The Gospel

Maple City Baptist Church is built upon the foundational truth of the gospel: Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose again and has conquered death and the grave. We firmly believe Jesus' primary mission on earth was not to be an example or to give people better lives, but to die as the supreme sacrifice for sin. Faith in His finished work on the cross is the only hope mankind has to spend eternity in Heaven with God. If you are not 100% sure that you have a home in Heaven or you are not sure what the Bible says about Heaven and Hell, please read this and ask God to open your heart to His Word. 

So here it is, the BAD NEWS: Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." This truth is very simple. From the Pastor to the pew...and even those who don't know what a pew is...all have sinned. There is not a soul on earth who has not broken God's law and committed an act contrary to the nature of God. We have all heard of the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20 - 1. Worship only the one true God 2. No idols 3. Don't use God's name in vain 4. Keep the Sabbath holy 5. Honour your parents 6. Don't Kill 7. Don't commit adultery 8. Don't steal 9. Don't lie 10. Don't covet), and we have all broken them whether by action or in our thoughts. 

Admittedly, the bad news may not sound so bad because, "Hey, everyone's doing it." Very few people claim perfection; instead, most people claim to be "good enough" to make it to Heaven. Please, read on!

You are a sinner, that's the bad news...now here is the REALLY BAD NEWS: Romans 6:23a "For the wages of sin is death." All living things die physically - this is a fact. However, the "death" being spoken about in this verse refers to "eternal death" or separation from God in a place called hell. Therefore, if all are sinners and the punishment for sin is eternal damnation, all are destined to spend eternity in hell. This is not a fact I relish in. However, we must keep in mind that God, who is love, is also holy and just. As the Righteous Judge of all mankind He must punish sin, and so Revelation 20:15 records, "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." All men are sinners, and the only punishment sufficient to pay for sin is eternal death in hell. Instead of quickly reading on, please consider this biblical truth for a moment - without Christ you are doomed to spend eternity in an awful place of punishment called hell. 

I bet you are ready for some good news about now!!!

Well here is the GOOD NEWS: Romans 6:23 goes on to say "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Jesus Christ, God incarnate in the flesh, lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death, and was raised again on the third day having victory over the grave. God saw man's hopeless plight and with unbelievable love gave His Son's life to pay for our sin. Jesus did not die because the Jewish leaders hated Him or the Romans crucified Him, He died to save you and me. Consider these statements made by Christ:
Luke 19:10 "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Mark 10:45 "The Son of man came...to give his life a ransom for many."
John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life"
John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." 
After reading those verses I hope you comprehend the incredible love and the amazing gift that was bestowed upon you when Christ hung on the cross and died. Jesus died to set you free from the punishment of your sin and to give you eternal life with Him in Heaven.

But it gets even better...

Finally, the GREATEST NEWS OF ALL: 2 Corinthians 6:2 proclaims, "Now is the day of salvation." Today can be the day that you have your sins forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life. In Mark 1:15, Jesus proclaims, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Repentance means turning away from your sin and self-reliance. Believing is turning to Christ and placing your faith and trust in Him to save you. If you understand that you deserve punishment and that eternal life is not a possession you earn but rather a free gift offered to you by God's grace through the sacrifice of Jesus, then you are ready to accept Christ. Romans 10:13 promises, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If you believe that Jesus died for you, then please pray and trust Him as your Saviour today. There is no greater feeling than knowing that your sins are forgiven. Repent of your sin and put your faith in the blood of Christ. I hope that you will consider the amazing grace of God demonstrated through the sacrifice of Christ and be saved today. 

IF YOU HAVE ASKED CHRIST TO SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SIN then 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." At salvation the Holy Spirit indwells you and will never leave you (Eph 1:13-14). Your salvation is complete, now it is your responsibility as a child of the King to live in a manner that brings Him glory. Read your Bible - start with John's Gospel. Pray every day, in fact, pray many times throughout each day! Share your faith with all those around you. Join a local body of believers who are actively seeking God's glory and preaching God's Word, and get involved in serving Christ. MCBC is a church devoted to the glory of God and we would love to help you grow in your relationship with our great Saviour. Your salvation is secure and your daily walk with the amazing God of the universe has just begun; now go live for Him!

If you have any questions about this letter, we would love to personally explain more about how to know Christ as your Saviour, or how to grow in your Christian life. Please fill out the form below and someone will reach out to you or call Maple City Baptist Church at 519.351.2004. There is truly no better time than now! Thanks so much for reading, God Bless you!