Power. One small word that packs quite a punch. Power conveys the idea of ability. In other words, if one has the power to do something, they have the means needed to carry out whatever the action might be. As men, we may find ourselves with the power to build a home, to sew a quilt, or to create beautiful artwork. We have all been blessed with various talents and abilities, yet none of us have the power to save ourselves – “all our righteousness are like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6, NKJV). If we are looking to be saved, we must look to One who is greater and more capable than we.
As we look at our fellow man, it is not uncommon to recognize those who are more capable than we are in various areas of life. None of us have the power to accomplish everything, yet there is One who has the power to accomplish anything within His will. As the great drama of Revelation nears its end, John by inspiration writes of the great praise he heard for God – “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns” (Rev. 19:6). God was praised for being “Omnipotent,” meaning that He is almighty and all-powerful. For God to be all-powerful, it is implied that He, therefore, possesses all the means and ability to carry out whatever His will desires. This means that God has the power to accomplish His will to save man (1 Tim. 2:4)!
While God has the power to save man by whatever means He sees fit, God does not force man to be saved. He allows man to choose whether or not he wants to be saved (Rom. 1:20ff). Moreover, God in His power has seen it fit to channel His power and ability to save man through one means – the gospel of His Son, Christ Jesus. Paul boldly proclaims that he is “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). Through the “gospel of Christ,” all who have obedient faith will be saved by God’s grace (Eph. 2:8).
The gospel is where God’s power to save man is found. God’s power is seen in the gospel because the gospel offers us the hope that if we follow in Jesus’ steps, we will be saved even as He was. The Holy Spirit reveals in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 that the gospel which saves us speaks of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. As a result, obedience to the gospel in faith demands that we imitate Christ even in His death. The New Testament reveals that this does not take place through physical death, but by spiritual death. Paul speaks of how one obeys the gospel as he conforms himself to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through baptism (Rom. 6:3ff). Unless we obey the gospel of Christ (2 Thess. 1:8-9), we will not be able to receive God’s power unto salvation.
By Preston McElyea