A lot of Christians talk about the Good News. But what is it? Some will say that the Good News is that Jesus paid the price for our sins and saves us and takes us to heaven. Some will say that Jesus shields us from God’s fiery wrath and saves us from Hell and the damnation we deserve. That sounds like good news to me. 

There are a lot of ways to describe the Good News. Here’s what I think it is: The Good News is that God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. No matter our sins, faults, failings, addictions, political leanings, social status, or attitudes, God loves us. There is no one, anywhere, at any time that God does not love.

We desperately need to hear this message. Because of sin we are all dead and in need of life. Sin separates us from God.  Jesus came to give us life. This isn’t just ordinary life; it’s abundant and everlasting. Jesus reconnects us with God so we can have this amazing gift. That is Awesome News!

All of this is really good news and sometimes people will get the idea that we are trying to preach a “Feel Good” message. It’s like there is some kind of danger in telling people that God loves us unconditionally. It is almost as if people will take advantage of God’s love. They might, but I think that’s a horrible misunderstanding of God’s love.

Like I said, God wants a relationship with us. Abraham was called God’s friend. Jesus was a friend to sinners. Jesus called the disciples friends. God wants to be our friend and as far as I remember about friendship, it’s a two way street.

Following Jesus means learning a new way of living. It means saying no to other ways of living that bring death and saying yes to the way that God designed us to live. The Good News means that we are freed from the power of sin in our lives and able to live this abundant and everlasting life starting right now!

The Good News is good news because God loves us, pursues us, and transforms us. God’s love is really, really Good News!

The Good News isn’t made better by using scare tactics like hell or eternal torment. I think the message that God loves us and has real life waiting for us is attractive enough as it is. In other words, I don’t think I need to lecture a drowning man that he is going to die without grabbing the life preserver.

Finally, the Good News about God’s great love doesn’t mean there is no cross, sacrifice, hardship, or pain. In fact, being in a relationship with God means all of these things will happen. The Good News is that none of those things has the final say.

That is what the Good News means to me.

How would you describe the Good News?