The Gospel Is God’s Power

Transcript

GR 1407
10/25/09
The Gospel Is God's Power
Romans 1:16-17
Gil Rugh

We're studying the book of Romans together and while you turn to Romans 1 I'd like to mention a book to you, Romans, the Gospel of God's Grace by Alva J. McLain. We have gotten a number of copies of these in at Sound Words. Some of you are familiar with McLain's work, The Greatness of the Kingdom. And this is an outstanding work on Romans, I recommend it to you. There are many books on Romans but this is a book that you will be able to read and not mire down in technicalities and details, but it is a very solid, sound work. You might want to read a chapter or so a week and that will help keep you up to date on where we are going in Romans. So very worthwhile work. There's another work about this size by a man named Stifler. It's out of print, but Twyla was able to get a few used copes, they are there as well.

We're going to be talking about the gospel and there was an article dated October 24, 2009 from a Christian magazine. It's entitled An Open-Handed Gospel. And I just want to read a section about it. The person is the head of an evangelical seminary and writes multiple pages so I'll just be reading a couple of paragraphs on an open-handed gospel, and you'll get the idea what he means with open-handed gospel. I'm breaking in to the article so I'm not starting at the beginning. He says many evangelical commentators these days insist that salvation is closely tied to doctrinal clarity. Here for example is how one prominent evangelical leader criticized those of us who have endorsed the various evangelicals and Catholics together documents. This man critical of the man writing this article and others says, what those signers are saying is that while they believe the doctrine of justification as articulated by the Reformers is true, they are not willing to say people must believe it to be saved. In other words they believe people are saved who do not believe the biblical doctrine of justification. This man responds, I can't speak for others who look for common ground with Roman Catholics, but he certainly has me right. Claims to be an evangelical, president of a seminary that claims to be evangelical says, he's right. I believe people are saved who do not believe the biblical doctrine of justification.

He goes on. I am passionate in my agreement with Martin Luther on justification by faith alone, but I do believe that a person can be confused about this doctrine and still be saved. Do I believe that? Absolutely. I wish that many of my Catholic friends would subscribe unambiguously to the views about salvation by grace alone that I hold preciously. But in their failure to do so a reason for me to doubt their salvation. Then he goes on to say no.

Well something terribly confusing about this. If you believe that salvation is by grace alone and by faith alone in Christ alone, can you turn around and say people are saved who don't believe that. I mean, if salvation is by faith alone, by grace alone in Christ alone, if you don't believe that you are not saved. But he goes on to say, I believe they are saved if they don't believe that. I believe it passionately like the Reformers did, but then I believe that those who don't believe it are also saved. Which ends up, I can't make sense of it. Then you don't believe that it's by faith alone, by grace alone because those who believe it is by faith plus works and not all of grace are saved. Then the Galatians that Paul says are anathema, those false teachers of Galatia aren't anathema.

So I mention this because even when we get to the gospel, and this man in parts of his article presents the gospel as clearly as anybody else could, but they turn around on the other hand and deny it. Understanding what the book of Romans is unfolding about the gospel is that anyone who would believe anything other than the purity of the gospel as God has presented it is not saved. There can be no double talk. This is an open-handed gospel as he presents it because what we're trying to be is magnanimous, show how open we are. We are not narrow, we are not judgmental.

He goes on, younger people are concerned that the older generation is too judgmental, too narrow. Well, we have to be as narrow as God is. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me. That's narrow. Broad enough to include everyone but it is narrow in that it excludes everyone who does not believe in Christ.

So when we come to Romans 1:16-17, we come to the verses that are the theme of the book of Romans, it's what the book of Romans is all about. One commentator said he thinks these may be the greatest verses every written. They are truly the focal point of the Word of God and they will be the unfolding theme of the book of Romans. With these verses, verses 16-17, Paul sets forth the theme of what he is going to be addressing. Beginning with verse 18 he will start the remaining part of this letter in unfolding in detail the truth of the gospel.

