A Gospel Tract
Introduction: What Makes a “Good Person”?
Most people think they’re “good” because they compare themselves to others:
- “I’m not as bad as a murderer.”
- “I give to charity.”
- “I’ve never hurt anyone… much.”
Man’s standard of goodness is a sliding scale—relative, flexible, self-defined.
We have all kinds of standards: cultural, personal, situational.
God’s standard is perfection.
“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
God doesn’t grade on a curve. One sin—any sin—makes you guilty before a holy God.
“For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all” (James 2:10).
Let’s test your goodness by God’s perfect standard—the Ten Commandments.
1. The Mirror of the Law
Have you ever…
- Lied? (Even a “little white lie”?)
- Stolen anything? (Value doesn’t matter.)
- Used God’s name as a curse word? (That’s blasphemy – Exodus 20:7.)
- Looked with lust? Jesus said, “Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
By your own admission, you’re either a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer-at-heart…and you have to face God on Judgment Day.
If God judges you by the Ten Commandments, will you be innocent or guilty?
Heaven or Hell?
“It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
2. Born a Sinner – The Root of the Problem
You didn’t do anything to become a sinner.
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
Adam’s sin corrupted human nature. You were born with a sin-nature—like being born with a terminal disease you didn’t choose.
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).
The Law is the X-ray that reveals the disease. Your lies, thefts, blasphemy, and lust are evidence—not the cause—of your sinful condition.
You are NOT accountable for Adam’s act, but you ARE accountable if you choose to stay in that condition—refusing the only Cure (Jesus).
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).
3. The Holy Spirit’s Threefold Conviction
“And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment” (John 16:8).
- Sin – because you’ve broken God’s Law (Romans 3:23).
- Righteousness – because Jesus kept the Law perfectly and offers His righteousness to you (Romans 5:19).
- Judgment – because the wrath of God abides on the unbeliever (John 3:36).
4. Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment” (1 John 4:18).
God’s perfect love is Jesus.
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
Propitiation = wrath-absorbing sacrifice. Jesus took your hell so you could have His heaven.
5. You Broke the Law – Jesus Paid Your Fine
We broke God’s Law. Every lie, theft, blasphemy, and lust is a violation of His perfect standard. The penalty? Death—eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23).
Jesus paid that fine in full with His life’s blood. “…you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold… but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
On the cross, Jesus—the sinless Son of God—was treated as if He lived your sinful life, so you could be treated as if you lived His perfect life (2 Corinthians 5:21).
6. What Jesus Did to Save Us – Prophesied & Fulfilled
Thousands of years before Christ, God promised a Saviour who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), be pierced for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:5), and become the Passover Lamb whose blood causes judgment to “pass over” us (Exodus 12:13; 1 Corinthians 5:7).
Jesus—God in human flesh (John 1:1, 14)—fulfilled every prophecy.
- He lived a sinless life, perfectly obeying the Law we broke (Hebrews 4:15).
- He was brutally crucified in our place—scourged, crowned with thorns, nailed to a cross, bearing the full penalty of sin (death & God’s wrath) that we deserve (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24).
- He rose from the dead on the third day, conquering sin, death, and hell (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
This is the Gospel the first Apostles preached: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again—according to the Scriptures.
Result? The free gift of eternal life is offered by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone—not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23).
7. WARNING: Reject Man-Made “Grace + Works” Gospels
Any gospel that adds your works (baptism, church attendance, law-keeping, etc.) to grace is a false gospel.
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:8).
Paul warns: Trusting Christ + anything leaves you under the curse of the Law and unable to be saved (Galatians 3:10).
Only the pure Gospel saves: Jesus did 100% of the work. You contribute 0%.
8. It’s NOT the Prayer That Saves
Saying a “sinner’s prayer” doesn’t save you.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
What saves?
Believing the Gospel the Apostles preached.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
The Gospel in one verse:
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
9. Repent & Believe – Today
Repentance is NOT a list of wrongdoings you stop doing to earn forgiveness.
Repentance IS a change of mind—from unbelief (rejecting or ignoring the Gospel) to belief (agreeing with God that you are a helpless sinner—born in Adam’s sin, proven by your own sins—in need of a Saviour, and turning from unbelief to full trust in Christ alone to save you forever).
Believe = rely completely on Jesus’ death and resurrection as your only hope.
“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).
The moment you repent (change your mind) and trust Christ alone, God forgives every sin, credits Christ’s righteousness to your account, and grants you eternal life.
Prayer (Not a Formula – A Response)
“God, I’m a sinner—born in Adam’s sin, proven by my own. I broke Your Law and deserve death. But I believe Jesus paid my fine with His blood, died in my place, and rose again. I turn from unbelief and trust Him alone to save me. Thank You for the gift of eternal life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Now What?
- Read the Bible daily (start with John).
- Pray – talk to God.
- Find a Bible-believing church.
- Tell someone what Jesus did for you.
“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).
Jesus paid your fine. Will you trust Him today?
For more: LivingWaters.com | NeedGod.com
All Scriptures from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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