The story you have just read is known as the gospel, or "good news." You'll be able to understand why this good news changed us after you read some bad news.

God created men and women to honor, serve, and enjoy him. But from the very beginning people have chosen to live their own way, rather than obeying the desires and commands of God. That's called sin. Though every human being sins, God himself is sinless. He hates sin, and he has warned that everyone who sins will be severely punished. There's not a thing men and women can do to save themselves from the punishment they deserve. That's bad news.

But Jesus has done what no person ever could.

You see, Jesus died for a reason. It wasn't simply because men hated him. He died because his Father lovingly decided to punish him instead of us. In other words, Jesus took our place. He became our substitute. God's sinless Son received the punishment we deserved, so that we might receive the reward He deserved. How can we be sure God accepted his death in our place? By the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead and took him up into heaven.

Jesus is not just another religious leader telling us what to do. He is God. Because he has freed us from the power and punishment of sin, he deserves our total trust and obedience.

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