In verse 15 Paul had declared his readiness to preach the gospel. This is based upon the fact, verse 1, that he was a called apostle set apart for the gospel of God. And so he is ready to come and preach that gospel. The gospel is the Good News of God to man. It focuses in His Son. That was unfolded in verses 2-6. The Son who was born into the human race as a descendant of David, One who suffered and died and was raised from the dead, the One in whom there is life. I'm ready to come and preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. And then he gives the reason, which is his theme for the letter.

You'll note verse 16 begins with for, for I am eager to preach the gospel to you. For I am not ashamed of the gospel. And this message of Jesus Christ, Paul would love to come to Rome. He is ready, he is eager, he anticipates the opportunity to come and tell them more fully, more clearly the wonder of the truth of Jesus Christ, His suffering and death to pay the penalty for sin, His resurrection as the One who has accomplished salvation fully and completely, the One in whom they are now growing. I am not ashamed of the gospel. Interesting that he connects that—I am eager to preach the gospel to you in Rome also, for I am not ashamed of the gospel. Interesting that you put that right out front. I am not ashamed of the gospel, I'm not embarrassed about Jesus Christ. One way we might say, that's a strange way to start. I am not ashamed of Jesus Christ because He is the subject of the gospel, and yet if you've been a believer very long we readily identify with that. It is all too easy to be ashamed of the One who is our Savior, the One who loved us and died for us. I mean, think about it. The Son of God came to earth and loved me and died for me. If someone gave his life for you, you would think you would delight to tell others. I want to tell you about One who loved me so much, He died for me. And yet there is an intimidation factor, a fear factor.

One of the reasons is when you present this message it seems unimpressive. It doesn't come across as having great appeal to the intellect and wisdom of man. In fact they think it's foolish, they think you are foolish for believing such a thing. And we are somewhat intimidated and embarrassed to step forward and openly declare that we have placed our faith in the Man who was crucified 2000 years ago. And we believe that the only forgiveness of sins is found by believing in Him.

Turn over to I Corinthians 1. Note what he says, verse 17, Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel. Talking about the same theme as he has in Romans 1. And I preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, not in wisdom of words. I don't try to dress up the gospel so that it will be intellectually appealing. Not in cleverness of speech so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. This would relate to the article that I read. Do you see what happens? If you try to add man's wisdom to the gospel, do you know what you do? You make it void, you cancel it out. This is sometimes the confusing matter that confronts us. These people are clear with the gospel, but they've added something to it. And when they do, they nullify it. They cancel out its effectiveness. Paul says if I tried to mix the gospel with worldly wisdom, I would make the cross of Christ void, it would no longer be effective in bringing about salvation. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. I think one of the problems why we can easily be ashamed of the gospel. The unbelieving world views the message of Jesus Christ as foolishness, stupid, it's nor for intelligent people. That's the idea.

You come down to chapter 2 verse 1, when I came to you brethren I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. Why not? Verse 5, I didn't want your faith to rest on the wisdom of men. Verse 2, I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He had said back in I Corinthians 1:22, the Jews ask for signs, the Greeks search for wisdom. We studied this when we studied I Corinthians. You know, the church is consumed with how can we be more effective in reaching our generation, our culture. Well, you know what you have to do? Present the gospel. Nothing has changed. Paul says, I know, I'm coming to a Greek city, I'm writing to a Greek city, I've ministered in a Greek city. And they like wisdom, they like to be impressed with things that impact the intellect and show wisdom, intellect. But I determined I would know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And they think it is moronic, stupid, foolish. But that's all I have to offer.

So we can be easily intimidated by the world. We live in a city that has a major university and we appreciate its benefits to the city, but it can be intimidating. Many people think, we are believers in Jesus Christ. When you want to talk to them about the gospel, they're going to think it's stupid anyway. It's easy to be ashamed of the gospel.

