“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek.” Rom1:16
For many
of us the word gospel has come to mean anything that is preached on the pulpit.
However that is so far away from the truth. Paul
tells us here that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation.
This is a very rich statement in every way. Let us take some time off to
examine it.
1) Gospel.
(euaggelion)
The word
gospel simply means good news or a good message. Thayer defines it simply as
glad tidings of the kingdom of God…
This
might seem like a simple thing but it has profound ramifications to us if it be
true indeed. The gospel is Good News.
First it
has got to be good. It can’t be bad or condemning or judgmental. If what is
being preached to you isn’t good, it’s not the gospel! It must be good. Isaiah
calls it good tidings of good.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that
bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of
good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”
Isa52:7
Secondly
it has got to be news. The dictionary defines news as ‘a report of recent occurrences; information of something that has
lately taken place or something before unknown…’
That
means that it is in the past. It has already happened. It has already occurred.
It has taken place already. It is done. It is finished. It is accomplished.
It is
not a prophecy of what is going to happen, that wouldn’t be news technically,
or a warning. The gospel is news. Good news.
When a
preacher stands on a pulpit, their message should first of all be good and it
should be news. It must be about a finished work. That is what the gospel is;
glad tidings of good things.
2) Of
Jesus Christ
The
gospel is all about Jesus. It is the good news concerning Jesus Christ and what
He has done, accomplished and finished on the Cross. It is the good news of
Christ and His kingdom which has already come.
The
gospel does not proclaim your works and your efforts. The gospel proclaims the
work of God in Christ. Today we love to stand on the pulpits and tell the
people what they should be doing for God. We give them formulas, steps and
methods to get God to do things for them or to please God. We are at the center
of the messages we preach. None of that
is gospel. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. He is at the center of
it all.
3) It
is the power of God unto salvation
“When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come
with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed the testimony of God. For I
decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him
crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling.
My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but
with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not
be based on human wisdom but on the power of God.” 1Cor2:1-5NET
The
gospel is power. It is not rhetoric, it is not just talk, and it is not clever
arguments and wise sayings. Today most preachers are experts at sounding
clever, making wise quotes, telling very captivating stories and telling very
funny jokes. Many preachers have become inspirational and motivational
speakers. We should not be deceived. Talk is cheap. The gospel is the power of
God unto salvation.
The word for power here is the word dunamis.
It’s the word from which we get the English words dynamo, dynamic, dynamism
etc. it means the following; force, ability, abundance, might, strength, violence.
Thayer defines it as inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its
nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth etc.
In a
nutshell Paul is saying that the gospel is the ability, the dynamism, the
working, the strength, the might of God that leads to or produces salvation is
us.
The way that God has ordained
for us to partake and enjoy the salvation that He worked in Christ on the Cross
is the gospel.
Through hearing and believing the gospel of Christ God is able to produce His salvation
in every area of our life.
The
gospel is the power of God that releases the effects of salvation in our lives.
The problem today is that the truths of the gospel are not commonly preached or
understood in many churches. This is the reason that so many Christians are not
walking in all the benefits of their salvation. They don't have the power of
the gospel working in them.
The law
and its works are not the power of God unto salvation. The law and its works
never produce salvation. Fasting, praying, giving, tithing, philanthropy,
attending church and any other works of the law will never produce salvation in
us. Only hearing and believing the gospel will produce salvation in us. Only
the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
4) Salvation
(sōtēria)
For many
of us salvation means going to heaven. However the scripture doesn’t teach
that. Salvation refers to everything that Jesus accomplished through His death,
burial, resurrection and glorification.
In fact the Greek word used for
salvation here is the word sōtēria and it means rescue or safety
(physically or morally), deliver, health, salvation, save, saving. Thayer
defines it as deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation, deliverance from
the molestation of enemies.
Another
common word used throughout the New Testament to convey the same meaning is the
Greek word sōzō which is translated as saved in Rom10:9
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved.” Rom10:9
This
word means to make safe, to save, that is, deliver or protect, heal, preserve, to
do well, be (make) whole etc.
Salvation
is much more than just being born again. It refers to every benefit to which
the believer is entitled through Jesus. It refers to every work and good thing
that Jesus has obtained for us on the Cross. This means that it is as much a
present thing as it is a done reality.
