An old summary of the Christian life, written in 1647, begins like this:

Q: What is the chief end of man?

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

The Christian gospel - a word that means “good news” - begins with God, who is unlimited in power and goodness and love. He created all things, and reigns over all things. God also made man to rule the world on his behalf and enjoy his love in perfect union forever.

However, man set his heart against God, choosing instead to disobey him and live according to his own will. Sadly, all of our hearts are infected this way, such that we would much rather live according to our will and pleasure, and disobey God in the process. This is the reversal of God’s intended design, and the essence of what the Bible calls sin. Sin is much more than occasional imperfect or even immoral behavior. It is us, in the corruption of our hearts, wanting to be God over God.

And the punishment for sin, before a perfect, holy, and just God, is being cut off from him forever. To be dis-united with him and treated as the enemies of his glory that we are. This is death, in the fullest sense.

But, because God is love, he chose his own son, Jesus, to bear that punishment instead. To do so, Jesus was born into the world as a man, and lived as man was created to live - in perfect accordance to God’s will. He was the only one to ever do so. His sinless life, however, was not simply to show the world an example of human godliness; it was so that he would be a perfect substitutionary sacrifice for us - fully receiving God’s wrath toward sin, and fully satisfying God’s requirement for holiness. This is what took place at Jesus’ crucifixion, where he died.

Had he remained dead, however, there would be no true gospel and we would not exist as a church. But, in God’s unstoppable plan and power, Jesus came back to life. God resurrected him from the dead, showing that Jesus’ mission was accomplished. He had indeed made full payment for the sin in all who would give up hoping in their own “goodness”, and place their hope entirely in what Jesus has done for them.

And for those who have done so, this means life has already, and will one day be completely, returned to what it was meant to be. Union with God has been restored, and, when Jesus returns to reign on the earth as the undisputed king, that union will be experienced in eternal, uninterrupted fullness for all who have trusted in him, from every tribe and tongue.