Another thing that happens in the presentation of the gospel is it can stir up animosity. It does. Jesus said, if they hated Me they'll hate you. If they receive My words they'll receive yours. But we know what happened to Him. They didn't receive His words, they didn't love Him, they hated Him, they crucified Him. What will be the impact and consequences if you become too open and too bold with the gospel? That could become a costly thing. We may not get the overt persecution that they do in some places in the world, but maybe without them telling you why all of a sudden you don't get promoted, you don't get the best positions, you don't get recognition. Why? You begin to wonder.

Turn over to II Timothy 1. Paul is writing to Timothy. He is in prison, he is awaiting execution because he preached the gospel. And he writes to Timothy and he wants to encourage him. So it says in II Timothy 1:8, therefore do not be ashamed. There we are. Paul says, I am eager to preach the gospel to you in Rome also, for I am not ashamed of the gospel. Now he's writing to Timothy at a later time. He says, therefore, Timothy, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me. I mean, isn't it interesting. Here is Timothy who has been a faithful companion of Paul's in ministry over many years. But that doesn't mean that Paul doesn't have to challenge and exhort Timothy, Timothy, don't be ashamed of the testimony about Christ or of me a prisoner because of my testimony for Christ. Join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God.

You see, Paul had no misconceptions. The same thing won't happen to you, Timothy, that happened to me. Timothy, you have to step up and be willing to suffer for the gospel. Don't be ashamed, Timothy, that's a danger you face, it's a danger we all face. But you have to be willing to step up and suffer. So you see it's not only that the world looks at this message as foolish and the people who believe it and share it as fools, it even goes beyond that. They are antagonized by that. They do not like the people who present this message, in fact they hate them, they want to oppose them.

Paul knew what this intimidation was like. Back up to Ephesians 6. Timothy was in Ephesus when Paul wrote to him, Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the Ephesians. This was an earlier imprisonment than the one he was in in II Timothy. The imprisonment in Ephesus was what is recorded at the end of the book of Acts, the one in II Timothy is a later one as we've talked about on other occasions. Paul talks about praying and the importance of prayer and praying for one another. Verse 19, then he asked them, and pray on my behalf that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth. Pray that the Lord would move me to speak, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. Pray on my behalf that utterance would be given to me in the opening of my mouth to make known with boldness. Paul a prisoner will be court, he'll have opportunity to talk to Roman soldiers that have responsibility to guard him, others. Pray for me that I'll be bold, that I'll open my mouth and speak out the truth concerning Christ as I should, the mystery of the gospel, that which God has revealed concerning His Son.

Look at verse 20, for I am an ambassador in chains. Paul doesn't say I'm a prisoner in chains, I'm an ambassador in chains. I represent Jesus Christ in chains. That in proclaiming I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. He repeats it. The end of verse 19, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel; the end of verse 20, that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. We sometimes think, we need to pray that we won't say too much, that we won't be too bold. Paul prays for the opposite. When he exhorts Timothy he exhorts him to the opposite. We get so concerned, is this the right time, is this the right occasion. Are they lost? Are you saved? It's the right occasion. I realize there may be times when I ought to be working, I'm paid to work. I'm not paid to read my Bible, I'm not paid to be witnessing, and there are certain situations where I have to be careful I'm doing a job that honors my relationship to the Lord and those that I work with. But you know, I'm overrun with opportunities to talk to people about Christ. Stop and think about this past week. How many people have you boldly present clearly the facts of the gospel to. How many people? The last two weeks, the last month, how many. I mean, we live in a city, there are probably a couple 100,000 lost people that we come in contact with in a variety of ways. And yet somehow it's hard to talk to them about the gospel, isn't it? It's not hard to open up a conversation and say, what did you think of the game yesterday? How did you think we played? What do you think we're going to have to do to change it? But to open it up and say, what do you think about the Savior who came to this earth and died to pay the penalty for your sin? Have you ever considered the fact that you are lost, that you are separated from God by sin? Do you know that God said that He has a great love and it's a great love for sinners who are lost? Unless they respond to that love they are going to die and go to hell. Somehow I just can't get it out, it's just not a good time. You know everybody is interested in talking about the game, they don't want to talk about this. This is not a good time. Paul knew what that was like. Here I am in prison, is this a good time? I'm already in prison for preaching, maybe I've been too bold, maybe this is a good time to talk less. Pray that I'll speak boldly as I ought. Paul thought there was only one right way to speak the gospel, that's with boldness. That I might make it clear as I should.