Therefore, if we are not experiencing the
abundance that Jesus provided for us in any area of our lives then we are
having a problem understanding and/or believing the gospel. If you need healing, it's in the
gospel. If you need deliverance, it's in the gospel. Prosperity, answered
prayer, joy, peace, love; they are all found through understanding and believing
the gospel.
Paul the
apostle was writing some last words to his dear son in the faith Timothy before
his death. At this time Timothy was already pastoring a church. However look at
what Paul told him;
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and
hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a
child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is
in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works.” 2Tim3:14-17
Paul
admonishes timothy to continue in the scriptures which are ‘able to make thee wise unto salvation…”. Now why would Paul say
this to Timothy well knowing that Timothy was already saved and was in fact
pastoring a church at this time? Didn’t Paul know this? Of course he did. But
Paul also knew that salvation meant much more than getting born again and going
to heaven. He knew that salvation meant being safe, healed, delivered, healthy,
prosperous, and victorious and every other good work that Jesus has
accomplished. He knew that whatever Timothy needed or lacked physically,
emotionally and any other way was contained within salvation. All he needed was
to continue in the scriptures (including the gospel) which would enable him
receive and partake of all of this. The gospel would be unto Timothy the power
of God unto salvation. The good news is unto you today the power of God unto salvation.
Another
time as Paul bids farewell to the elders of the church at Ephesus he gives them
a similar admonition;
“And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of
his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among
all them which are sanctified.” Acts20:32
What is
this ‘word of his grace’ that Paul
was speaking about? It is the gospel. It is the one which is able to build us
up and to give us an inheritance among the sanctified of the Lord.
The
apostle James also has something to say about this;
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with
meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be
ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if
any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding
his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man
shall be blessed in his deed.” Jam1:21-25
What is
this ‘engrafted word’ which he also
calls the ‘perfect law of liberty’
and which he encourages us to receive with meekness and to do? It is the gospel
of Jesus Christ. The proclamation of the liberty we have in Christ as Galatians
5:1 says;
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath
made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” Gal5:1
We can
see from all of these scriptures that salvation is much more than going to
heaven. It is everything that Jesus has accomplished for us on the Cross. The
gospel is much more than telling you about going to heaven, the gospel is about
bringing the kingdom of heaven right here, right now. In your life, in your
family, at your work place, at school, at your church. Everywhere. That is what
the gospel is. The power of God unto salvation right now.
SAVED SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I
pray God your whole spirit and soul and
body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1Thes5:23-24
An easy
way to understand our salvation is to first of all understand that we are made
up of a spirit, a soul and a body. Each of these experience something different
at salvation. Let us examine this a little bit;
We are already saved in our
spirit, being saved in our soul right now through sanctification and will be
saved in our body at the second coming of The Lord Jesus Christ.
a) We
are saved in our spirit
The
spirit man has been saved already. It is a done deal. When Jesus died on the
Cross He accomplished a full salvation for us. When we believe on Jesus we
receive a brand new spirit that is completely in union with God and perfect.
Our spirit man does not need to be saved. He is saved already and completely perfect.
He is completely new. This is what Paul tells the Corinthians;
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2Cor5:21
This
verse is speaking about our spirit man. When we get born again we are brand new
in spirit. Everything in the spiritual realm becomes new. It becomes fresh. God
gets rid of the old corrupted sinful spirit and his world and replaces it with
the spirit of His Son crying Abba Father in our hearts. He replaces the sinful
atmosphere in our hearts with the heavenly, holy presence of the kingdom of
God. We become heavenly, holy and righteous. We become the house of God, the
Holy temple of God.
After
God has done this, He seals us from all sin, corruption and impurity. He
insulates our brand new spirit from the corruption of sin. The born again
spirit, the new creation has been sealed off completely from the corruption and
impurity of sin. He does this by the Holy Spirit who comes to live in our new
spirit.
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye
were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise
of his glory.” Eph4:13-14
The word
sealed basically has two meanings;
First it
indicates ownership. It is a mark that is placed on something to show who the
owner is. God has marked us as His own. We belong to Him. We have been sanctified
and set apart.
