The whole Bible is the history of salvation, a history that explains our hope of eternal life. Here is a brief summary of this history from four key chapters in the Bible.

Creation (Genesis 2)

In the opening chapters of the Bible, we read that the Triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — created all things out of nothing. He did so for his good pleasure to live in relationship with humanity. When he created Adam and Eve — the first humans — he created them happy and holy, in moral perfection. They lived in perfect harmony with God, with each other, and with all of creation.

Corruption (Romans 1)

The peace and harmony that Adam and Eve experienced was corrupted when they chose to disobey God's command. As our first parents, their disobedience affected all of humanity. We are all born under the curse of sin and the guilt of our first parents. We see the reality of this play out in our daily lives as we do what is morally wrong in thought, word, and deed. We stand guilty before God because of Adam's first sin and because of the ways in which we sin against God on a daily basis. As a result of our sin, we are under the condemnation and wrath of God whose holiness cannot stand moral corruption.

Redemption (John 10)

The good news of the Gospel is that God has provided a way of salvation from his just judgment. To accomplish our salvation, God the Son (Jesus Christ) became fully human. Jesus came and lived a perfect, sinless life. While the first man, Adam, disobeyed God, Jesus lived in perfect obedience. Jesus then willingly died on the cross as our substitute, taking upon himself the condemnation and wrath of God for our sin. In the same way that we receive guilt and condemnation through Adam, all those who put their trust in Jesus receive the blessing of his obedient life and curse-bearing death.

Glorification (1 Corinthians 15)

But the story does not end with death! Jesus gloriously rose from the dead on the third day, demonstrating his victory over sin and death. He ascended into heaven and from there he continues to rule and reign over all creation. In the same way that Jesus' life did not end in death, those who put their trust in him will be raised to eternal life.

Trusting in Jesus means turning from our sins and believing that he, as our substitute, lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died. Trusting in Jesus means fully relying on him to save us, not because we deserve anything from him, but only because of his mercy. By his sovereign power, the Holy Spirit applies the benefits that Christ secured for his people through effectual calling, regeneration, and sanctification. The gospel is the story of grace, a story of salvation given to those who deserve condemnation and wrath.

If you believe the gospel as summarized in these four chapters, the next step is to join a church where you will learn more about the Bible by hearing it preached and taught, you will be able to be baptized and recieve the Lord's Supper, and you will get to know other Christians. We invite you to join us at Grace Presbyterian Church for worship on Sundays at 10:00 am. Please contact us if you would like to learn more.