In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: In Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise. - Ephesians 1:13
You might be asking, “don’t you have to know the gospel to believe it?”
The answer is yes!
You cannot be saved unless you know what the gospel is. But did you know that you can actually know what the gospel is and not believe it?
This is a huge epidemic, if you will, in our society today. Countless people zealous for the Lord know what the gospel is, but when it comes right down to it, they are not actually trusting it for their soul’s salvation. This is what is referred to as “believing in vain” in 1 Corinthians 15:2, and is a very sad reality of more people than we actually realize, who profess Christianity.
The Bible is clear. You must believe the gospel to be saved!
You must trust that Christ’s work alone was enough to save you! This is the gospel. If you are bringing anything else into the equation, you are not trusting and believing the only gospel that has the power to save a soul.
Some would say, “Well, I’ll do this on top of my belief, just to be sure.” My friend, if you have anything to do with your standing with God, you are not trusting His work, you are trusting yours, and that is not the gospel.
Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel... by the which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. …how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures… - 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
The good news of the gospel is that we could never measure up to God’s standard of righteousness, so Christ gave us His.
1 Corinthians 1:30 says “God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” Take a moment to think about how believing that Christ did all the work for you to be saved would impact your every day life.
Instead of living in constant fear and uncertainty, wondering if you’ve been good enough or done enough, you can rest on the promise that being justified by faith you have peace with God right now. (Rom 5:1)
Only after you find your completeness in Christ alone can you begin to walk worthy for Christ and truly grow in Him.
The Bible teaches in Colossians 1:9-10 that we cannot walk a worthy walk and be fruitful in our good works, if we do not first know and then also have a spiritual understanding of God’s purpose for the believer.
God’s purpose and will is that we walk in what He has chosen for us to be in Christ: “holy and unblameable before Him in love”(Eph.1:4,5; Col.1:21-22).
This is only possible if our trust is in the only Holy and Unblameable One — the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! So let me ask you again, Do you simply know the gospel, or do you actually believe it?