In the beginning of his letter to the church at Rome, Paul stated, “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 Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed … ” (Romans 1:16-17) That’s a great passage that we often quote to emphasize boldness in evangelizing. But, what does Paul mean by the “power of God to salvation”? Think about that phrase for just a minute. Is he talking about some supernatural, miraculous power – like how God created the universe? Or, is he referencing how God endued the Israelites with strength to defeat their enemies while conquering the land of Canaan? Or perhaps, is it some special working on the heart?
The answer can be found right there in the verbiage, “the gospel of Christ, for IT is the power.” The power is identified as the gospel of Christ. The word “gospel” literally means “good news.” The news is the amazing account of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Thus, the Gospel is simply a message, a grouping of words that are conveyed from one individual to another. The power Paul is referencing is found within those words. It is the words themselves that produce belief within the heart of an individual which then motivates one to do the things to be saved. Just as the old adage states, “There is power in words.” Or even as Solomon recognized that, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Prov 18:21)
Notice also that Paul adds, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed.” The word “revealed” in the original Greek text is apokalupto, which is where we get our English word apocalypse. It means, “to uncover, or lay open that which was hidden” (Thayer). In Colossians 1:26, Paul wrote, “the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.” He was talking about Jesus and the plan of redemption that God has made available to the world (John 3:16). It was a plan of salvation that, as Peter stated, “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,” (1 Peter 1:10). That is what the Gospel is; it a message that was once a mystery, but has now been made known to all of mankind. It is “Good News!”
All of this leads us to one very important lesson, one that can be drawn from Romans 1:16. It is the Bible that convicts an individual of their sins – not us, or anyone else. Look at what Jesus said in John 16:8, “if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me.” The “He” in that verse is the Holy Spirit. It was through the Holy Spirit that the Bible was written. Inspired men were moved by the Holy Spirit to write down the words we can read today (2 Peter 1:20-21). The very words that have the “Power of God unto salvation.” Thus, it is the Bible that convicts people of their sins. The Bible is the power that leads people salvation. And that means that all we have to do is lead people to the Bible. We must allow the Word of God to do its work on the hearts of people! Therefore, just as Paul, let us not be ashamed of the Gospel, but instead, let’s share it with everyone and allow the message do its work!