Gospel

Everyone Needs to Hear the Good News

by Cecil Maner
03/16/26
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Man’s sinful fallen state:
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Romans 3:10-12 (quoting Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3)
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
Man in his fallen state is dead in his trespasses and sins. His choices lead to the second death, as described below: “their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Mark 9:47-48
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Now the good news:
John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
God’s love for us is far greater than we can comprehend, and here is why: Jesus comes to give life to those who choose Him. The contrast is clear—choose the thief and die in your own destruction, or choose Jesus. He died and shed His precious blood so that we might have life more abundantly.
Romans 5:8-9
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Our only hope for salvation resides exclusively in Christ Jesus.The following verses emphasize the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus, the necessity of faith in Him, and the impossibility of attaining eternal life by any other means.
John 14:6
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
In this declaration to His disciple Thomas, Jesus explicitly identifies Himself as the singular path to God the Father. The verse underscores that access to eternal fellowship with God—and thus salvation—cannot be achieved through alternative routes, philosophies, or religious systems. It establishes Christ as the exclusive mediator and pathway, leaving no room for parallel avenues of redemption.
Acts 4:12
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”Spoken by the apostle Peter before the Sanhedrin following the healing of a lame man, this verse directly affirms the uniqueness of Jesus’ name as the sole source of salvation. It rejects any possibility of redemption through other figures, authorities, or traditions. The emphatic language (“none other name” and “must be saved”) reinforces that Christ Jesus alone provides the required deliverance from sin and judgment.
1 Timothy 2:5
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
Written by the apostle Paul to Timothy, this passage highlights the singular role of Christ as the mediator who bridges the divide caused by human sin. By specifying “one mediator,” it precludes any other person, institution, or intermediary from fulfilling this function. The verse logically implies that salvation, which requires reconciliation with God, depends entirely upon this unique mediator and the ransom He provided (as continued in verse 6).
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
In the context of Paul’s exposition on sin and grace in Romans, this verse contrasts the earned consequence of sin (death) with the unmerited gift of eternal life. Crucially, this gift is granted exclusively “through Jesus Christ our Lord,” indicating that no human effort or alternative source can secure it. It portrays salvation as a divine provision accessible only via union with Christ, underscoring Him as humanity’s sole hope against the penalty of sin.
Ephesians 2:8-9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Paul writes to the Ephesian believers to clarify the mechanism of salvation. While grace and faith are the means, the context of the epistle ties this faith directly to Christ (see Ephesians 1:13 and 2:13). The explicit exclusion of works prevents any reliance on personal merit, rituals, or self-effort, affirming that salvation originates solely from God’s provision in Christ Jesus. This eliminates all competing hopes, directing believers exclusively to Him.
Thus, salvation is neither earned nor available elsewhere but is found only in Christ Jesus through faith in His atoning work. These passages invite reflection on the necessity of personal trust in Him as the definitive and singular source of redemption.

The jailer’s question:
Acts 16:30-32
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

The method: believe and confess
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Your choices really do matter!
Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.