The Gospel of Salvation

The entire Bible is the love story of God for humanity. It records everything God did for His children, for the people of the world.

But humanity today cannot feel God’s love. The most common complaints are, “God is so distant,” or “God does not seem to care for me. He’s just an all-powerful being who controls the universe.”

This is humanity’s perception. But God has revealed Himself, has in fact given Himself to us.

This is the truth. It’s not based on the limited understanding and experience of humanity but based on the TRUTH of the WORD of GOD.

This is my basis and this truth is what I want to share with you.

Joh 8:32 “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

First Color: Yellow

In the morning the sun rises and in the evening it sets. It’s the brightest thing our eyes see in the sky at daytime. It is so bright that we cannot look at it directly without damaging our eyesight.

I compare God’s glory and holiness to the sun. Why? Because like the sun, God’s glory and holiness cannot be matched by anything humanity has.

In fact, the Bible says only God is holy.

Rev. 15:4—Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy.

His holiness is different from man’s notion of holiness. God’s holiness means He is “undefiled by Sin (sinless), free from wickedness, clean, pure.”

In addition, God calls humanity to a life of holiness.

Lev 11:45 For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."

But can man equal God’s glory and holiness? Is there a way for man to see God face to face? To look at the bright sun without destroying their eyes? Let’s find out.

Second Color: Black

When the sun sets night comes. At night, there are shadows, and darkness abounds. This is the best representation for humanity in contrast to God.

Darkness is sin. The Bible records the fall of man in Genesis three when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. They sought to be like Him by eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The Bible tells of the sinfulness of humanity.

In Romans 3:10-12 we read, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’"

And a few verses after in Rom. 3:23 God says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

It is clear in the Bible. Humanity is tainted by sin. Humanity is in darkness because of sin. All of humanity in under sin.

You may ask. So what? What if man and woman are sinful? Should I be alarmed? The world has been like this since time immemorial so what’s the difference if I now know that I am sinful?

In the beginning God and humanity are in perfect fellowship. Nothing hinders humanity from personally experiencing the full glory of God. But because of sin, a gap was made between the Creator and His Creations.

We go back to who God is. God is holy, sinless and blameless. And humanity is sinful and unrighteous. Sin takes away the fellowship between God and man. No longer can man experience God in His fullness because of sin. Humanity is separated from God.

1 John 1:5 “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

Even in the physical realm, light and darkness cannot go together. We can always see a distinction between shadow and light. Never has there been a time when light and darkness existed together with our eyes not distinguishing one from the other.

This is our standing with God because of sin. We cannot be with Him because sin is blocking the way. Sin has made a gap between us and God. He is beyond our reach.

Once more you may ask, so what if I am under sin and separated from God? What does that do to me?

Romans 6:23 says, “for the wages of sin is death…”

You are bound to die in eternity apart from God. The payment for your sins is eternity of torment in hell. This is a fact. Remember, all have sinned so logically, all is bound to pay for their sins in spiritual death.

Rom 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”

So is there no other way? How can this sin be removed? Is there anything I can do?

If the Bible is consulted, humanity cannot do anything to penetrate sin and reach God. But this is the Good News, God already did everything to free man and woman from sin.

We go back to Romans 6: 23, “for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus’ death on the cross fully paid the price of Sin.

Third Color: Red

Red is the color of blood and love. Jesus died on the cross because of His great love for us. This sacrifice is the Good News; Jesus Christ is the Good News.

Man cannot bridge the gap made by sin by himself. He cannot pay even for a single sin he has done to save himself. Instead, the sins he has committed demand for his eternal death.

Rom 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Why did Jesus have to die? Only a sinless and blameless being can pay for the sins of all to ransom everyone from death to life. If a sinner dies for his sins, he has only death for that is just and that is what’s demanded by sin. But if a sinless God dies for others’ sins, the death he dies he dies for the sinners not for himself. Thus, his life remains.

This is what Jesus did. He is a sinless God-man who died to pay for our sins, to free us from death. We are no longer under sin and death for Jesus rose back to life. He is now offering us the gift of eternal life.

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

All our sins were imputed on Jesus. He died the death we needed to die. But on the third day He rose back to life, thus, conquering sin and death and ushering in eternal life to humanity.

Jesus himself said in John 14:19, “…Because I live, you also will live.”

Jesus’ death bridged the gap made by sin. He made a way for humanity to be once more in fellowship with God.

1Pe 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins… that he might bring us to God…”

It is only by the blood of Jesus that the gap was bridged. No amount of work done by humanity will suffice, but everything was finished in Christ.

Some may say that they can do good works to cancel out their sins. They will be saved when the good they have done finally outweighs the bad things they did. This is not true, for God’s demand for holiness is perfect, meaning, not even a drop of sin. Because man has sin in him, no matter how many good things he does, these can never be cancelled out. It is not by good works that man is saved, it is by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

Eph 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this, not from yourselves it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.”

Some may say joining a group or a church will bring salvation to people. But it is clear, Jesus said it himself, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)”

Not by affiliation, not by good works, not by man’s righteousness but only by the grace of God through faith in the one Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can we be saved.

Fourth Color: White

The blood of Jesus bridges the gap between humanity and God. We who were once darkness can now be cleansed from sin and brought back in a loving fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. There is no other way but through God's One and Only Son (John 14:6).

How can we cross this bridge towards God? Jesus answers plainly, "Repent and believe the Good News (Mark 1:15)."

If we put our faith in Jesus, believing that He can cleanse us from sin as Savior, and surrendering our life to Him as Lord, we are forgiven from our sins and put right with God. The act of believing always comes with a heart of repentance-- a change of mind and attitude towards God and sin. We now hate sin as God hates it and love righteousness as He does.

When these things are true to us-- repentance and faith-- we become true children of the light.

1Th 5:5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

God is light and when we become children of the light, we can have fellowship with him once more. This is accomplished by the blood of Jesus which gives the gift of eternal life. If we receive this gift, we have assurance of salvation.

Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Jesus is knocking at your heart now, offering this gift. What is your response? Will you repent from sin and believe in Jesus Christ?

Rev 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Fifth Color: Green

Green is for life and growth. If you put your faith in Jesus, you begin a relationship with God. He becomes your Father and you His sons and daughters.

Joh 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Accepting him by faith in your heart, you slowly begin to know Him. You grow in Him like a plant sprouting and growing to be a strong tree.

2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

You are now children of the light, a new creation. Your old selves are buried in death and you have new life in Jesus, eternal life in Him.

And there is assurance that no matter what happens you are safe in the hands of Jesus.

Joh 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Growing in faith means knowing God more and more in prayer, study of the Bible, Sunday worship and fellowship.

This is God’s love story. The all holy God reaches down to sinful man. By His own blood he makes a path, He bridges the gap made by sin. When one accepts Jesus by faith, acknowledging his or her weakness and depravity, turning away from sin by God’s grace, he receives the gift of eternal life. He is cleansed from sin. He becomes a new creation and God calls him or her His son or daughter.