“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.” (Rom. 1:16)

 

                             GOSPEL                                             M

    M

     M                                           POWER!           M

 

                                  V

 

CJesus said that ALL authority(exousia) in heaven and on earth is given unto me, therefore GO and make disciples. (Matt. 28:18)  We have the authority to use the awesome GOSPEL POWER. 

The power is within the GOSPEL itself.  It is not within ourselves.  The authorization to use this power is from Christ Jesus, who received from the Father:

 

“ For by Him(Jesus Christ) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him.”  (Col. 1:16)

“ And He(GOD, the Father), put all things in subjection under His(Jesus Christ’s) feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church(us)…” ( Eph. 1:22)

GOSPEL POWER is the only power that can save men from their sins.

There are other “powers”:

D By itself, useless for salvation. 

 “I will destroy the wisdom of the “wise”, and the cleverness of the “clever” I will set aside.”( I Cor.3:10)                                                                                                                   

    “ Professing to become to be wise, they became fools.”(Romans 1:22)

“LET NOT THE WISE MAN BOAST OF HIS WISDOM,…BUT LET HIM WHO BOASTS BOAST OF THIS, THAT HE UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ME…(Jeremiah 9:22-23)

Education apart from the the fear of God and His word amount to making clever devils.

 

 D By itself, useless for salvation.

“LET NOT THE RICH MAN BOAST OF HIS RICHES…”   (Jer. 9:23)

But Peter said to him (Simon), “ May your sliver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have not portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.  Therefore, repent of this wickedness…”(Acts 8:20) 

Peter later wrote:  “…Christ knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Jesus.”

 (I Pet.1:19)

“Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him.” (James 2:5)

JESUS said:  “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God”(church). It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the k. of God.” (Mark 10:23,25)

“IF A MAN WERE TO GIVE ALL THE RICHES OF HIS HOUSE FOR LOVE,

 IT WOULD BE UTTERLY DESPISED.” (Song of Solomon 8:7)

 

D By itself, useless for salvation. REMEMBER SAMSON!

 “LET NOT THE MIGHTY MAN BOASTS OF HIS MIGHT…”  (Jer. 9:23)   

Jesus said: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing…” (John 6:63)

“ …discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for the present life and also for the life to come.”

(I Tim.5:7-8)

REMEMBER NEBUCHADNEZZAR!  “IS THIS NOT BABYLON THE GREAT, WHICH I MYSELF HAVE BUILT AS A ROYAL RESIDENCE BY THE MIGHT OF MY POWER AND FOR THE GLORY OF MY MAJESTY”  (Daniel 4:30)

 

D Totally useless to save. 

“…we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.  For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father from whom all things exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.”  ( I Cor. 8:4-6

)

There is also the power of personality(charisma), the power of prestige, social power by  an inherited family name, and other powers available to man.  No wonder, since we were created in the image of God.  Neverthless:

 

 

ON THE OTHER HAND:

 

SALVATION(Soteria) = The salvation of the whole person.    It changes us and gives us a different future.(HOPE)   The opposite of salvation is damnation, or perishing.  Saving takes place now and in the future.  It means we are freed from damnation, AND given divine glory that comes with the redemption of the body and conforming to the image of His Son.  So we now begin to live by these spiritual realities in our everyday physical world.

We are saved to serve.  To effectively serve the Lord, we need the tools to do so.  Leadership is given to the church to enable and empower each member to achieve much for Christ. 

“…for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ…”

Practical examples:

·     Slaves(employers) must work hard

·     Thieves stop stealing and start working: “…Let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good in order hat he may have something to share with him who has need. Not pilfering, argumentative, subject to their own masters in everything.

·     Younger women taught to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands…

·     Young men to be sensible; in all things to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing to say about us.

·     Older women to stay sober and reverent in their behaviour, not gossip, and teach the younger women.

We are to render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.  In short, we are to learn and teach others how to adorn our salvation with good works so that Jesus is glorified in our lives.  We must learn how to manage our lives so that we can support ourselves and give unto others, and especially to support the worldwide proclamation of the gospel.

 

Everything starts with our salvation by GOSPEL POWER!