So he starts out, I am not ashamed of the gospel. So I'm ready, I'm eager to come to you in Rome also. Come back to Romans 1. In Galatians 6:14 Paul says, God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the focus, the glory of my life, the boasting of my life, what I want to talk about is the cross of Jesus Christ. Not just Jesus Christ generally, not just about God generally. I want to talk about the cross of Jesus Christ. Do you know what the cross of Jesus Christ means?. The cross you wear as a piece of jewelry, do you know what that means? Do you know why the cross looms so significant, what it's about? God forbid that I should glory except in the cross.

So in Romans 1:16, I am not ashamed of the gospel, the message about Jesus Christ, His death on the cross and His resurrection. Why? For, again. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. He's going to talk about God's power, he's going to talk about God's salvation, he's going to talk about the place of faith, going to talk about righteousness. All matters that we must know and understand.

I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation. The power of God. Greek word here we're familiar with because we've carried it over into English—dunamos, dynamite, dynamo, dynamic. Word that meant something that had power in and of itself, inherent power, power by virtue of what it is. You'll note what he is talking about here. The gospel is the power of God, it is not about the power of God, it is the power of God. We have to see the importance of this. We don't want to talk about the gospel because the gospel tells you about God's power, the gospel is God's power for salvation.

Go back to I Corinthians 1:18, the contrast, for the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God because we have experienced that power that has brought about our salvation and continues to work in our lives. Verse 22, for indeed Jews ask for signs, Greeks search for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. To Jews a stumbling block, to Gentiles foolishness. But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. You see this is what He is. We are presenting a person, Jesus Christ, the work that He has done. That is God's power for salvation. The church, the evangelical church, the church that claims to be Bible-believing has somehow gone adrift and lost sight of that. We think, what are we going to do to reach our culture? What are we going to do to reach our society? They are not responsive to Bible teaching, they don't want to hear preaching, they are not interested. We have to .............. Wait a minute, God only has one plan—His power. I know, but .......... His power. What is His power? The gospel is the power of God. Jesus Christ is God's power and God's wisdom. The world may look at it as foolishness, the world may look at is as weakness. Note verse 27, God has chosen the foolish things of the world, God has chosen the weak things of the world. God, verse 28, has chosen the things that are not. He's choosing nobodies. Look at yourself, he tells the Corinthians, God saved you. Now He is using you to give the gospel to someone else. That's the amazing uniqueness of God's plan. You don't have to have earned a doctorate degree, you don't have to have graduated from grade school. But you can tell the gospel, you can share the gospel. I don't think they'll take it from me, I'm not on their level, I'm not in their class, I'm not. It's not about you, it's not about me. It's about the gospel. Christ is God's power.

Look at I Corinthians 2:4, my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men but on the power of God. To win people over with your intellectual arguments you haven't saved them. God's power has to save them, it's the message of His Son.

Back up to Acts 11. In Acts 11 Peter is relating to the other apostles and leaders in the church at Jerusalem how he came to present the gospel to Gentiles at the house of Cornelius. And he went to the house of Cornelius at the invitation of Cornelius, a Gentile. And Cornelius called for Peter because an angel of God told Cornelius to send for Peter. Now note in verse 14 what the angel told Cornelius. Go and ask for Peter to come to you. Verse 14, he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household. You'll note what brings us salvation. It's not Peter, it's the words that he brings. He will speak words to you by which you will be saved. Peter was an apostle, he was ........ No, it's not Peter, it's the words that he speaks that will save you. What did Peter speak? Back up to Acts 10:39, he's told them about Christ coming to earth, a little bit about His life. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him on the third day, He became visible to some witnesses. Then, verse 42, He ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly testify, this is the One who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. You see he presented the message of Christ. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. While Peter was speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell upon those who were listening to the message. They heard the words, they believed them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they were saved. Look at the message. If you're a believer, you know what Peter said. Those are the words that bring salvation to a person who believes. That's the power of God for salvation. Peter didn't forget that lesson.

