”Christ died and was resurrected for the forgiveness of sins”
The line above is the core of the gospel, is it not? I’ll go for the punchline: No, not quite. While it is a true statement, it is incomplete, omitting a vital part.
Luke ends his gospel with what Christ said to his disciples right before his ascension.
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Luke 24:45-47 LSB
Jesus very clearly states the message that should be proclaimed in his name to all the nations is this – that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed. We see clearly here that the actual message is “Repent”, and the result is the forgiveness of sins. One is necessary for the other.
If we go back to the very first word that Christ preached, it is the same. In Matthew 4:17, the start of Jesus ministry, it says this, “17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” His message from the very first word was “repent”.
The forerunner, John the Baptist, was no different. His first recorded message in Matthew 3:1-2 is, “1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, when he sent the Apostles out, Mark records what they preached.
12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
Mark 6:12 LSB
We’ve already seen what Jesus said to preach to all the nations right before his Ascension in Luke 24. Now let’s look at what the early Christian church actually taught and preached. Acts 2 records the first sermon of Peter after Pentecost as he exposits (explains) the OT Scriptures concerning the Messiah and his audience’s guilt in rejecting Him. Here is their response:
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:37-38 LSB
When convicted by this first sermon and asking in response what they should do, Peter repeats the message Christ said to preach – repentance for the forgiveness of sins. If you’ll allow me to rephrase it, “Repentance that LEADS TO forgiveness of sins.”
Peter’s second sermon in Acts 3, in particular vs 19 is the same thing – “19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out”. Repentance again that leads to forgiveness of sins.
It is the Apostle Paul’s message as well as in Acts 17:30 “30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent”.
The New Testament does NOT teach to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and you are automatically forgiven of your sins. It is quite explicit the demons believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as well, and it is a misrepresentation of what Christ said to preach in his name to all nations. What leads to the forgiveness of sins is repentance, a change of your heart to where you see everything you do is sinful and your sin is utterly sinful and agree with God you deserve his eternal wrath for it…but you run to him depending on his mercy and grace which he freely grants due only to the fact that Jesus paid for it all – THEN your sins are forgiven.
The modern gospel skips the repentance step because it is quite unpopular. Listen to any number of modern sermons today and see if you hear the “R word” proclaimed. To admit that we are wrong, that we are natively evil, that we as Paul says in Romans are “by nature children of wrath” and that we are offensive to a holy God…well that’s just a bit offensive to us and we don’t go there because that kind of talk won’t “attract” the world to Jesus. Let’s leave that part out as it is not “attractive”. Thus, many have never seen their true selves and repented of it and thus have no true forgiveness of sins, no regenerate heart, no changed life.
You can’t have Christ as the answer, the payment, for your sins…until you deal with your sin. Don’t let the worldly church’s attempts to make the gospel “attractive” to the world cause you to miss out on true eternal salvation. Jesus himself was tortured to death for the true gospel, and taught us over and over again the world will hate him and his message. If nothing else, read the “apostle of love” gospel of John and pay attention to what Christ says about the world’s acceptance of him and his message. The message of the cross is the world hated him and his message about them, but he loves just the same and offers forgiveness freely for those who repent.
Humble yourself before our gracious and merciful God. Agree with him about what you are – a sinner – and that your sins are not “mistakes” but instead are willful rebellion against Him. Then run TO Him, not from Him, simply asking for his mercy and grace based solely on what Jesus Christ has done and nothing in you.
Do so and live. It is that simple. Don’t miss the vital piece of the gospel message.