The Gospel: To Preach, or Not to Preach? The Power of God Unto Salvation for All Who Believe

Our world is about power. People want money so that they can feel security and have what they want, when they want it. If they have the money, they can be their own gods--at least in their own minds. As Trent Reznor rightly said, " god money I'll do anything for you, god money just tell me what you want me to, god money nail me up against the wall, god money don't want everything he wants it all" (Lyrics to "Head Like a Hole"). Power consumes people. Wars are fought for power. Postmodernism is (for the most part) correct (though it then pulls the old switcheroo and does exaltly what it warns you against), worldviews are grasping for power of you.

In a world of many unknowns (no matter how technologically advanced we get, disease, war, famine, and disasters will still bring death--and death to most is a great unknown), people crave power because they want sovereignty. It takes humility to give up power--but the power of sin drives people forward in their quest for godlikeness, rather than godliness. The gospel is not primarily about persuasive argumentations and wise speech, but about power (1 Thess. 1:5). When the gospel is preached, a supernatural power is called upon and exposed--the power of the death and resurrection of Christ.

There really only is one cure for the pelagian captivity of our hearts and minds that I spoke of yesterday: complete confidence and trust in God's sovereignty and goodness. If we are going to preach the gospel, I mean really, truthfully preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must not trust in ourselves or any goodness dwelling in man, or else the gospel will be foolishness.

The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans (1:14-17):

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16 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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, " BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

Paul was not eager to mearly make assertions and banter back and forth with philosophers, he was eager "to preach the gospel." Why was he so eager? First, he was under obligation to do so. His obligation was to be faithful to God, for he was an ambassador of Christ (2 Cor. 5:22). He knew that his reward was from God and secure with God; faithfulness was required.

Second, Paul was "not ashamed of the gospel." Paul knew the sinfulness of man (he spent the next 2 1/2 chapters outlining man's sinfulness). If he failed to view man's sinfulness as such a profound power, deserving the full wrath of God, then the gospel of a crucified lord would have been utter foolishness. The gospel appears to be foolishness "to those who are perishing" (1 Corinthians 1:18). Brothers and sisters in Christ, you can count on that.

So why do we fail to preach the gospel as we ought? Is it not because we are ashamed of the gospel? Unlike Paul, when our hearts are held captive by Pelagianism (whether semi/moderate or full blown), the gospel becomes foolishness even in our own eyes. How ought we to respond to being ashamed? Do not dwell in your shame over your ashamedness/embarrassment. Confess your sin to God, know that He forgives you (Christ died for your sins), and seek to have confidence only in God and in the power of the gospel.

This is actually what Paul does. He is not ashamed of the gospel because IT and it alone is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The gospel is the power of God to all people who are being saved (1 Cor. 1:18). It is for Jews and Gentiles both: that is, "everyone who believes." Gentiles from the wise to the foolish, from Greeks down to the lowest classes of Barbarian. Why? Because everyone suffers from the same condition: sin. And because God promised Abraham that the Gentiles would also be saved through his Seed.

The same "power" that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of David (i.e. the Anointed King) is given on the basis of being raised from the dead (1:4), is the same "power" that is present in the gospel--the gospel, when preached, gives life. This is God's power to deliver and judge His people, mediated through Jesus Christ, the Son of God with power (Douglas Moo, Romans, 66). Because He is Lord of all, we as Christians have authority to demand obedience of faith in Jesus Christ (1:5). This is what is entailed in the preaching of the gospel.

The preaching of the gospel calls for faith, and nothing but faith (Moo, 76). It is faith in Christ, and in Him alone (for to attempt to be justified by faith in Christ + works, is to not have faith in Christ, but rather to divide Him). Because people are not right with God (because of their sinfulness), they must in some way become right. This is done only by being forensically declared righteous by God on the basis of Christ's work, because they trust in Him (Moo, 74-75). The gospel reveals God's how one is right with God--by Christ's atoning death on the cross (Rom. 3:21-26). This is the only way. A humble way in which God is exalted and man is brought low. And it is this way for both Jews and Gentiles: salvation comes through the promise to the Jews.

Preaching the gospel seems foolish in a day of radical pluralism. But there is more hope for a fool than for one who seems wise in his/her own eyes (Prov. 26:12, cf. 1 Cor. 1:26-31).