Come back to I Peter 1:23, we'll break in here but you'll get the idea. He had said in verses 18-19, you are not saved by perishable things, silver and gold, from your empty way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Down in verse 23, you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and enduring Word of God. How are people born again? Through the word of God. So often we get caught up and say, I can't do that, I'm not ................ You can talk. That's all we do, we tell them the gospel. That's God's power for salvation. Now that doesn't mean they'll be saved because as he is going on to say in a moment, they have to believe it. But the gospel is God's power for salvation. You were born again through the living and enduring Word of God. Down at the end of verse 25, this is the word which was preached to you. And it's the same word we are to preach because the Word of God endures forever. So we do the same thing 2000 years later that Peter did and that's why many of you have been saved. Right? There came a point in your life or you heard and understood and believed the message of Christ.

When I was saved I don't remember the man who was presenting the gospel, I don't know what his name, I don't remember what he looked like. I was saved by believing the message that he presented, the gospel, the truth concerning Christ. He was an instrument that God used to bring the message to me. Just like there were instruments that God used to bring the message to you. And that's the role we play, to be God's mouthpiece in giving them the gospel which is the power of God for salvation.

Come back to Romans 1. It's the power of God for salvation. That what we need—salvation. That's where he is going to start, we are lost in our sin, we are dead in our sin, we are under condemnation for our sin. I need to be saved from the penalty for my sin, the consequences of being a sinner, what it means to be a sinner under the wrath of God, guilty for sin. God's salvation brings forgiveness of sins. One of the things that happens for this salvation that God has provided, it brings forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14, Jesus Christ is the One in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin. Jesus said, if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins, John 8:24. Forgiveness of sins comes in Christ, He's the Savior that God provided. Unto you this day in the City of David is born a Savior who is Chris the Lord. He brings forgiveness of sin. In Him you have forgiveness of sin. Nowhere else. People are going through all kinds of things to try to get forgiveness, but in Christ we have forgiveness of sins.

With that another thing that this salvation entails—delivery from slavery to sin. Turn back to John 8, I just referred to a verse there, and I just quoted verse 24 where Jesus said, unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. You come down to verse 34, Jesus said, truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. Everyone lives enslaved to sin because all have sinned, God says, and everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. You say, I wouldn't want to give up my freedom and become a believer, become a Christian. Well, you understand you are not free, because everyone who commits sin is enslaved to sin. So verse 36 says, if the Son make you free, you will be free indeed. Paul is going to elaborate on that in some detail in Romans 6. How in Christ we have been set free from slavery to sin and now enslaved to God and righteousness.

You know again, the church has lost sight of the whole issue. I'm talking about the evangelical church that claims to believe the Bible. We have all kinds of programs to help people deal with addictions—addiction to alcohol, addiction to drugs, addiction to sex, addiction to gambling, addiction to food. You name it. Where do we get that? Where in the Word of God do we get that? We don't. You know where we got it? We got it from the world and in doing so we have denied the power of God for salvation. Well, He forgives you for your sins but He doesn't set you free. We have a program to help you get free. And we bring the wisdom of men and join it to the gospel of God and we make the gospel void. That's the devil's plan to render it powerless. In effect, we are denying it. The power of God for salvation saves you not only in forgiving your sins but it delivers you from bondage to sin. That's true, we'll get to the details of it in Romans 6. If the Son will make you free, you will be free indeed. Well I'm saved but I never got freed. The world calls it addictions, the Bible calls it slavery. The world doesn't want to talk about sin, the Bible calls it sin. And we are enslaved because we are sinners. But you don't understand, my problem is this. Have you ever had a problem with alcohol like I have a problem? Have you ever had a problem with sex like I have a problem? Have you ever had a problem with gambling? We don't all have the same issues we're dealing with, but they are all manifestation of what we are—sinners. Right? That's where it comes from. Mark 7, it's out of the heart proceed all these things. That's why we need to be made new and in Christ we are set free.

