The Core Of The GospelSample

The Power Of The Gospel For Salvation

“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.”

Have you ever been ashamed of the gospel? That is, have you ever shrunk back from telling others about Christ’s death and resurrection because you were afraid you’d be rejected? Perhaps even ridiculed or talked about behind your back? If so, you’re in good company. Paul, the seemingly fearless Apostle Paul, faced this same temptation. Some say that Paul cannot mean he was ever ashamed of the gospel, but that’s precisely his point. As Scottish theologian James Stewart pointed out, “There’s no sense in declaring that you’re not ashamed of something unless you’ve been tempted to be ashamed of it.” 

But Paul overcame his fear of embarrassment, and so can we. We must do what Paul did and remind ourselves that this gospel is powerful. It transforms lives for all eternity. It is the power of God for the salvation of anyone who will believe it. 

When we are tempted to shrink back from the gospel, let’s remind ourselves that this is the powerful, life-rescuing truth of God, the gospel of Christ. Over and over remind yourself: this is God’s power to save. 

Jim Elliot, who would later be martyred in the Amazon jungle, penned these lines as a young man, which his late wife, Elisabeth Elliot, cites in her book Shadow of the Almighty:

“We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are “harmless,” and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are “sideliners” – coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own.”

Oh that God would make us dangerous!