Jesus & the Gospel

The gospel ("good news") is at the center of who we are and what we are about here at South Ridge.

 Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” and Genesis 1:2 reveals that human beings were part of that creation. Scripture presents life as flowing from the joy and intention of a personal, triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who created us for relationship, purpose, and life with Him. Yet something went wrong. In Genesis 3, humanity chose autonomy over trust, resulting in separation from God. The first question God asks in the Bible reveals His pursuing heart: “But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:9). As Romans 3:23 declares, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 

Throughout the Old Testament, God relentlessly works to restore relationship with His people and remove the barrier of sin. This pursuit reaches its climax in the New Testament when God comes Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a sinless life, revealed God’s love, and willingly took on the penalty of sin through His death on the cross—separation from God—so that forgiveness could be offered to us. Three days later, He rose from the dead. As Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

This is the core message of Scripture: through faith in Jesus, we can belong to God again—not through works, religiosity, or performance, but by trusting in what Jesus has done for us. Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we now walk daily with God, shaped by His truth and love. Ultimately, Scripture points us toward an eternal hope: new creation, resurrected life, and forever in God’s presence. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).