The way God sets us free is you have to die as we'll see in Romans 6. That's what happens in His salvation. It's the power of God for salvation. People come to me and say, this is my sin and I can't stop. I say, well let's back up, you need to get saved. Oh I am saved. Wait a minute, you said you can't stop. I can't. Well then you are not saved. Well I am saved. Then you can stop. It's the power of God for salvation, you're telling me you experienced the power of God and you didn't get saved. If you didn't get saved you never experienced the power of God. If you got saved the power of God sets you free from slavery to sin. If the Son will set you free you will be free. Don't sit here and tell me you are enslaved to sin and you've been set free by the Son. You're not going to sit in my office and say Christ lied. If the Son will set you free, you will be free. Maybe you've thought you were a Christian, maybe you were raised in a Christian home, maybe you've tried to live like a Christian. But let me tell you when the Son sets you free, you will be free. That's the power of God for salvation, delivers us from our sin and slavery to sin. It delivers you from spiritual death. Ephesians 2:1, we were dead in our trespasses and sins, but He made us alive together with Christ. Spiritual death. You have no relationship with God, may have been very religious but you had no relationship with God because no one can come to the Father except through the Son. Well who was I praying to? The demons. Who was I worshiping? According to I Corinthians 10, the demons. All false worship is demonic worship, I Corinthians 10:7 says. I didn't feel like ........... It doesn't matter, does it? I mean, the whole message of Christ is you can't get to the Father except through the Son.

It set us free from spiritual death. Spiritual death is separation from God, you were dead spiritually. We were dead in our trespasses and sins until we were made alive in Christ. You understand we don't come to people who are neutral to present a message. Either you trust Christ or you will go to hell. No, you are going to hell. Unless you trust Christ, you will stay on that road and end up there. You have no relationship with the living God except as His enemy. You are separated from Him. He will bring you into relationship with Him, make you spiritually alive if you believe in Christ.

He delivers us from the wrath of God. When we get to Romans 5:9 we're told, we will be saved from the wrath of God through Christ. Ultimate wrath of God is eternal damnation in hell. The power of God for salvation rescues you and delivers you. We sometimes talk about the past, present and future dimensions of our salvation. We have been saved from the penalty of sin, we are being saved from the power of sin, and we will be saved from the presence of sin and ultimate future. You see the completeness of our salvation? We have people paddling around claiming to be believers, claiming to be Bible teachers and pastors and preachers and half of what they preach is a denial of what God says His salvation is. It's a denial of the gospel. The gospel is the power of God for salvation. That's God's salvation, it includes the things we have talked about—forgiveness of sins, freedom from slavery to sin, a right relationship with the living God now as His child and He is your Father, freedom from the wrath of God that will be poured out on unbelievers as they are sentenced to an eternal hell. That's God's salvation. The power of God for salvation. Is that what has happened in your life? Is that the salvation that you have experienced? Do you truly believe the gospel? Not, do you know a lot about the gospel. If we can talk about the gospel, people raised in a church like this, they sit under sermons, they know a lot about the gospel, they know a lot about Jesus Christ. But you understand He is the power of God for salvation. It's not knowing a lot about it. As the writer of the article I read to you in the beginning, the gospel is the power of God for salvation.

Back in Romans 1. To everyone who believes. He that has the Son has life, he that has not the Son of God shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him, John 3. He that has the Son has life, he that does not have the Son of God shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him. It's pretty clear, it's all in Jesus Christ. If you have Him as your Savior you have life, if you don't have Him as your Savior you will never see life. You will only see the wrath of God. That's what happens. How do you get it? Believe. For God so loved the world, John 3 again verse 16, that He gave His only begotten Son in order that whosoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life. Again, it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. This is a key word in the book of Romans. The noun, faith, and the verb, believe, are a total of 59 times in the book of Romans alone. He'll talk about faith and believe 59 times. That's the issue.

