment, Jesus lived a holy life, without sin, and took the judgment for us. Then, God raised Jesus from the dead. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

4. Why can't I save myself? As sinners, we are incapable of becoming righteous through our own efforts. God is holy and just, so He cannot ignore our sin. The good news is that God loves sinners! Salvation is a free gift, obtained by faith in Christ, plus nothing. And this salvation isn’t just about you or me having peace with God; it is about the transformation of all of creation! The Gospel message calls us to believe in Jesus, the Messiah, to receive him as our Savior and Lord. "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” -- John 14:6.

5. What must I do? If you are starting to realize that you are a sinner, if you have a sense of your need for salvation from the addiction of your sin and from the wrath of God, then call upon Jesus, and believe in Him. Jesus said, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
--John 3:36