The Gospel Message

The Greatest Commandments

"And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" — Matthew 22:37-39

One Eternal, Immortal God

There is one eternal, immortal God.

• Isaiah 45:5-7, 1 Timothy 1:17, 6:15-16, John 17:3

The Bible

The Bible is the authoritative word of God.

• Isaiah 45:18-19, Hebrews 1:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:16

The Gospel and Promises to Abraham and David

The gospel is inseparable from the promises God made to Abraham and David. These promises find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

• Galatians 3:6-9, 16, 25-29; Genesis 13:14-18; 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Luke 1:31-33

Jesus, God's Only Begotten Son

Jesus is God's only begotten Son. He was born a son of man like us in every way. Unlike us, he was perfectly obedient and sinless and is now exalted to sit at God's right hand.

• Luke 1:35, Hebrews 2:14-18, 1 Timothy 2:5, Colossians 3:1

The Sacrifice of Christ

The sacrifice of Christ showed both God's love and His righteousness and by grace saves those who have faith in Him. God raised Jesus as the first fruits of those redeemed from the grave.

• Romans 3:21-26, Hebrews 2:10-18, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

Love One Another

Just as God loves us, we are to love one another.  Love should guide our thoughts, motivate our actions, and shape our relationships with others. 

• John 3:16, 13:34; 1 John 4:7-21; 1 Corinthians 13

Man's Nature and Sin

Man's nature is prone to sin, and all sin results from giving in to our natural inclination.

• Mark 7:21-23, James 1:13-15

Mortality and Punishment for Sin

Man is mortal because the punishment for sin is death—real death that is the end of all life.

• Romans 5:12, 6:23; Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

Good News of Salvation Through Faith and Baptism

Salvation is received by faith, repentance, and God's grace. Commitment to God is symbolized in baptism by water immersion—putting to death our old self and becoming a new creation in Christ.

• Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 22:16; Romans 6:3-11; Philippians 3:7-14; 2 Peter 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17

Hope of Resurrection and Eternal Life

The hope of life after death is the resurrection of the body and eternal life in God's kingdom on earth.

• 1 Corinthians 15:12-28, 42-57; Acts 24:14-21; John 11:25; Daniel 2:44, 7:18, 27

Return of Jesus Christ

Jesus will return to the earth to raise the dead, judge those responsible to him, and rule the world in righteousness. God will be all in all!

• Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; Daniel 12:2; Romans 2:6-8; Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-9,  1Corinthians 15:28