A Gospel Outline

It is one thing to know what the Gospel is. But it is quite another to present it clearly and succinctly in a way that others can understand. A good Gospel outline needs to be simple to remember, and free of jargon terms while covering the central issues of the Gospel. The following outline, developed by Canon John Chapman, is a good example. Memorise the five headings:

GOD (Rules) God really exists! He made the world, and that includes you and me. We believe this because he has clearly revealed himself in the historic person of Jesus Christ whom he raised from the dead. Jesus is the rightful ruler of the world. See Gen 1:1; Mt 28:18; Phil 2:9-11.

MAN (Rebel) None of us has lived consistently as though this was the state of affairs. We have all by degree assumed that we have the right to run our own lives. Sometimes we have consciously disobeyed God; at other times we have just ignored him. It amounts to the same thing, rebellion.
See Mk 7:21-23; Rom 3:12; 1 Jn 3:4.

GOD (Repent) In Christ, God tells us that this is not our world to live in according to our selfish desires. It is God's world. Therefore we should stop rebelling against him and live in the world the way he has designed us to live in it. He calls us to come into his 'Kingdom', that is to submit to his kingly rule in our lives.
See Mt 7:21; Mk 1:14,15; Acts 17:30.

WHAT IF I DO? (Forgiven) If we stop rebelling and bring our lives under God's rule, he treats us as though we had never rebelled against him. He accepts us wholeheartedly because Jesus in dying on the cross took upon himself the punishment we deserve. A whole new relationship with God then opens up. We become his friends and are adopted into his family.
See Jn 3:16; Rom 6:23, 8:1,15; Col 2:14.

WHAT IF I DON'T? (Unforgiven) If we refuse God's offer of forgiveness and reconciliation, we will remain unforgiven and unreconciled. Ultimately, rebels will be overthrown.
See Mt 7:23,26,27; Rom 1:18; 2 Thess 1:8,9.

Bible References

GOD

Genesis 1v1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Matt 28v18
Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'

Phil 2v9-11
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

MAN

Mk 7v21-23
'For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean'.'

Rom 3v12
'All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no-one who does good, not even one.'

1 John 3v4
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

GOD

Mt 7v21
'Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.'

Mk 1v14,15
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!'

Acts 17v30
'In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.'

WHAT IF I DO?

Jn 3v16
'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.'

Rom 6v23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom 8v1,15
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'

Col 2v14
having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

WHAT IF I DON'T?

Mt 7v23,26,27
'Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.'

Rom 1v18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

2 Thess 1v8,9
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.

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