Secondly
it means to protect from corruption and impurity. To seal off to the outside
world and influences. We have been sealed from the corruption and impurity of
sin and this world. When you sin, the sin doesn’t affect or corrupt your
spirit. It can only go as far as the soul. Look at this verse;
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but
that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the
hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto
the day of redemption.” Eph4:29-30
b) We
are being saved in our soul on a daily basis through sanctification
“Receiving the end of
your faith, even the salvation of
your souls…Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and
hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to
the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so
be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy;
for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons
judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in
fear” 1Pet1:9-17
The soul
is being saved everyday by the present grace of God, and the Word of God and the
renewing of the mind as we continue to hear and believe the gospel.
When we
got born again it is our spirit that was changed and perfected to be just like
God. Our soul wasn’t saved. This is the reason many of us still struggle with
sins and habits and addictions that plagued us as sinners. These are still
resident in our soul which comprises of our mind, our will and our emotions. It
is commonly referred to as our ‘personality’. This needs to be changed by daily
sanctification though the gospel which is able to renew our mind and to cleanse
our conscience.
Every day
as we hear and believe the good news of Jesus Christ, it becomes the power of
God unto salvation in our souls. In other words it delivers, makes safe, heals,
makes us whole in our corrupted minds, unstable emotions, broken hearts, bad
decision making and in every area where we need salvation to work in our soul. The gospel of Jesus Christ releases God’s
power into our soul to make us whole and spiritual as God is. This is
what the bible calls renewing the mind and being transformed;
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Rom12:2
The
Greek word that was translated "transformed" here is the word
"metamorphoo" and it’s the word from which we get the English word
"metamorphosis". It is used to describe the process of a complete
change or transformation. Like when a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.
This
word ‘metamorphoo’ was also used to describe Jesus' transfiguration when His
garments became white as the light on the mount of transfiguration.
“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his
brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured
before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as
the light.” Mat17:1-2
When our
mind is renewed by the gospel, this is what happens to our soul. It is
transformed and transfigured. There happens a complete transformation in us. We
shine and radiate with the glory of God.
This is
an important point for us to understand. God through the power of the preaching
of the gospel begins to transform our soul from an earthly perspective to a
heavenly reality. He transforms us from an ugly caterpillar into a beautiful
butterfly. how does He do this? By the preaching of the good news of Jesus Christ.
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall
be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we
shall be saved by his life.” Rom5:9-10
c) Our
body will be saved at the second coming.
“… Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and
this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O
death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1Cor15:42-55
This
incorruptible body will put on incorruption at the second coming of the Lord.
Our body (the purchased possession) will be redeemed. At that moment, our body
too will be saved.
5) To
everyone that believeth
This is
not for a special few. It is for everyone that believes. It doesn’t matter who
you are, as long as you believe. The gospel will work salvation unto you and
into you. It does not say to those who pray a lot, who fast a lot, who give a lot, who serve diligently, who don't sin etc. This is a faith issue. It is to those who believe.
The Greek
word that was translated "believeth" here, is in the present
participle tense which expresses the idea of a continuous and repeated action. It means that we believed once and have continued to believe ever since. We didn't stop believing at the point of getting born again. We have to continue believing the good news of Jesus Christ. We
must always have a present active faith in the work that God has done on the
Cross.
You must continue to believe
on a daily basis for you to continue to receive the results of the Cross and to
continue having the experience of salvation working in your life.
Jesus
spoke about taking up your Cross and following Him daily. The scriptures
present true Bible faith as an ongoing experience, not a one-time action.
The word
believeth carries the idea of an act or process which continues. So, the man
that "believeth" is a man who has believed and is continuing to
believe.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by
his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Rom5:8-10
We see
Paul speaking about our salvation as a future occurrence and that we shall be
saved from wrath through him. Again he says that we shall be saved by His life.
In conclusion we have learnt that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news of what Jesus has done for us on the Cross through His death, burial, resurrection and glorification at the right hand of God the Father. We have also learnt that this good news about what Jesus has accomplished is the power and ability of God that works salvation, safety, healing, health, deliverance, prosperity and wholeness in us. Finally we have discovered that all we have to do is to continue hearing and believing the gospel and it shall produce salvation in our lives and in every area that needs saved.
Believing
the good news of Jesus Christ is what produces salvation (healing, prosperity,
blessing, deliverance, protection and so forth. May we continue to hear and
believe the good news of Jesus Christ.
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