We have heard a number of years ago I had an office at home then as I do now. And I had a computer and I couldn't get it working. I spent the longest time, the most frustration, I couldn't get it to work. I finally called David Koch who was working here then and said, David, you need to come over here and get my computer working. He walked in, looked around, reached down, plugged it in and walked out. I mean, all day, I'm frustrated, I'm irritated, I'm going to figure this out myself and I didn't have the dumb thing plugged in. You'll note the computer is the dumb thing. There is no power until it was connected. I mean, I have concern for young people raised in this church. They are immersed in hearing the gospel all their young life to their adult life and they can talk about it, they can give the right answers, they know about it, they know how they are supposed to live with it. But you understand they haven't experienced salvation until they believe themselves in Jesus Christ. They can be raised in the best Christian home, be in the best church. Until they believe the gospel they are not saved. We need to be careful as parents, we just are relieved if they are not in trouble, they're not into drugs, they're not into bad things. That's not the concern, the concern is will they go to hell. They will if they don't believe in Christ. You can't make them, you can't make them believe. All you can do is expose them to the truth of the gospel that they might hear it. Pray for them, model godliness before them, give them every opportunity. But only they can believe. You are only saved by faith.

I read works by people who know so much about the Bible, so much about the facts but obviously they are not saved. What a tragedy—be around the Bible, be exposed to the Bible and be unsaved. Why? It's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. I submit to Him, believing what He has said is true. I am a sinner. There is no other way to start. We're going to start with the content of the gospel in verse 18 with the wrath of God on unbelievers. You say, I don't want to hear about wrath, I don't want to hear about sin. So we try to doctor the gospel up so that people will be hearing what they want to hear. I want to tell you your life will be better, you'll do better at your job, you will be a more successful person and you'll have a better marriage and you'll be happier. That's not where God starts, He says let's start where you are. You are under my wrath, you are under my condemnation, you are on your way to hell. I don't want to start there. Then we don't have anything to talk about. I mean, God starts the conversation. This is where you are. I go to the doctor's office, I'm only here to hear good things. Well, Gil, I have to tell ........... I don't want to hear it. Well then we don't have anything to do.

The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Don't you love that word everyone? Some people say, I can't be saved, I'm not one of the elect. I can't be saved, I committed the unpardonable sin. I can't be saved, you don't know what kind of life I have lived. I can't be saved because ..... Well, I just read what God says. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Your problem is not any of the things you might list, your problem is you won't believe. I want to believe, but I can't. No, you won't. Jesus said you will not come to Me that you may have life. You choose not to believe. But it is powerful and will work. I don't know what sins you have done, I don't want you unloading all those sins on me. I'm not your confessor. No sense in your dumping all the garbage on me. You don't have to tell me all the bad things you did, all the sinful things you did and what a wretched person you are. We can start there. I think you are one of the worst people I ever met and probably one of the worst sinners and you do deserve to go to hell. And I know that's true because it's true of all us. So let's start there. You are a sinner, you are in rebellion against God, you are under His condemnation, you'd like to think you are righteous, you'd like to think you are a good person, you'd like to think you are okay. And that's just a manifestation you'd like to tell God He's wrong. But I tell you what, He can save you, He will save you, but only one way. What do I have to do? Nothing. Then why am I not saved? Well you have to receive the gift. That's all. In John 1:12 he talked about that, the ones who believed in Him, the ones who received Him, He gives the right to become children of God. When I get a gift, what did you do to get it? I didn't do anything, I just accepted it from them, received it. That's what happens when I believe. God did the work, I'm agreeing with God. I am a sinner, Your Son is the Savior, I'm submitting myself to Your plan, believing that Christ died for me.

That's for the Jew, that's for the Greek. You know, again, keeps the confusion out of our lives, doesn't it? Why is the church so caught up on we have this program, we have this method, we have this ............

