God's Power for Salvation

For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written,
"But the righteous shall live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17).

Most people in our world recognize that there is someone greater than themselves, one who may exist in another dimension of reality that we cannot perceive. We normally call this person God. Nevertheless, many wonder where God is and what God expects, if anything, out of that which He has created.

Humans have come up with all kinds of answers, but all such answers are based in human thinking and do not reflect God's true revelation (Romans 1:18-32, Colossians 2:1-11). We have the testimony throughout the generations that God has indeed revealed Himself to mankind, and we can find that revelation within the pages of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21).

In the pages of the Bible, God has revealed the story of mankind. Ever since the beginning, man has sinned and rebelled against God (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12-19). Man's sinfulness led God to wish that He had never created man, and He destroyed all but eight human beings in a large flood (Genesis 6-9). He soon chose one man-- Abraham-- and made a covenant, or agreement, with him, promising him all kinds of blessings (Genesis 12-24). God then made a covenant with Abraham's descendants, the Israelites, and gave to them the land of Israel, just as God had promised (Exodus-Joshua).

God also gave Israel a Law which He expected them to follow. Israel did not prove up to the task, and they constantly fell away from God and did not seek after Him (2 Kings 17). What did God intend to do about man's constant sinfulness? The Bible reveals that God always had a plan in His Son, Jesus Christ, who came and fulfilled the Law given to Israel (Ephesians 3:11, Matthew 5:17-18, John 19:30). It was through His death that all mankind could receive the forgiveness of their sins and enjoy a restored relationship with God (Hebrews 9, 1 John 1:1-7). What Israel could not do, God did through His Son, and God then established a new chosen people. These people are all those who would obey His Son Jesus Christ and those who will receive the salvation ready to be revealed on the last day (Romans 11, 1 Peter 1:1-9).

God demonstrated His power by raising Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day, and His resurrection is the promise we have that He will return again to judge the living and the dead (Acts 17:30-31). Until that moment, God is patient toward mankind, not wishing that any would perish but that all would repent and turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9).

God could have chosen any number of ways through which He could save humans, but this is the vehicle He chose: the Gospel, or good news, of Jesus Christ. This is the good news that we have proclaimed to you today. Consider it well, and join us as we strive to serve Him!

Ethan R. Longhenry