The Gospel Is the Power of God
This is a post from my new blog focusing on gospel-related issues:
What is the gospel? While churches are busy trying to be relevant to our ever-changing culture, I am convinced that answering this question with clarity and conviction is the crying need of the hour. Pastors all across this nation have congregations filled with broken, needy people. Marriages are fracturing and children are rebelling. Many people are suffering financial difficulty, some on the verge of losing their homes. Countless congregants have resorted to “sanctification by medication” because they are unable to cope with the challenges of living in 21st century America. Any pastor who cares at all about his flock feels a burden to help these sheep. I fear that in our attempt to help minister to people’s needs, we have forgotten what the gospel actually is. We have shelved the antidote to the deadly disease all humanity has from conception (sin) in an attempt to make the dying feel more comfortable on their way to destruction. We need to be reminded what the gospel actually is and pray that God will make us actually believe it.
In Romans 1:16 the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Many church-goers have heard or read this verse. Some have even memorized it. I’m afraid that few believe it. Often, when I’ve heard people quote this verse, they focus on the first part. They don’t want to be ashamed of the gospel. That is significant. What is most critical, though, is why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel – because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes. Meditate on that for a minute. The gospel is the power of God. The message of Christ crucified and risen is the might of Almighty God. If we want to know the power of God that saves people from their sin and washes them from iniquity (like fractured marriages, disobedience to parents, poor stewardship of finances, chronic joylessness/depression and anxiety) and sanctifies them and safeguards their souls for final and ultimate salvation at the resurrection of the dead, we need to bleed the gospel. We need to preach the gospel. It is the power of God to free sinners from sin and give them life, real life, in Christ.
What is the gospel? While churches are busy trying to be relevant to our ever-changing culture, I am convinced that answering this question with clarity and conviction is the crying need of the hour. Pastors all across this nation have congregations filled with broken, needy people. Marriages are fracturing and children are rebelling. Many people are suffering financial difficulty, some on the verge of losing their homes. Countless congregants have resorted to “sanctification by medication” because they are unable to cope with the challenges of living in 21st century America. Any pastor who cares at all about his flock feels a burden to help these sheep. I fear that in our attempt to help minister to people’s needs, we have forgotten what the gospel actually is. We have shelved the antidote to the deadly disease all humanity has from conception (sin) in an attempt to make the dying feel more comfortable on their way to destruction. We need to be reminded what the gospel actually is and pray that God will make us actually believe it.
In Romans 1:16 the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Many church-goers have heard or read this verse. Some have even memorized it. I’m afraid that few believe it. Often, when I’ve heard people quote this verse, they focus on the first part. They don’t want to be ashamed of the gospel. That is significant. What is most critical, though, is why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel – because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes. Meditate on that for a minute. The gospel is the power of God. The message of Christ crucified and risen is the might of Almighty God. If we want to know the power of God that saves people from their sin and washes them from iniquity (like fractured marriages, disobedience to parents, poor stewardship of finances, chronic joylessness/depression and anxiety) and sanctifies them and safeguards their souls for final and ultimate salvation at the resurrection of the dead, we need to bleed the gospel. We need to preach the gospel. It is the power of God to free sinners from sin and give them life, real life, in Christ.
posted by Robb at 8:12 PM
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