by Jamie Pantastico | Oct 5, 2025 | Daily Encouragement, One Gospel Series |
The Only Thing You Must Believe
Every Sunday we refocus on the gospel—the one message that saves. Today, let’s look at what God actually says a person must believe to be saved… and contrast that with what men have added.
Why We Need Salvation
All of humanity is under sin’s power. We die physically because of sin, but spiritually, we are dead and separated from God. (Genesis 2:17; Ezekiel 18:4; Isaiah 59:2)
Because of that, every human being is eternally lost apart from Christ.
God declares all mankind sinners (Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
But God…
He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place, shedding His blood to pay for our sins. He was buried and rose again—never to die again. (1 Corinthians 15:1–4)
What Must You Believe to Be Saved?
From your How to Get Saved page:
- Believe that you’re a sinner.
- Believe by faith that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die in your place, was buried, and rose again.
That’s it. That’s all.
“By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” — Ephesians 2:8–9
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” — Romans 10:9
“With the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” — Romans 10:10
The moment someone truly believes that gospel—they are saved. Instantly. Sealed by the Holy Spirit. Indwelt. Made a member of Christ’s Body. Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
What God Doesn’t Require (Though Many Claim He Does)
Notice carefully: nowhere in those clear passages does God say you must repent, be baptized, live a holy life, perform good works, or keep commandments in order to be saved. Those things are fruits and results—but not conditions for being saved.
Men have added those burdens to the good news, twisting the simplicity of the gospel into a checklist. That’s not God’s design.
The End of All Human Hope
There is only one gospel that saves. It is the gospel of the grace of God—Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, and salvation is received by faith alone (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
And here’s the ultimate point:
📖 “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” — Romans 2:16
From Cain until the last human being, all mankind will be judged according to Paul’s gospel.
So today, believe—not in your works, not in your effort, not in religion—but in Jesus Christ and the gospel “Good News” He freely gave.
by Jamie Pantastico | Sep 28, 2025 | Daily Encouragement, One Gospel Series |
📖 My Gospel: Paul’s God-Given Message
📖 “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” — Galatians 1:11–12
Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, makes it crystal clear: the gospel he preached did not come from Peter, from the Twelve, or from any man. He received it directly from the resurrected, glorified Lord Jesus Christ.
And here’s something striking—only Paul ever writes the phrase “my gospel.” Three times he claims it:
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- Romans 2:16 — “God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
- Romans 16:25 — “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel…”
- 2 Timothy 2:8 — “Remember that Jesus Christ… was raised from the dead according to my gospel.”
Why would Paul say “my gospel” unless it was uniquely revealed to him? If he were preaching the same message as Peter and the Twelve, such a phrase would make no sense.
My Gospel: To Jew and Gentile
Paul’s gospel makes no distinction between Jew or Gentile. All are sinners, all are under unbelief, and all are judged by God without partiality—whether they had the law or not.
This stands in sharp contrast to the earthly ministry of Jesus and the early preaching of Peter, where the Jew still had a special standing. Paul’s message cut through all that: Jew and Gentile now stood on the same level—equally guilty, equally in need, equally offered grace.
My Gospel: To Establish
Paul says that believers are established by his gospel:
📖 “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began…” — Romans 16:25
Paul was given a foundation no one before him had laid. He calls himself the wise masterbuilder (1 Corinthians 3:10), laying the foundation of God’s grace upon which others would build. This foundation was not law, not kingdom promises to Israel, the foundation is Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected 3 days later. Praise God!
Resurrection According to My Gospel
Yes, the resurrection was prophesied. Yes, Peter preached it. But Paul preached it differently.
For Peter, the resurrection was proof that Jesus was the Messiah and that the kingdom was at hand.
For Paul, the resurrection was the very means of salvation and sanctification for Jew and Gentile alike.
📖 “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel.” — 2 Timothy 2:8
The resurrection in Paul’s gospel was not just proof of who Jesus was—it was the heart of salvation itself.
Unique to Paul
Paul’s message was entirely of Christ, revealed by Christ, and centered on Christ’s finished work.
He calls it the dispensation of the grace of God given to him (Eph. 3:2; Col. 1:25). He says it was “the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25). He insists this gospel was committed to him first, by Christ Himself, apart from man (Gal. 1:1, 11).
Even Peter had to acknowledge this (Galatians 2:9). And in his final words before martyrdom, Peter directs believers to Paul’s letters:
📖 “…and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles…” — 2 Peter 3:15–16
Peter recognized that the Lord Jesus had given Paul wisdom—the mysteries of the dispensation of grace—and pointed his readers to Paul’s writings if they wanted to understand salvation.
Paul was the chosen vessel, the apostle to the Gentiles, entrusted with truth that had been hidden until his day (Eph. 3:2–9).
No wonder he called it “my gospel.” It was his responsibility, his stewardship, his message to proclaim to the world.
One Gospel Today
Friend, this gospel is not one of many. It is not “Paul’s opinion” or a “different flavor.” It is the one and only gospel for this present age:
✝️ Christ died for our sins.
🪦 He was buried.
🌅 He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
That is the gospel that saves Jew and Gentile alike by grace through faith—apart from works, apart from law, apart from religion.
Paul said it plainly: “If anyone preaches any other gospel… let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:9).
This is not optional. This is eternal. Believe the gospel, stand in it, and never be ashamed of it.
📖 “…in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” — Romans 2:16
The bottom line is this: from Cain until the very end of the human story, all mankind will be judged according to Paul’s gospel.
📖 This post is part of the One Gospel Series — weekly Sunday posts proclaiming Paul’s gospel of grace.
