Sermons | Word of Grace Bible Church [wgbc.org]

Those saved by Christ have a special blessing in that Jesus has made them truly children of God. Speaking of the results of the work of the gospel in the lives of Christians, the apostle emphasizes that as a result of their adoption by God, in Jesus Christ they are free from fear and blessed with a special hope that has a particular expression. This hope has to do with the inheritance we have in Christ and the glory that has become the primary goal of the great plan of redemption that God is carrying out in the universe.

The apostle Paul says that the gospel is power. This power is real not only in freeing man from the guilt of sin and eternal destruction, but also in giving us a new nature, a new, God-given life that points toward heaven and resists sin. That is why the real power to fight sin and overcome it is only in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is the expression of this power and how does it work in practice? We will talk about this in the sermon.

Having justified man by redemption through faith that unites the soul to Jesus Christ, God accomplishes another very important purpose - He returns man to the original meaning for which he was created. In Jesus Christ, the saved soul finds reconciliation with God and gains access to the glory of the perfect person, the Creator and Ruler of the universe. This radically changes man's position, determining a new direction for his entire life.

The apostle Paul devotes quite a large portion of his letter to describing the gospel. While a brief version of the gospel can be contained in a few sentences, its depth cannot be exhausted in all eternity. Paul touches on a few of the most significant elements of the gospel to help us see its nature and operation. Understanding the nature of the gospel is the foundation of the new, supernatural life of Christ's saved people.  

The necessity of the gospel has to do primarily with the nature of human sinfulness and God's response to it. The apostle Paul vividly demonstrates that without the gospel, people have absolutely no chance of salvation. Human sinfulness is not just periodic wrong actions toward God or people, but it is the inner nature of opposition to God through self-assertion, self-satisfaction, and the resulting loss of sound thinking ability. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way out of this hopelessness. 

Speaking of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul calls it “the power of God for salvation”. The gospel is much more than information. The gospel is power. The power of God. Power that actually works in the hearts of saved people. Do you know this power? Is it working in you? If so, how and in what ways is that power expressed? What fruit is the gospel bearing in your life?

These two verses of Romans became God's instrument of radical change in the life of Martin Luther as well as millions of others. They can be that tool for changing your life today.