The Full GospelSample

The Power to Bring Salvation // The Gospel According to Romans

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 NIV

The Apostle Paul knew the power of the gospel firsthand. While trekking through the desert, God revealed Himself to Paul in a vision, calling him to change his ways, turn His life around, and choose a better path by becoming a follower of Jesus.

Until that point, Paul thought he was doing the will of God. He thought Christianity was a heretical offshoot of Judaism and, as a result, needed to be put down. And, as a faithful Jew, Paul was God’s man to do it!

But then, by His power, God intervened. A light from heaven appeared. A voice called out to Paul. But not just any voice. The voice of Jesus:

… “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:5-6 NIV

When Paul got up to his feet, he couldn’t see, so he had to be led by the hand for the next three days. Then he arrived in Damascus, where another man, Ananias, met him and restored his sight.

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 9:18-22 NIV

Paul experienced the power of God in a miraculous way. He was set free; he was saved from his ignorance and his sins. So he committed his life to serving Jesus and went to work telling his Jewish brothers and sisters the good news that Jesus is the Son of God!

Eventually, God appointed Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles. God sent Paul to preach the good news of Jesus to the world so that the goodness and righteousness of God could be made known to them, too. And an important detail was that Gentiles did not have to become Jewish to join God’s family. Entrance into God’s kingdom came through faith in Jesus.

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-24 NIV

This was shocking and scandalous to many of the Jewish people. They were convinced that the way to be made right with God was by converting to Judaism and holding to Jewish laws. Instead, Paul taught them that rightness with God has always been an act of grace that we receive through faith. This was true all the way back in the beginning of Scripture!

What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3 NIV

This is why the Apostle Paul introduced this whole letter by telling us that the gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to all who believe, and that the righteousness we receive when we believe is by faith.

Before we wrap up today’s reading, we’re going to look at two more verses from Romans to see how the salvation God offers applies to us both in the present (the now) and in the future (the not yet).

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5 NIV

The Holy Spirit has been given to us. Right now, as believers in Jesus, we have access to the very power and presence of God. And with the Holy Spirit, we don’t suffer like the world does. Yes, suffering sucks, but it also sanctifies.

God uses the suffering we experience to make us more like Jesus—to produce in us perseverance, character, and hope. Right here, and right now. The gospel gives us power for the present, and it offers hope for the future.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NIV

Sin leads to death. It always has and it always will. But because of God’s grace, we can have eternal life through Jesus, our Savior King and the Son of God. This means when Jesus returns at the end of all things, anybody who has put their faith in Him will rise again. Because of grace, death does not get the final say—Jesus does.