Not Ashamed of the Gospel

The Power of the Gospel

(Romans 1:16-17)

Paul never ceased to preach the gospel, even though he was met with scorn and suffering wherever he went. He did so because he knew the greatness of the power that the gospel brings.

1. The Greatest Power
God is the mighty God. No being in this world can stand against His power. It is so vast, so great, that it admits no measure, no comparison. Truly, there is nothing that God’s power fails to accomplish. Yet among all His works, the greatest of His power is this: the power that brings salvation to everyone who believes—the power that rescues the human soul from sin and punishment. That very power is found in the gospel.

2. The True Gospel
People feel repulsed by the gospel, for it speaks of things utterly different from what they care about, and it lays bare their miserable reality without disguise. As a result, those who share the gospel often fear that others might reject them or that their relationships might be damaged. To avoid such discomfort, they begin to present the gospel in ways that sound pleasing to people. But can a gospel that hides the cross of Christ—a gospel made palatable to unbelievers—truly be called the gospel? Can the power of God, which rescues souls bound by Satan, be revealed through such a gospel?

3. Our Duty
Even if the people of this world regard the gospel as foolish, as a stumbling block, we who have been saved through it must never be ashamed of the gospel. No power in this world can deliver anyone from death and destruction, from curse and hell. Yet by the power of God, we have already been set free from that despair. Now we must labor together with God in the work of saving souls. This is not something we can accomplish by our own power. Only when God Himself works in the field can this work be fulfilled. Through the gospel, to let God work—this is our duty.

Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim