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We who contribute to these Finding Faith articles are asked to keep our articles "Positive, Christ centered writing that would build up, challenge and encourage the community." So let me ask, what could be more positive and Christ centered than writing about the gospel? What else can truly build up while both challenging and encouraging our community than being reminded of the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ? It was the power of the gospel to bring God's salvation to everyone who believes that made Paul ready and eager to proclaim it wherever he could. This is what he declared in the opening of his letter to the Romans.
So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." Romans 1:15-17
So what is the gospel? Technically speaking "the gospel" refers to the "good news" of what God has done to reconcile all things, especially sinful human beings, to himself in the person of Jesus Christ, and through his work. In this respect it is often rightly said that the gospel has both bad news and good news. Paul himself established this pattern in his letter to the Romans.
Immediately after declaring his confidence in the divine power of the gospel to bring salvation to everyone who believes, Paul takes 12 paragraphs to explain the need for this divine power. This divine power is needed because all humankind is in grave danger under the wrath of God. This is the bad news of the gospel. All humankind is subject to God's just punishment because we have all suppressed the truth by our ungodliness and unrighteousness ("None is righteous, no, not one" Rom. 3:10). We have not honored God, nor have we thanked him, but rather we have become foolish and irrational in our thinking (Rom. 1:21-23). If you doubt this is still true today, read Romans 1:26-32 and consider how Paul's descriptions of the dishonorable passions and debased mind from roughly 2,000 years ago compare to our cultural today. If you are open and honest you will have to conclude that we are indeed in grave danger under the wrath of God.
But fortunately there is also the good news of the gospel and that's what comes next in Paul's letter to the Romans. As he initially declared in his opening, Paul gives a thorough explanation of how the righteousness of God is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Rom. 3:21-22). While all have sinned, falling short of God's glory, all who believe are justified (declared righteous) by God, freely as an act of his grace (Rom. 3:23-24). God's righteousness is revealed in that he is demonstrated as being just while justifying the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). This is because, in his grace, God satisfied the just punishment we deserve for our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:25). Therefore, as Paul later explains, we who have been justified (by grace through faith in Jesus) have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). This is indeed good news! Furthermore, we who have been justified also have access, by faith, into God's grace by which we now live at peace with God, no longer incurring his wrath, but rather enjoying his blessing (Rom. 5:2-11). This is why "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom. 8:1)
So, do you know the power of the gospel? Have you acknowledged your sinful condition under the wrath of God and turned with humble faith to believe on Jesus? "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom. 10:9) If you do, then you will know the power of the gospel.
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Pastor Doug Packard of First Baptist Church, Lock Haven.