THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17).

Devotion 1 of 27

INTRODUCTION

The Gospel is not "gospel" until a sense of genuine need grips the heart. We live in a time of self-sufficiency--when reliance upon the "wisdom of this world" is not only common, but actually promoted. This condition, unfortunately, prevails in the professed church itself. Self acclaimed experts in human conduct, together with a vast offering of self-help programs, have served to dull the edge of the Gospel for many. This is a most serious and distressing condition! When the world becomes prominent, heaven becomes obscure. When the wisdom of this world is vaunted, the wisdom of God is shunned. When men choose to address their difficulties on an earthly level, Divine resources are pushed beyond their grasp. The perspectives of heaven and earth are at a variance with one another. Whichever one you embrace causes the other to become repulsive.

Confined to the Lost?

In the contemporary church, the "power of the Gospel" is too often confined to the salvation of the lost. This is not a spiritual perspective, and has no basis in Scripture, either by direct assertion or by inference. Believers are told of the power of the Gospel, not unbelievers. It is powerful to those who believe, not to those who do not believe. The Gospel not only has power to rescue, but it also has power to keep. As it is written, "Now I make known to you, brethren, the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor 15:1-4, NASB).

Note that the Apostle was diligent to again "make known" the Gospel to the struggling church at Corinth. They had become so enamored of the world, they could not be addressed as spiritual people. "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready" (1 Cor 3:1-2, NIV). Their carnality was the direct result of being distracted from the Gospel of Christ! Thus, it had to be brought once again to their memory. The Gospel is "the power of God unto salvation!"

Paul told the saints in Rome, "I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also" (Rom 1:15). He labored so "the truth of the Gospel might continue" with the Galatians (Gal 12:5). Part of "whole armor of God" is "the Gospel of peace" which is fitted to our feet (Eph 6:15). The Philippians were admonished to strive "together for the faith of the Gospel" (Phil 1:27). The hope that is laid up for us is declared in the Gospel (Col 1:5). "Life and immortality" are brought to light "through the Gospel" (2 Tim 1:10). The Gospel is of such staggering content, that even holy angels "desire to look into" it (1 Pet 1:12). All of these affirmations assume continued exposure to the Gospel of Christ.

When we were born again, the "light of the glorious Gospel of Christ" shined into our hearts (2 Cor 4:4). As that marvelous Gospel continues to be preached, the light will continue to pervade our hearts. At no point is it ever suggested that the Gospel ceases to be "THE power of God unto salvation," or that it is ever out of order to declare it to those in Christ Jesus. Every Epistle is woven together with the Gospel--with the good news of what God has accomplished through Christ Jesus (Rom 1:18; 4:24-26; 5:1-8; 1 Cor 1:18; 15;1-3; 2 Cor 5:18-20; Gal 3;13; Eph 1:18-20; 3:16-20; 5:20-25; Phil 2:5-8; Col 2:11-13; 1 Tim 3;16; 2 Tim 1:10; Tit 2:11-13; Heb 2:10-14; 9:24-28; 1 Peter 1:18-20; 2 Pet 1:1; Jude 1; Rev 1:5-6).

Faith can neither be initiated nor flourish without the proclamation of the Gospel. If the declaration of the good news wanes, life and immortality become vague and hard to grasp. The imputation of righteousness cannot be understood apart from the Gospel, nor can the defeat of the devil and the appropriation of an eternal inheritance. This is a powerful theme, and I take great delight in spending an extended period of time on it.

PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for the Gospel which never ceases to be good news--even to those who hear it the most.

-- TOMORROW: THE GOSPEL DEFINED --