I want to read you something. This is from McClain's book I recommended to you. We are told the church has no power today, the experts are running around in circles trying to find out what is the matter and discover a remedy so the church may recover its lost power. Now this is 40-50 years old when he's writing. They tell us that all the churches must unite, they must hold the young people, they must get into politics, they must do this and that. He goes on with all these things. All these are mere quack remedies. If the church has lost its power it's because it has lost the gospel, because the gospel is the power. God has vested His power in the truth we preach. The church is not the power nor the preacher, nor the members in the pew, nor methods, organization or money. Some say we ought to pray more. When we pray more, we'll have more power. That's true, but the most astounding spectacle in all the universe is an apostate church which having cast away the true gospel is now on its knees praying to God for power. It's an astonishing contradiction and yet that is the tragic situation today. On the one hand throwing away the power, then on the other praying for it. Must make the angels weep and the devil laugh.

The church doesn't know what it is doing. What do we have to do to reach our society, reach our culture. We have some great ideas and plans. Well, let's just forget it, let's just do God's plan. His power is the gospel. It's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. So I guess the thing we have to do is tell everyone the gospel and then it's in their hands to believe or not.

In the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, verse 17. The righteousness of God, that's what we need. Isaiah 64 says all our righteousnesses are like filthy, polluted rags in the sight of God. You think of the best person, the “goodest” person, the most religious person. God looks at him and sees polluted filthy rags. But Lord, this is the best I could do. I know, it's awful, it's unacceptable. What can I do? Receive what I have done. That's what is acceptable, that's how you get My righteousness. Your righteousness will never make it, my righteousness will never make it. I need God's righteousness.

In the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed and how you receive righteousness from God and can be declared righteous in His sight. It's revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written, the righteous man shall live by faith. That's a quote from Habakkuk 2:4, the righteous shall live by faith. There has never been any other plan, it's from faith to faith. It's all about faith. That's why everything else ......... To read an article and say I believe it's by faith alone but those who don't believe it's by faith alone, they are saved also. It's faith to faith, that's it. There is no other way. You might talk a lot about the gospel, you may go all through the gospel, but when you add baptism to faith you've made it void. When you add works to faith you've made it void. You add church membership, sacraments to faith you've made it void, you've nullified its power. That's hard to believe, it seems they talk about the gospel. But it's what they add to the gospel that has rendered it void. That's why they are not saved. That's why cults come to your door and want to talk to you about the Bible and quote a lot of verses and they are lost. How can they know so many scripture verses and be lost? Because they have added man to God's truth. We need the pure unadulterated milk of God's Word, we need the gospel as the gospel. Like Paul said, I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Let's talk about Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. Start the conversation with your friend, let's talk about what matters. There are a lot of things going on today, let's talk about what matters, let's talk about Jesus Christ and His death on the cross, what that means. I don't want to talk about that. You're not interested in going to heaven, you're not interested in having your sins forgiven, you're not interested in being brought into a relationship with God because you're not interested in talking about the cross of Jesus Christ. There is nothing else. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Not everyone who attends this church, not everyone who is baptized in this church, not everyone who works hard at this church. It's everyone who believes. That's it. Until that's resolved you have nothing. Lost, lost. Not neutral, lost. Unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins, Jesus said. He that has the Son has life, he that has not the Son of God shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on Him. Understand we start out lost, we need salvation. The gospel is the power of God for salvation.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your truth. Thank you for your gospel, the Good News of your Son, Jesus Christ, crucified on the cross to pay the penalty for lost, hopeless sinners, raised in victory, alive today. Lord, in our grace we have heard the message of the Savior. We have been privileged to believe that message and experience the power of your salvation, that brought cleansing and forgiveness, made us new, delivered us from wrath to come, brought us into a relationship with you as our Father, freed us from slavery to sin, our sinful passions. Lord, thank you for such a glorious gospel, thank you that we have the privilege to share that gospel with others. May we be as Paul as he anticipated going to the great city of Rome, that he was not ashamed of the gospel. He was ready to share that gospel with them there. May we be ready today. In Christ's name, amen.