**The Gospel is the Power of God**

Romans 1:14-17 

Key Verse: 1:16-17 

Hi, everyone. How are you? As I pray for our ministry, I eagerly want to study the power of the gospel because the gospel is much more powerful than dynamite. If it explodes, it changes not only one soul but also the whole world. I would like to study this topic—the power of the gospel—for a month. 

One great witness of this is Martin Luther, who was used as a pioneer of the Protestant movement. He was regenerated by John 1:17. He was a priest in the Catholic Church who earnestly tried to keep God’s law. He struggled tremendously for his salvation and even tortured himself, but he couldn’t find peace. As he studied Romans 1:17, the Holy Spirit illuminated him to understand true salvation. 

I quoted his regeneration story from an article, Faith in Focus, 2012, 7 pages: 

“Formerly, he understood the righteousness of God to be an active, punishing righteousness, which demands that man keep the whole law of God. He was looking at righteousness as the divine attribute of perfect justice which is in God. Now he understood that the righteousness was called of God, for it came from God. This way of righteousness was demonstrated through Christ’s work on the cross. If a sinner places his faith in Jesus Christ, he is justified; he appears before God just as if he had never sinned. Luther understood that ‘the just shall live by faith’ means not by their own works of righteousness. This faith brings one to Christ, who is perfectly righteous and who justifies the sinner.” 

Romans 1:16-17 is one of the key verses in the entire book of Romans. It is also the key foundation of our Christian faith and salvation. Romans 1:16-17 starts: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation.” The Greek word for gospel is euangelion, meaning “good news.” So when the angel delivered the message of Jesus’ birth, he said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). The gospel is good news of great joy for everyone. 

I pray that this gospel may be clearly revealed to us so that we may be newly created, and that the true joy of heaven and the assurance of salvation may reign over you! 

### Part One: The Gospel is the Power of God (14-17) 

Look at verse 14: 

"I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish." 

Paul describes his sense of responsibility in verse 14. The word “obligated” is very strong, meaning “to bind or oblige morally or legally.” How did he come to have this responsibility toward everyone? Did he have a huge debt to others? 

Paul’s sense of obligation came from his acknowledgment of the horrible state of sin through his own experience. He was a man of great zeal for God. He was a Pharisee with a deep passion for God. He fasted twice a week and had nearly memorized the first five books of Moses. He was a disciple of Gamaliel, the most knowledgeable scholar of his time. His zeal for God was remarkable. However, before knowing Jesus, he regarded the followers of Jesus as heretics, imprisoned them, and tried to annihilate them from the earth. 

After meeting Jesus, Paul realized that Christ Jesus was the very one he and his people had longed for—the promised Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. This was a great shock to him. This realization gave him a heart of deep compassion for lost souls. 

Look at verse 15: 

"That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome." 

This is why Paul was so eager to preach the gospel to the saints in Rome. 

Think about Rome at that time! Rome was the center of the world. One of the prevailing maxims was that all things came from Rome. Its culture, material wealth, power, system, and advanced technology were more developed than anywhere else. Roman citizens likely had a strong sense of identity and pride in their citizenship during Paul’s time. Compared to the visible might of the Roman Empire, the gospel seemed insignificant. 

Some believers might have looked down on the gospel. They hid their Christian identity in such a powerful and outwardly dominant society. They were ashamed of the gospel and reluctant to expose their faith. Some might have had a similar attitude in comparison to the powerful world around them. 

However, Paul clearly declared his identity in the gospel. 

### Let’s Read Verses 16-17: 

"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.’" 

### Why Was Paul Not Ashamed of the Gospel? 

### What Does the Gospel Mean?  

#### 1. The Gospel is the Power of God. 

First, the gospel is not man-made; it comes from God. Paul emphasizes this by calling it the "gospel of God" in verse 1. This means that God planned, designed, and accomplished His work of salvation. The gospel is the power of God. Only the gospel can save mankind from the power of sin and death. Only the gospel can set mankind free from Satan’s grip. Only the gospel can satisfy the wrath of God. 

Education, yoga, psychological activities, or other religions cannot transform our old selves into new creations. Only the gospel, through the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, can turn sinners into new creations and transform us from horrible sinners into the righteous. 

All human beings are born under the power of sin and death because of both our own sins and the inherited sin of Adam. Sin always brings God’s wrath. It affects our mental, physical, and emotional well-being—our entire being. Our ultimate destination is eternal judgment. 

This was not God’s original plan. We were created as God’s representatives to declare His glory. God even placed all creatures under man’s authority. However, Adam and Eve, deceived by Satan, wanted to take God’s seat and broke His covenant, allowing sin to enter the world. As a result, we became hostile toward God instead of enjoying a sweet relationship with Him. 

The dilemma is that human beings cannot solve the fundamental issue of sin through their own abilities, efforts, or power. Despite desperate attempts to fix this problem through technology, science, psychology, or various activities, the issue remains unsolved. 

However, God, in His great mercy, had a plan for our salvation even though we betrayed His love and ran away from Him. He vividly revealed this plan in Isaiah 53, written approximately 750 years before Jesus’ birth: 

> Surely he took up our pain 

> and bore our suffering, 

> yet we considered him punished by God, 

> stricken by him, and afflicted. 

> But he was pierced for our transgressions, 

> he was crushed for our iniquities; 

> the punishment that brought us peace was on him, 

> and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5) 

God’s plan was to send His Son—fully divine—to die for our sins. This prophecy was fulfilled approximately 750 years later. When the time came, Jesus, who had no sin, was born in a manger, crucified on the cross to bear all our sins, and rose from the dead. Through faith in Jesus, the way of salvation has been opened for us. 

Secondly. The Gospel Matches the Price of Our Sin and Death.** 

If we commit serious crimes such as murder or treason, we face capital punishment as the consequence. Likewise, sin demands our life as its penalty. To save us from this fate, someone without sin had to die in our place. However, there was no such person, for all had already been contaminated by sin. 

God had a plan. He sent His one and only Son, who was completely sinless, to take on human form and become the ultimate sacrifice for sin. 

Would you sacrifice your precious son or daughter’s life for criminals? No way! Yet, God sent His only Son to be crucified on the cross for the atonement of our sins. 

This is an astonishing and almost unbelievable truth. The sinless and almighty Jesus voluntarily came into this world, died on the cross, and rose from the dead to confirm that He is the Son of God. Why? The Scripture tells us: 

> But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) 

The work of our salvation clearly demonstrates God’s incredible love for sinners. 

There are many religions and ethical systems, but none can save us from the power of Satan’s grip except Jesus. Acts 4:12 declares: 

> "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." 

Have you heard of Mark Gabriel’s famous life testimony? He was raised and educated in a devout Muslim family. At the age of twelve, he had already memorized the Quran. He pursued an elite education and became a professor of Islamic history at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University. However, as he taught the Quran, he found himself confused by its contradictions. While the book claimed to teach peace, it was also filled with instructions about killing non-Muslims, especially Christians. 

After his conversion to Christianity, his father tried to kill him, and he had to flee to the U.S. He later wrote several books comparing Islam and Christianity. He said: 

 “The Quran said Muhammad was sent to show the mercy of God to the world. But he became a military dictator, attacking, killing, and taking plunder to finance his empire. Islam is full of discrimination—against women, against non-Muslims, against Christians, and most especially against Jews. Hatred is built into the religion.” 

Many religions present fearful gods, but our true God is both holy and loving. He did not even spare His only Son to save us from eternal wrath and to open the way for our salvation. 

### Thirdly, The Effectiveness of the Gospel is Reached Through Our Faith 

In a logical sense, we usually have to work hard to achieve something valuable. If you want a strong and healthy body, you must diligently exercise. If you are drowning, you must struggle to swim and escape the water. If you want a promotion at work, you must faithfully and diligently demonstrate your abilities and commitment. Likewise, if we desire righteousness, we might think that we must perfectly keep all of God’s laws. All are based on our work. It is so reasonable.

However, the idea that we can be saved from God’s wrath simply by believing in Jesus seems unreasonable. It doesn’t make sense from a human perspective. If we make mistakes or commit sins, we feel that we must correct them and pay a price. All other religions teach this principle—that salvation must be earned. That is why they emphasize good deeds. 

Christianity, however, is completely different. Paul writes: 

> “For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16), 

> “For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith.” (Romans 1:17) 

### Why Do We Need Faith in Christ Instead of Relying on Our Good Deeds? 

God knows that we are incapable of becoming righteous through the law or good works. Therefore, He prepared His own way for our salvation and righteousness. The gospel is God's amazing plan—a demonstration of His great mercy and wisdom. If people humbly accept God’s way, they will believe the gospel, receive salvation, and experience freedom from Satan’s grip. However, if they insist on their own reasoning and trust in their own ways, they will reject God’s mercy and face eternal wrath. 

From beginning to end, salvation does not depend on our good deeds or actions. That is why salvation is completely by God’s grace. Abraham was justified as righteous when he believed God’s promises, even before he was circumcised. Good deeds, activities, and outward goodness are not the means of salvation but rather the fruit of true conversion. 

When we repent of our sins and believe that Jesus died for us and rose from the dead, we experience the forgiveness of sins. Accepting the gospel means that our old self dies with Christ, and our lordship is transferred to Jesus. He becomes our Savior and Lord. From that moment on, Satan can no longer be our master because we have been moved from the power of darkness into God’s kingdom. We are no longer slaves to sin or Satan but become God’s precious children. This is the reality of a Christian life. We no longer live according to our sinful nature but for God’s glory. This was God’s original purpose in recreating us. 

As 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares: 

> “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 

### Fourth;y, The Righteous Will Live by Faith 

"The righteous will live by faith." This phrase is quoted from Habakkuk 2:4. 

The prophet Habakkuk was distressed and hopeless because Israel was filled with sin and wickedness. Rather than providing him with a direct answer, God instructed him to live by faith. This remains true today. We may not fully understand what God is doing, but we can be certain that He will judge the sinful world. Our role is to live by faith in Jesus. 

Living by faith means trusting in His Word. The Holy Spirit always works through God’s Word, guiding us. To live by faith is to trust that God’s wisdom and guidance are far greater than our own understanding. Even when we cannot see the full picture, we hold on to His promises, knowing that He is in control. 

## Part Two: The Gospel Can Reach Others Through Our "Foolish" Preaching 

In a sense, God’s work of salvation is not yet complete. He has entrusted us with the mission of sharing the gospel, allowing us to participate in His holy and precious work. Though God could accomplish His plan without us, He has chosen to spread salvation through our preaching, which may seem foolish by worldly standards. 

Romans 10:14-15 explains how God's salvation reaches others: 

> 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 

> 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 

God’s way of bringing salvation to sinners is through what the world might consider "foolish" preaching. We may feel unprepared or think our words lack eloquence. However, no one is a perfect preacher except Jesus. If we don’t preach the gospel, no one will hear the good news, and nothing will change. God's chosen method is not dependent on our abilities but on the simple proclamation of the gospel. 

The gospel itself is the power of God. It is far wiser and more effective than any human wisdom or persuasive speech. As 1 Corinthians 1:23-25 testifies: 

> 23 But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 

> 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

> 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 

The power of the gospel does not come from our speaking skills but from the message itself. Even the apostle Paul, one of the greatest evangelists, preached with fear and trembling, fully relying on God’s power rather than his own words. In 1 Corinthians 2:2-5, he states: 

> 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 

> 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 

> 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 

> 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 

Even the most humble and seemingly foolish preaching can change lives. Consider the conversion story of Charles Spurgeon. Though born into a pastor’s family, he was not converted until he was around 20 years old. 

One snowy day, Spurgeon visited a small church where the pastor could not attend, so a layman—a simple worker, possibly a shoemaker or tailor—stood in the pulpit. He repeatedly read Isaiah 45:22: 

> “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” 

The man, though not well-spoken, passionately preached a simple message: 

> “Look unto Me! I am hanging on the cross. Look unto Me! I am dead and buried. Look unto Me! I rise again. Look unto Me! I ascend to Heaven. Look unto Me! I am sitting at the Father’s right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! Look unto Me!” 

This short, seemingly foolish sermon led to Spurgeon’s powerful conversion. He went on to become one of history’s greatest preachers, bringing multitudes to Christ, and his books have sold millions of copies. His simple faith in the gospel transformed his life and the lives of many others. 

We may never know how the Holy Spirit will work through what seems like our insignificant or weak preaching. But we are not called to rely on our abilities; we are called to depend on the Spirit. Preaching the gospel does not require eloquence—only obedience and faith. If we trust in the Holy Spirit, He will speak through us. 

When I look back on my life, I never planned for my children to enter medical school. My priority was always God and His mission. I couldn’t even afford to buy my parents a shirt with my own money. However, God richly blessed my parents' farming business and even provided for my family when I thought His Kingdom and His riotousness.   

Though Matthew 6:33 may seem unreasonable, I have experienced its undeniable truth: 

> “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” 

One of the greatest enemies in life is selfishness. If we are consumed by our own ambitions and personal matters, we will never serve God as He calls us to. However, when we seek first His kingdom and righteousness, He takes care of our needs. Being used by God is not a burden—it is a blessing and a privilege to participate in His kingdom work. 

### Conclusion 

In this study, we have seen that the gospel is truly the power of God: 

1. The gospel is not man-made; it is from God. 

2. The gospel matches the price of our sin and death. 

3. The effectiveness of the gospel is reached through faith. 

4. The righteous will live by faith. 

And finally, we have learned that God has chosen to spread the gospel through what the world considers “foolish” preaching. Our weakness does not hinder His power—He works through it. Let us boldly share the gospel, trusting in His power to save.