For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:16-17 NIV
What is the gospel? The word itself means good news. In the Roman world of the New Testament, the word translated as gospel was used in the proclamation of a new king or a royal birth. It was an announcement of great significance to the world. This word is used by the New Testament writers to announce the birth of Jesus, as a king. But it has a much more significant usage than just that.
The gospel is the good news that God has responded to man’s lost and sinful condition with grace and mercy. Jesus, who was/is God, shared in our humanity, died to atone for our sins, and conquered death to give us hope. But the gospel is even more than that.
The Power of God
The gospel “is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes“. It is more than just the story of Jesus. The gospel has a transformative power. Salvation comes to us through the gospel. The gospel is not a magic incantation that we can recite to obtain God’s favor. But it is powerful and life-changing.
It is powerful because everyone who believes its message, entrusting their life to the risen Christ, will be saved. Salvation is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. That was the cry of the New Testament authors, the reformers. and it is the message and power of the gospel. All who come to God in faith, trusting in the crucified and resurrected Jesus, will experience his righteousness. That is salvation. And that is the message and power of the gospel.