5 minute read
Gospel Grace
The Power of the Gospel Message
by Renee Schiedt
Everyone loves to get good news, especially when things look bleak. This is the very reason why we, as women of faith, must share the gospel. The Greek word for “gospel” literally translates to “good news.” What could be better news than having our sins forgiven, peace in our hearts, and knowing eternal life in heaven awaits after our earthly bodies perish? Why would we hesitate to tell others the most important message they could ever hear?
The gospel can change a person’s life, not just their eternity. Knowing the gospel can empower us to live the best, most fulfilling life here on planet Earth. That’s why Apostle Paul said he was not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16 NIV). I’ve personally seen its power at work in my own life. I will be eternally grateful that a stranger reached out to me when I was a 17-year-old high school junior because he cared about the salvation of my soul.
My plans were already in place. I received early acceptance at UNC-Chapel Hill while in the 11th grade. Early on, it was always known I would be headed to Carolina. But God intervened in my life when a man I didn’t know asked me a direct question.
“Do you know, if you died, that you’d go to heaven?”
I could have been insulted and responded, “I was raised in church! I’m president of the youth group, and I sing in the choir. Why are you asking me this? Go ask some bum on the street!”
Instead, I honestly replied, “I hope so.”
He proceeded to tell me I could “know so,” which I’d never heard. Despite my religious background, I had the idea that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. Although I wasn’t as good as I could be, I surely wasn’t as bad as a lot of people. So I figured that when my life was over, God would put my good and bad works on His great golden scales. If the good outweighed the bad, then I’d slide into heaven because I had been good enough to make it!
I soon found out nothing could be further from the truth. This man took the Bible and showed me that no matter how good I might be, I could never be good enough to earn my salvation, because all people have sinned and fallen short of perfection (Romans 3:23). He said even the best works I might do were like filthy rags in the eyes of a holy, perfect God (Isaiah 64:6). Then he turned to Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast (NIV).
This was news to me! Instead of trying to earn my salvation by works, God wanted to give it to me as a gift. Salvation, spending eternity in God’s presence, was not something I deserved. Instead, it is something freely given to those who place their trust in Jesus as the one who died in their place, paid the penalty of sin completely, and now invites us to Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31 NIV). The eyes of my heart were opened to understand how Jesus took my sin and gave me His righteousness so I could stand before God, cleansed from all the wrong I had done. Because I put my trust in Jesus to save me instead of trying to save myself, I could be assured of a home in heaven. I could KNOW I was heaven bound.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life. (1 JOHN 5:13 NIV)
What could be better news than that?!
Little did I realize how putting my faith in Jesus would dramatically change my life. Instead of going to my beloved Carolina, I had such a strong desire to know the Bible that I attended Bible College. There, I met my future husband, Chuck. We both went on to graduate from Seminary and enter full-time Christian Ministry. Now, 52 years later, I have experienced over and over the power of the gospel to change lives.
With such wonderful good news, why would any of us keep it to ourselves? Tell others this gospel message of grace and be amazed at how it works in their lives, too.
Renee C. Scheidt
“Finding Hope in Real World Living”
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We love that God has called us, as a ministry, to love and empower women who desire to love God, come closer to Him, and serve Him with their whole hearts
