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The Power of the Gospel

by David A. DePra

     In our modern world, few people grow up without hearing
about God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ. Even if they don't
become Christians, almost everyone has heard the message of
the gospel in some form. Many children are raised in families
who practice some form of Christianity. They are at least
exposed to proper Christian values, even if those values aren't
practiced. They are at least aware that there is a Bible, and that
there is a God. They HEAR the Truth in some form.
     There is, however, a problem here. When a society becomes
extremely familiar with the gospel message, people tend to lose
the reality behind it. Christianity then becomes a crystalized list
of doctrines "to believe in," instead of a living relationship with
Jesus Christ. In short, instead of being the result of a revelation
from God, Christianity can become the result of tradition and
upbringing. And when that happens, Christians become "dull of
hearing." Nothing of what they believe seems real and living.
They have heard it all before.
     Don't misunderstand. There is everything RIGHT about
growing up in a Christian home in a Christian country. Afterall,
would we prefer an alternative? No. Adopting Christian
doctrines and principles as our own is a good and right
beginning. The danger here is that tradition and upbringing
become a substitute for the REAL. The danger is that my faith
become a "religion" rather than a relationship with God.
     The fact is, each individual, no matter the training or
upbringing, is still is sinner who needs to see his personal need
for a Saviour. Each person must repent and experience the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In effect, yes, it is
wonderful to be raised a Christian. But that is only a beginning.
All of that should POINT us to a personal, livng Saviour.
 
A Revelation of Jesus Christ
 
     As mentioned, today most people have had some exposure to
the gospel. But in the first century, almost NO ONE had heard it
before. Such a thing was unheard of to the Gentile heathen to
whom Paul preached. Yet despite having no point of reference
for such a thing -- these people had NO Bible at all -- their
lives were changed. The POWER of the gospel came upon them
and did something to them. It revealed to them the Truth and
they were never the same again.
     How did God do that? There was no Bible to point to. No
church organizations. No Christian television. There was, in fact
NOTHING which the original apostles could point to as proof that
what they were preaching was the Truth!
     How could they PROVE their message was the Truth --
then? Merely telling someone they had seen the risen Christ
wouldn't be enough, for even today people doubt that. What
proof could they offer other than their word?
      If you read the epistles, and the Acts of the Apostles, the
general principle is that those who preached did not try to prove
their message. They did not try to devise clever arguments, or
verbally outwit their opponents. Why? Because none of that
accomplishes a thing. Proof, in the form of physical evidence, or
a good argument, isn't what was needed. A revelation from God
WAS.
     Paul emphasizes this over and over again. He tells us that he
did not preach the gospel in the form of a clever argument. His
goal was never to corner someone with argumentative skills, or
to offer some irrefutable physical proof that Jesus was the Son of
God. The preaching of the gospel was NOT to be done in the
wisdom of man's words. It was to be left to God's power.
     Have you ever realized how little physical evidence God left
behind of the resurrection of Christ? All God really left in the form
of evidence was eye witnesses. Think about what He could have
done if He had wanted to. He could have had Jesus march into
Jerusalem after His resurrection and stand in front of the
Sanhedren. He could have showed them his pierced hands and
side. How could they have then doubted Him? He could have
even had Jesus show Himself to the Roman authorities in a way
which would have assured it would be recorded by many
historians. But He chose not to do so. Instead, he left behind
witnesses in the form of believers. And He deliberately saw to it
that no physical evidence was presented. It was only through a
direct revelation of God that one could come to embrace Christ.
     We need to remember this today. It is good and right to
preach the Truth. It is right to back up the Truth with logical
arguments and even proof. All of that is good. But in the final
analysis, words are nothing more than a vehicle. It is the Truth
BEHIND the words and the argument that must invade the
individual.
     Salvation is never the result of a good argument. I am saved
because God has taken the initiative to reveal Jesus Christ to me,
and because I have believed and embraced that revelation by
faith. The words and message may have been used. But as
Jesus said, "No man can can come to Me unless the Father who
sent Me draw Him." (John 6:44) Again, without the "power of
God unto salvation," no one can be saved.
 
Dull of Hearing
 
     Paul warns the Hebrews against becoming "dull of hearing."
(see Hebrews 5:11) But what does that term mean?
I become "dull of hearing" when the Truth I hear doesn't any
longer have an effect upon me. I have heard it so many times
that it is no longer fresh to my heart. I've heard all of it before. It
may even be sort of "boring" to me.
     There is, however, more to this term in the sense Paul uses it
than just that. Paul is really talking about a condition of heart. It
is a condition where Christians have heard a Truth so often, and
are so familiar with it, that they mistake this familiarity with actual
experience. Or to put it another way, I think that because I know
a doctrine that it is the same as knowing and experiencing the
reality behind it.
     Christianity, however, is NOT a list of doctrines to believe in.
Neither is it a life-style to adopt. It is not a bunch of traditional
teachings and practices which we should follow or believe in.
No. Christianity is a dramatic, dynamic, new birth, which will
shake the foundations of my being, and transform me into a new
creation in Jesus Christ. Christianity does not emerge from
doctrines. Doctrines emerge from REAL Christianity.
     What we are seeing here is the difference between Christianity
as a "religion," and Christianity as an experience, based in the
POWER of God through Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, the
gospel is the "power of God unto salvation for those who
believe." (Rom. 1:16) In other words, the gospel isn't just a nice
message which is found in the Bible. It isn't merely a doctrine to
believe in. It is a dynamic Truth which cuts to the heart and core
of what makes everyone of us tick. It is an invading, disruptive,
disturbing, and yet FREEING reality. According to the Bible,
there is a POWER in the real gospel message which does not
allow a hearer to remain the same. *

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