The Good News
WHO IS
JESUS?
We believe that the most important message you could ever hear is the good news of Jesus Christ. It is not just a religious idea or a church tradition. It is the true story of how God created us, how we walked away from Him, and how He made a way for us to be restored through His Son, Jesus.
Wherever you are coming from, whatever your background or questions, we invite you to learn more what the Bible says about who God is, who we are, and the hope that can only be found in Christ.
God Created
The gospel begins with this truth: God created everything. God made the heavens and the earth, light and darkness, land and sea, birds, fish, animals — everything in the universe (Genesis 1:1–31). Nothing exists apart from Him (John 1:3).
But creation wasn’t just beautiful. It was good. Everything God made reflected His order, His purpose, and His perfect design.
And then God created something unique: us.
He made man and woman in His image (Genesis 1:27). That means we were created to reflect His character, creativity, and love. We were made to walk with Him in relationship, to know Him, enjoy Him, and represent Him in how we live and care for His world.
From the very beginning, God’s design was personal and filled with purpose.
Bible References: Genesis 1: 1-31; John 1:3; Genesis 1:27
We Rebelled
God created a perfect world, and Adam and Eve lived in a perfect relationship with Him. But that didn’t last.
Tempted by Satan, they chose to disobey the one command God had given. Wanting to be like God, they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1–6). That one act of rebellion brought sin into the world.
Sin is anything that goes against God or His character. It’s not just bad behavior — it’s a heart that turns away from God. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, the world was no longer the way it was meant to be. Pain, sickness, conflict, and death became part of life. Our relationship with God — and with one another was broken.
(Romans 5:12; Romans 3:23)
God had every right to judge Adam and Eve on the spot. They had rebelled against their Creator. But instead of destroying them, God showed mercy. Even then, He made a promise — one day, a descendant would come to crush the serpent and make things right (Genesis 3:15). This was the first glimpse of the gospel.
Still, Adam and Eve couldn’t undo what they had done. And neither can we. No amount of good works, religious effort, or personal growth can fix the brokenness inside us or the separation between us and God.
What we need is atonement — a word that means covering or making payment for sin. Someone perfect would have to take our place and bear the penalty we deserved.
Thankfully, that’s not where the story ends.
Bible References: Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 5:12; Romans 3:23; Genesis 3:15
God Loves
Even after Adam and Eve’s rebellion, God did not abandon them. He sent them out of the garden (Genesis 3:23–24), and life would now be marked by pain, struggle, and death. But even in judgment, God gave them a promise — one day, a Savior would come to crush the serpent and rescue His people (Genesis 3:15).
This is where we begin to see something astonishing: God still loves His creation.
His love isn’t based on our good works or religious efforts. It doesn’t depend on what we’ve done or failed to do. God’s love flows from who He is. He is holy, and He is love (1 John 4:8).
From the beginning, God has been revealing His love, not only through His words, but through His character and His plan to bring salvation to people who had turned away from Him.
Bible References: Genesis 3:23-24; Lamentations 3:22–23; 1 John 4:8
God Reveals
After the fall, God began to reveal Himself and His plan of redemption. He made Himself known to a broken, sinful people who were in desperate need of grace and salvation. Though humanity continued to rebel, God continued to show His character through both justice and mercy. And through it all, His message remained clear: “I am coming to save my people.”
God gave His people laws, not to save them, but to show them His holiness and their need for Him. Because He knew they couldn’t follow His law perfectly, He also gave them a sacrificial system. Year after year, the people offered animal sacrifices to atone for their sins.
But those sacrifices couldn’t truly remove sin. Instead, they served as a constant reminder of how deep the problem ran in humanity. There was no perfect offering they could give, no good deed that could fix the separation between them and God. The only permanent solution was one only God could provide : a perfect sacrifice.
For generations, God’s people waited. Many wondered if He had forgotten them. But God had not forgotten. At the appointed time, in the place He had planned, God revealed His salvation through His Son, Jesus.
Bible References: Exodus 34:6-7; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 53:5-6; Romans 3:20; Hebrews 10:1-4
Jesus Saves
Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, God revealed the fullness of His salvation plan through His Son, Jesus.
Jesus lived the perfect life of obedience that we never could. In His life, we see the sinless image of God fully righteous, fully loving, and fully faithful. Then, in love, Jesus gave His life as the perfect sacrifice for our sin. He died an excruciating death on the cross to take the judgment we deserved.
Through Jesus’ death, the barrier between God and humanity was torn down. We no longer have to be separated by guilt, shame, or fear. Because of Christ, we now have full access to God — not as strangers, but as beloved sons and daughters.
But that’s not all.
Jesus not only rescues us from death , He gives us new life. A life of purpose, identity, and hope. Through Him, we are no longer slaves to sin. While we still live in a broken world and wrestle with our sin nature, Jesus is at work in us. Salvation isn’t just about eternity, it’s about restoration now. Jesus is putting us back together.
And God’s not done.
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection are central to the gospel — but they’re not the end of the story. Jesus promised He would return. One day, God will set all things right. There will be no more pain, no more sickness, and no more death (Revelation 21:4).
God will create a new heaven and a new earth — more glorious than anything we’ve ever seen. And in that place, all who are in Christ will live forever with Him, face to face, in perfect joy and peace.
Bible References: John 3:16; John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:2; Romans 5:1-2; Revelation 21:4-5
We Respond
Every person responds to the gospel. There is no neutral ground. We either accept or reject the good news of Jesus.
Our prayer as a church is that you would respond to the gospel by placing your faith in Jesus by trusting that He is: the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the only one who can rescue you from sin and give you new life.
Responding to the gospel is an act of faith. It's believing that God is holy, that we are sinners in need of grace, and that Jesus has done everything necessary to make us right with Him. This kind of faith isn’t about having all the answers or fixing yourself first. It’s about turning to Jesus in humility, surrendering your life to Him, and trusting Him as Lord and Savior.
Bible References: John 1:12; John 3:18; Romans 10:9-10; Titus 3:5
NEXT
STEPS
If you're ready to place your faith in Jesus, we want to walk with you. Whether you still have questions or you know you're ready to surrender your life to Christ, you're not alone.Here are some ways to take a next step:
Pray and respond to God personally
Praying and speaking words is not what saves you. Instead, it gives the words to your faith in Jesus. God does not desire eloquent words or a specific formula for salvation. The prayer below is an example of a way to express to God your new found faith in Jesus.
"God, I know that I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus really is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the only one who can rescue you from sin and give you new life. died for my sin and rose from the dead. I trust You. I give You my life. Amen."
Connect With Us
Connect with us.If you just prayed to receive Christ for the first time, please give us a call (6156.243.3674) or fill out our connect card below and let us know! We would love to walk alongside you, because accepting Christ is just the beginning of an awesome life-long journey!
Get connected to a local church
Whether you're near Grand Rapids or somewhere else, following Jesus is not something we do alone. We’d love to help you connect with a local church family who will walk with you as you grow.
(616) 243-3674
1200 28th St SE,
Grand Rapids, MI 49508, USA
©2025 BY CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH