What is the Gospel?

God is the all-powerful Creator who is perfectly holy, just, and loving. He has always existed as one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). He is worthy of all worship and praise.

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. - Romans 11:36

Sin is anything that displeases God or conflicts with His nature. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, we have been born with a sinful nature. We are not good people who occasionally sin. We are sinners. And because God is perfectly holy, just, and loving, our sin has earned us an eternity apart from God in a very real place of pain and torment called Hell.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23

But God, because He is perfectly holy, just, and loving, was not content to leave Man in his sin. So he sent His Son, Jesus Christ, down to earth as a man. Still truly God, but now also truly man. He was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life without sin, died the death we deserved in our place on the cross, was buried, came back to life on the third day, defeating sin and death, and ascended into Heaven where He is now seated at the right hand of God, having finished the work of your salvation. He traded His perfect life for your sinful death.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:21

So how should you respond to this Good News? You should repent of your sin and turn to God, placing your faith, hope, and trust in Christ and His finished work. To repent is to turn away from your sin and toward Christ and His cross. To place your faith, hope, and trust in Christ's work is to believe He is who He says He is, He's done what He says He's done, and He's done this to bring Himself glory through saving you.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9