The power of the gospel we preach

Dear Reader, It has pleased the Holy Spirit of God to direct us to examine briefly through this medium today the topic:

“The Power of the Gospel we preach.” First of all, what is the gospel that we preach? And what does it possess? In Romans 1:16, the Bible says that the gospel of Christ “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes …”, It is the good news or glad tidings of the new life which Jesus Christ gave to us on that cruel cross of Calvary in order to deliver us from eternal death (hell fire).

The holy Bible teaches the doctrine of total depravity of man; through Adamic sin, man was completely lost in sin, and condemned to eternal hell fire. In Romans 3:23, the Bible says, “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” Man was hell-bound because he could not fulfil the eternal demands of God’s righteousness for salvation. In Romans 5:12, the Bible says, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.”

Such was the helpless state of man; the entire world was destined to end up in eternal damnation of hell fire, some day. Man was eternally separated from God by sin. In Psalm 9:17, the Bible says, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

All the sacrifices which man made, and the good works he performed to secure God’s pardon were imperfect because they were produced by a sinful man. In Isaiah 64:6, the Bible says, “But we are all like unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

This was why God, the Son, left His throne in heaven, to become a human being in order to possess the sinful blood to atone for our sins. This is to fulfill God’s own requirement that “without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin.” Heb.9:22).

In Galatians 4:4, the Bible says, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem us.” This Jesus, the Bible says, “God poured His Holy Spirit upon Him without measure, who went about doing good; healing the sick, forgiving sins, for God was with Him”.

On the cruel cross of Calvary Jesus Christ was crucified; there He shed His blood to carry away the sins of the world. Before He died on the cross, He pleaded passionately with God and said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). And at the climax of the peace settlement on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30). Yes, the problem of sin between man and God was eternally settled.

The business of SALVATION was made sure and completely placed under FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST only. This is why the Bible declares that, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

Truly, the power of God that saves sinners is the simple gospel of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, which we preach, and which gives automatic life eternally to the hearer who accepts it by faith. This is supported by Christ’s own assurance recorded in John 5:24 when He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

Moreover, the word of God, which is the gospel we preach, has a mighty influence. Some of the ways in which this has been demonstrated are as follows:

(1) It is as a devouring flame (Jeremiah 5:14): “Therefore, thus says the Lord God of hosts: ‘Because you speak this word, behold I will make My words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”

(2) It is as a crushing hammer (Jeremiah 23:29): “Is not My words like a fire? And like a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces?”

(3) It is as a life-giving force (Ezekiel 37:7): “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.

(4) It is as a Saving Power (Romans 1:16): “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jews and also for the Greek.”

(5) It is as a defensive weapon (Ephesians 6:17): “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Therefore, if any of my readers happens to be under the yoke of sin and/or under the bondage of Satan, the gospel of Christ, which is the word of God, which I hereby preach to you will liberate you and set you free right now if you will believe. You should now be ready for a big harvest of blessings from God through faith in Christ.

The Bible says that all human beings are sinners, and that there is none righteous: not even one. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. I therefore challenge you to drop all your unbelief and doubts at the cross of calvary, and henceforth ask for the power of the gospel of Christ to fill your entire being, and to make you a conqueror and a victorious Christian as from today, because God is ready to do a new thing in your life. And He will surely bless you with eternal salvation, plus a new breakthrough and all your heart’s desires, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

For further information, counselling, prayer and other help, please contact me at once, on telephone numbers 02-8100301, 8100248 or 08037878711; write to E-mail: ehlolusheye@yahoo.co.uk or write to G.P.O. Box 530, Ibadan.

Abiding in Christ (2)

By Pastor S.S.Jemigbon

For God so love the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John , 3:16).

Everyone who welcomes Jesus Christ as Saviour is reborn spiritually and receives new life from God. Being in Christ is more than being born into a Christian family or going to church regularly to enjoy fellowship. In fact, it is more than being a worker or title­holder in the church. It dwells in being transformed totally from the status of an enemy of God, through rebirth, and receiving a new family name based on Christ’s death for us, that is, being dead to the world and being born again into the kingdom of God on earth.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God; Who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation“.

The Holy Spirit gives us new minds and hearts, lives in us and helps us to be like Christ. As biological birth makes you physically alive and places you in your parent’s family, being in Christ makes you spiritually alive and puts you in God’s family to live in the pattern of Christ.

The proof that we are in Christ lies in our belief that Christ alone could affect the work of reconciliation with God. We are introduced to a new standard of life and a new set of loyalties to do what Christ demands with a whole-hearted commitment, which is, carrying on the lord’s primary ministry of reconciling the lost world with God.

All believers that are in Christ can only do this by living in the pattern of Christ, who Himself was the lamb of sacrifice, whose blood was shed to atone for humanity’s sin.

Christians who have faith and love for Christ obey His commandments; who have communion with Christ through the reading and meditation of the scriptures are those branches that draw sap from the vine, bring forth fruits as it is expected of them, as they flourish and prosper in everything.

They get answers to their prayers; for as one is nearer to Christ, the more one’s prayers will be in line with the nature and words of Christ, and hence, the more effectual one’s prayers will be.

Pastor S.S. Jemigbon,
Tel: 01-7741673,
01-4966033,
01-4965264.
E-Mail:
taclawna@hyperia.com