The Gospel Affect

The 'Gospel of Jesus Christ.' When you hear that phrase or one similar to it, what comes to your mind? Along those same lines what does 'The gospel' really mean to you, particularly if you call yourself a Christian.

Paul tells us in Romans 1:16-"I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation, for everyone who believes..." The 'power of God'? This past weekend I mentioned in my sermon that if we are living a gospel that is not changing us, essentially not making us the people that God would have us be, a gospel that is empowering us to do things outside the 'box' as we say for God's glory, than we need to re-evaluate what kind of gospel we're really proclaiming to believe in!

I know it sounds a bit blunt, a bit strong...but does it really? The gospel is the power of God! What changes has the 'gospel' that you proclaim to believe in done in your life? I guess I'm sensing that God wants to do some incredible things in the lives of those who claim to believe in His 'power' yet perhaps the problem is that we haven't truly believed in the 'power' of the gospel.

Paul states in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power..." Maybe here is part of the issue...Has the gospel come to us in 'word' only? Is it something that we merely talk about but have not experienced it's 'powerful' works in our own lives?

The power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...

If you call yourself a Christian you automatically are saying that you believe in the gospel. So I ask the question for all to ponder and wonder (especially myself): What affect has the gospel we are proclaiming to believe in had on us? 

Javi