By Staff
Do you ever reflect on the gospel? How would you respond were someone to ask you, "What is the gospel?" "How does it work?"
For the next several weeks, we'll consider the gospel together using the Apostle Paul's words, "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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, 'But the righteous man shall live by faith.'" We'll look at four aspects of the gospel. It's the power of God. It's for those who believe. It reveals the righteousness of God. It's the way to live life.
The gospel is the power of God. Paul is unequivocal; the gospel is God's power. It's not God's power, plus man's power. It's not sometimes God's power. It's not God's power because we believe it to be. It is God's power because it is God's power. This truth leads us to draw several conclusions.
Because the gospel is God's power and God is good, then the gospel must be good. Since the gospel is good, its purpose must be good. There is no evil, no harm, no darkness in the gospel.
Because no power rivals God's power, the gospel must accomplish God's purpose. There may be competing powers, and indeed there are. There may be hindrances. There may be obstacles. Yet, the gospel is God's power; it must prevail, because God prevails. Were it not so, God would not be God.
Because the gospel is God's power, it must be working all the time since God is always at work. The gospel is not limited to Sundays and Wednesdays.
The gospel is not limited to Brewton, East Brewton or to Escambia County only. God's power is free to work wherever, whenever and with whomever God so wills.
The gospel is good, powerful, and effective wherever God wills and is always at work. If we're not Christians yet, why do we continue to resist the gospel? God's power for good is working and calling to us. Do we think that we are more powerful than He? Do we think that our ways are better than His?
If we're Christians, do we hesitate to speak to others of the gospel? Do we think it lacks power? Is it not truly good? Is it not for anyone and everyone? Is God not always working through the gospel?
Reflect on it. The gospel is God's power. Next week we'll discuss what the gospel does.