Good News — PopularHymns

Good News

If you were to read all of the hymns posted on this website, you would quickly notice a common theme from the writers. Their writings look to glorify their Creator rather than themselves. They look unto an unseen God for hope rather than the temporary riches of this world. They have realized that the sin they have committed in their lives are taking them on a pathway to destruction, and cry out to God for a Savior. They cry out for help in a fallen world, for peace in the time of chaos, and for good news in the season of hopelessness.

But what is this good news? First of all we must realize what the bad news is first. While God loves us and has a plan for our lives, our sin has separated from that plan. Since God is perfect and holy, He has no sin and therefore cannot have fellowship with sin. Our sin has essentially become a down payment for our abandonment of God. Romans 6:23 says: "The wages of sin is death". And no one is immune from this sin-disease. The Bible also tells us that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). But if the penalty of sin is for us to die, what happens after we die? The Bible later tells us in Hebrews that "Man is destined once to die, and then face the judgment". We will be judged by God according to what we have done in our lives. Every sinful act we have ever committed, no matter how small or insignificant to us, will be brought up in this eternal courtroom. We will be accountable for our sin, and our punishment will be separation from the Holy God. This is the bad news we are faced with.

But then there is the good news. God loves us. He doesn't want any of us to sin, nor for any of us to be separated from Him by our sin. But He cannot simply just take a big eraser and get rid of our sin, it must instead be paid for with a price. And the sin of the whole world merits a large price. A price that me or you could not pay alone. God decided to send the only payment suitable for the cost of our sin - His Son. Jesus was sent to earth as a sacrifice for our sins. He lived a perfect life, and never once sinned. By dying on the cross He gave up His life as a payment for our sins, just so that we could again have fellowship with our Creator. God essentially traded in His Son, for sinners. In 1st Peter 3:18, the Bible tells us that "Christ died for sins once for all, to bring you to God". So while our bad news is that we have a sin-problem, the good news is that God has provided us with a remedy.

How do we then accept this remedy from God? While God loves everyone, He is also a just God. For anyone who does not want to have their sin removed, God will grant their wish. To have your sins forgiven, you must then receive the payment of Christ's death on the cross some 2,000 years ago. We cannot pay for our sins by our own good works, nor by money, nor by going to church, or any other means. Christ's sacrifice is the only way to remedy our sin-problem. If you would like to take part in this good news, and be completely forgiven of your sin, please pray a prayer like this:

"Dear God, I have sinned in my life. Not once or twice, but many times. I know that my sin has damaged our relationship, and I am sorry for the way I have rebelled against Your will. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ as a payment for my sins. I do not deserve this gift, but I do receive it with a grateful heart right now. I accept now Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Please direct my paths so that I may live the life you desire for me."

If you sincerely prayed this prayer just now, you have entered into the family of God. Not only are you just a sinner saved by God's grace, you have become a part of His family. The Bible tells us in John 1:12, that "As many as received him, to them he gave the right to become the sons of God, especially to them that believe on His Name".

Becoming a Christian is the most wonderful thing that can happen in your life, but the devil will stop at nothing to hurt you on your quest to follow God. I recommend finding a Bible and start reading in the book of John. Read about the life of Jesus, and how He lived and died, and how his disciples followed him. Then a few books later in the book of 1st John, you will learn of your assurance of salvation in Christ, the promises that God has given us, and how to be grounded in our faith in God.

And this is the good news.