September 21, 2015 (Monday)
Anne Murray’s song, “A Little Good News,” repeated a message: “We sure could use a little good news today.” *
Gabriel Heatter, famous radio newsman of long ago, opened his broadcast with, “Ah, there’s good news tonight.”
This blog today brings good news. It is written with Romans 1:1-17 in mind. It says the gospel is good news, because that’s the meaning of the word, “gospel,” and it is the gospel that the Apostle Paul proclaimed from the day he met the resurrected Christ.
These verses from the Bible tell us that the gospel of Jesus Christ offers good news of a new righteousness, a new life and a new power. The new righteousness replaces the old, which was based on trying to please God; instead God puts us right with himself by grace. The new life in Christ differs from both the pagan life of sin and fear, and the legalistic life of frustration with our moral weaknesses. In their place God gives us a life free from fear and sin’s domination. The new power is that of the cross of Christ, which is a foolish message to the pagans, a stumbling block to the legalists, but the wisdom and power of God to the believer. (This paragraph based on Romans 1). (Also based on 1 Corinthians 1:23).
The gospel is good news because it relieves us of the heavy burden of attempting to make ourselves acceptable to God, and proclaims instead His love for all and His offer of undeserved mercy. He gives complete forgiveness for all our sins and makes possible a life of love, joy and peace. Good news, indeed!
This new life can be yours through faith in Christ, and that’s good news.
* “A Little Good News” was written by Thomas Rocco, Rory Michael Bourke, and Charles Frank Black.