God OS: Gospel

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

He Loves You. Always.

God loves us. Not when we’re lined up in perfect unity with Him (because we never are). Not when we’re obeying everything He has told us to do (because we can’t). Always. He loves us when we’re following Him and when we’re running away, when we’re seeking Him and when we’re rejecting Him. Always. In His mercy He is relentlessly pursuing each of us. Are you reading this and don’t know Him as your Savior yet? He loves you and wants to adopt you into His family. He has a plan for you with a bright future.

The Gap We Can’t Bridge

He loves us so much that He meets us where we are. When we’re in the muck & mire — like the lost son in Jesus’ famous story, yearning to eat the pigs’ food (Luke 15) — He’s there. And where are we? On our own, we are separate from God. We all have a sin nature & have rebelled against God in small & big ways.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NIV)

Most of us understand this concept fully, but some of us think that our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds. God doesn’t consider any of our good works as payment for salvation. There’s a large gap between us that we can never bridge with our own efforts.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 NIV)

The Bridge God Built

Thankfully, God is so utterly in love with us that He made a way to bridge that gap without compromising His own holiness. He offers it freely to us even though it cost Him dearly. Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect & sinless life, was crucified & then rose again — the most amazing event in history. This sacrifice can bridge the gap between us & God. His blood pays for our sins.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NIV)

A Gift You Can’t Earn — Only Receive

We don’t deserve this gift. It’s only God’s mercy and love that showers us with this grace. Even though it’s a king’s ransom given to a poor beggar, it’s ours to take. If we receive this gift by turning from our rebellion & believing in Jesus, then we are born anew. The Holy Spirit makes a home in us & we have crossed the starting line of a race to honor & glorify God for the rest of our lives on earth & then for eternity after that.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10 NIV)

Right Now Is the Best Time

If you haven’t yet, there is literally no better time than right this moment to accept Jesus as your Savior. Don’t wait, there might not be time later. The reality is that without Jesus, we’re drowning in our sin and rebellion. His hand is reaching down to pull us out — let’s take it and become a child of God!

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12 NIV)

A Prayer to Begin

If your heart is saying yes, tell Him. There’s nothing magic about these particular words — God is listening to your heart, not grading your vocabulary — but if you need somewhere to start, pray something like this:

“God, I know I’m a sinner and I can’t bridge the gap between us on my own. I believe Jesus is Your Son, that He died on the cross for my sins, and that You raised Him from the dead. I turn from my rebellion and I receive Your gift. Jesus, You are my Savior and my Lord. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and make me new. Thank You for loving me — always. Amen.”

If you just prayed that and meant it — it happened. Not because you felt a lightning bolt (you may or may not), but because God keeps His promises.

Welcome to the Family

After we become a member of God’s family, we have a new mission: to glorify God in everything we do. We have an opportunity to express our gratitude to Him for saving us. Part of our new life includes belonging to a local group of believers: worshiping together, encouraging each other, learning from each other. Your journey has started. You are now filled with the Holy Spirit, but you’ll still make mistakes. You’re not perfect nor are you expected to be, but you are redeemed. You have a purpose.

Have you made the decision to accept Jesus as your Savior? Congratulations — you are now a new creation in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Share the great news with someone today, join a local body of believers, and dive into the Word. Welcome to our family — we are genuinely overjoyed to have you.

And if you’re wondering what daily life with God looks like from here — that’s exactly what God OS is for. Start with Worship, then Word and Walk, and grab the free Daily Worksheet app to build the habit from day one. We’re also putting the finishing touches on The New Believer’s Quick Start Guide — your first steps, all in one place — coming soon. Then tell us! Let us know about this life-changing decision on the God OS website, one of our social media accounts, or via email: [email protected] — we would love to celebrate with you.

Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash