Well, the title may more likely be an overstatement. But in the general sense it does show reality. Now, what “Good News” am I talking about? Well, it’s none other but the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Before I do share my thoughts why people throw away the gospel, let me share what the gospel is all about. Just to make it clear.
We can find the Bible’s declaration of the gospel at I Cor. 15:1-5, through the apostle Paul:
“Now I would remind you, brothers,[a] of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”
On these verses, apostle Paul summarized the gospel of Christ. But what apostle Paul gave here, is more than just a summary. He truly reminded the Christians of something: A truth that has made a great impact on those who have heard and received it. And when I say “received it,” it means they understood it. Now, what did they really understood?
Understanding the good news, one must first understand there is a bad news for which the reason of the “good news”. The bad news is simple: “Man is lost or is a sinner because of what Adam (the first man) has done, which is disobedience” (See / read the book of Genesis or Romans 5:12, 19). Furthermore on this bad news, man is doomed to eternal separation from God, because sin can never be part of Who God is.
God is Holy, Just and Righteous! He is the standard and measurement of what “Right” is! Think about it, how can we know what is right from wrong? From where do we base our thinking of what is right? From our parents or government? From where did they got this idea? It’s a never ending search, if we take God out of the picture. Some would say, it is based from the highest form of happiness. Now, where do we get that idea from? And how can we know it is the highest form of happiness, when people have different sense of their own happiness. If you would think of it, the psycho can think “killing is what makes him happy.” How do we argue with that? We get the majorities’ definition of happiness? Then steal away the minorities’ right to think of what their idea of happiness is? Isn’t that not fair at all? All these questions pops out when we take God out of the picture and not make Him the standard and measure of what right and wrong is. And this is the reason why man, who is a sinner, has to be set apart from God forever. From whence, the lake of fire was made, prepared by God for those who would not repent and receive His offer of Salvation (See Rev. 20:11-15).
BUT! Here is the GOOD NEWS! God provided a way for man not to be separated from God forever. And, I do believe many have heard of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to earth, born of a virgin [which means He was born without being corrupted by sin that came from Adam, another reason why the Bible call Jesus the Second Adam, or Last Adam], lived a life “Righteously” [No sin at all, even with His own mouth - 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21]; But, was judged and condemned like a sinner (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 22:37; 2 Cor. 5:21); And, therefore, taking upon Him the punishment that wasn’t for Him or even meant for Him at all. He was able to do miracles and wondrous things no man can do but God. Yet, at that moment of His suffering and last breath, He took it all upon Himself simply to pay the price of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23; Romans 5: 19). That was the transaction made, so man can be redeemed [bought back] from Satan to Him [God].
BUT! This doesn’t mean ALL man is automatically saved or brought back to God. Nay, that’s just the transaction made. But the decision, the will of man ought to still choose! Because God is offering this gift of Salvation and each individual has the choice to receive it through Faith in Christ [believing and trusting in what He has done and Who He is]. John 3:16 and John 1:12 and many more verses speaks of this!
And that is not the end of the Good News! It’s not only about being saved from the eternal punishment of sin. Attached to this offer or gift of God is all the promises He gave in His Word, the Bible. Such as being called a child of God, eternal home, mansion, heaven, co-heirs of Christ, and more! Too good to be true? Well, that is God’s offer in His Word! That’s the reason why Jesus Christ came two thousand years ago! Try looking at your calendar and see the year… That year was numbered, at the time Christ resurrected and ascended to heaven. And that year is being numbered because we are counting the years of His return, as He has promised. I know! Years have passed. But that doesn’t mean He will fail in fulfilling His promise. God’s promise to Adam for the Messiah was fulfilled for almost 4,000 years. What is 2,000 plus years with that?
It is indeed simple what God is offering. Because He Himself has made the way for man to be brought back to Himself and yet, man wants to complicate it and wants to do it on his own. And mostly, man has no interest in it and would just want to believe he can manage on his own. Whereas, others would look for something else other than Christ, something that would satisfy their own self desires or like what happened to Eve, it was pleasing to her eyes. The Bible also says, in the book of Timothy, some will depart and look for something that would please their ears or their stomach. Having faith in Christ becomes nothing more than a myth. The Bible too becomes a myth to them. People will still choose those things that they can see, hear, or feel and claim to be that it is the truth! Many will not believe. Why? That is because man is corrupted from the beginning man fell to sin through Adam. Even Jesus Himself prophesied in Matthew 7, few will believe in Him. In addition, Satan continues to deceive people with many things, even raise false prophets and false teachers claiming to be Christ. This explains how the "good news is being thrown away".
How about you, how do you respond to the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ?
(Edited April 9, 2020)