|
The Power of the
Gospel
The "good news"
that Yahushua brought has tremendous effectiveness in the lives of its
hearers—if they believe it. Throughout the New Testament, the gospel is associated
with power:
- For I will not dare to speak of any of those
things which Yahushua has not accomplished through me, in word and
deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the
Spirit of Yahweh, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum
I have fully preached the gospel of Yahushua. (Romans
15:18-19; emphasis ours throughout)
- For the message of the cross is
foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved
it is the power of Yahweh. (I
Corinthians 1:18)
- And my speech and my preaching
were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration
of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of Yahweh.
(I
Corinthians 2:4-5)
- But I will come to you shortly, if the
Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up,
but the power. For the Kingdom of Yahweh is not in word but in power.
(I
Corinthians 4:19-20)
- For our gospel did not come to
you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know
what kind of men we were among you for your sake. (I
Thessalonians 1:5)
Moreover, in writing to the
established congregation in Rome, Paul directly identifies the gospel as
"the power of Yahweh to salvation":
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Yahushua, for it is the power of Yahweh to salvation for everyone
who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the
righteousness of Yahweh is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written,
"The just shall live by faith." (Romans
1:16-17)
Notice, though, the qualifier
that Paul attaches: "for everyone who believes." Simply
hearing the basic announcement of the coming Kingdom of Yahweh on earth will not accomplish
anything. Merely reading Yahweh's instruction manual for mankind—the
Bible—serves no purpose if it is not believed.
What is the proof of belief?
It is far more than just mental agreement, but rather agreement
along with carrying out requirements that show whom one trusts.
Those who believe will provide evidence that Yahweh is continuing to work
in them. They will change, that is, repent. Good works will be the evidence (James
2:20, 22, 26). A person who truly believes the gospel will be motivated
to change his or her life to fit the purpose Yahweh is working out, and to
be in alignment with His government.
As Romans
1:16 says, the gospel is so powerful that it has the authority and the
means to bring us to salvation. Through the gospel, Yahweh exercises His
power to save men. It is a potent means by which Yahweh teaches, motivates,
and creates salvation in a believer. This power is available, however, only
to those who exercise trust in those words. The "good news" is
composed of words—words that carry in them the power to move our lives
toward salvation if we believe them enough to unleash their power by
putting them in practice. Words are spirit (John
6:63), and they impel us in the direction of their meaning if we choose
to submit to them. The gospel is not a passive force, latently waiting to
use its power, but it is constantly working toward the fulfillment of
Yahweh's purpose. As soon as we hear or read it, it begins to work—if
we believe.
What, then, is contained in
the gospel? Verse 17 makes it clear: Yahweh, in the gospel, reveals His
righteousness. What is righteousness? It is an Old English term
that means "right-wise-ness"—essentially, "doing what is
right." Psalm
119:172 gives its definition, "For all Your commands [all of
Yahweh's instructions] are righteousness." Righteousness is Yahweh's
way of life—the way He lives and the way He desires His creation to
live. Verse 17 could be paraphrased, "For in the gospel, Yahweh's way
of life is revealed." Put simply, the gospel message includes
everything we need to know to live Yahweh's way of life—to live as Yahweh
does.
The gospel is Yahweh's means
for bringing us to salvation—not merely for forgiving our sins. It is not
only the announcement of the Kingdom of Yahweh, but also the
process by which we can enter Yahweh's Kingdom. But this does not
happen all at once—it is a lifelong educational process. The
gospel is Yahweh's system of impressing upon us where we are headed and how
we should live so we will reach His goal. His message of "good
news" has tremendous power to motivate us and propel us in right
direction—if we truly believe.
Shalom
|
