What The Bible Says
The good news is in the Bible, which explains that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). What does God say? Will we hear? His words are written for us. Here is what the Bible says...
About Itself
It is inspired by God.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable..." (2 Timothy 3:16)
It is eternal.
"'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.' And this word is the good news that was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:24, 25)
It is more important than human traditions.
"You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men... making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down." (Mark 7:8, 13)
The early Christians read the Bible to verify what they heard.
"...they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." (Acts 17:11)
About God
He created everything.
"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man..." (Acts 17:24)
He will judge the world by his holy standard.
"...he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)
He does not want you to perish.
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
He is love.
"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love..." (1 John 4:16)
He has shown his love by sending his Son.
"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9)
About Us
We all sin.
"None is righteous, no, not one. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23)
We are all accountable to God.
"Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God." (Romans 3:19)
"So then each of us will give an account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12)
After death comes judgement.
"It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)
We need a new birth to be ready for heaven.
"Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)
About Christ Jesus
He is God.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1, 14)
Everything was created through him and for him.
"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:16)
He is without sin.
"You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin." (1 John 3:5)
He was sent by his Father to save sinners.
"The Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14)
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." (1 Timothy 1:15)
He died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day.
"Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures... he was buried... [and] he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4)
He invites sinners to come to him.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
He is the only mediator between God and mankind.
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all..." (1 Timothy 2:5, 6)
About Our Responsibility
We are commanded to repent.
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." (Acts 17:30)
We can't make ourselves right on our own.
"A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ... because by works of the law no one will be justified." (Galatians 2:16)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8, 9)
God's requirement of us is that we trust his Son.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..." (John 16:31)
Those who neglect God's way of salvation will find no way of escape.
"How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard." (Hebrews 2:3)
There is no condemnation to those who are "in Christ Jesus."
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)