The Power of God unto Salvation
Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
The power of God to everyone that believeth.
Are you such a one?
Do you evidence this power of God in your life?
For this power unto salvation is spiritual reality.
“For He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
This means Jesus Christ delivers us from them. In Hebrews it is called, “to the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25)
This is not just a wiping away of the past sins, although that is true.
It is the saving of the sins of today: that is, He saves us from doing them….and yes, He saves us from wanting to do them, as well.
This is what it means by “to the uttermost”.
Our Salvation is four-fold:
- From the love of sin….this is not complete, but it is a real change in you, where your sin is concerned. (It becomes a burden….and you feel it’s weight against you.)
- From the guilt of sin…by being born again: receiving Christ Jesus into your heart and life. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” We are not condemned, but at liberty to walk with God!
- From the power of sin…by the obedience to His Will…by yielding to the Holy Spirit within. Romans 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whither of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Here we get the power of God for our everyday lives….against sin and the world. (We are “under new management”). For God empowers obedience, and blesses it with a growing love for Himself, within us.
- From the presence of sin. Taken into His glorious Presence in Heaven…whether by Rapture, or when we die, to be with Him forever.
Ephesians 1:3-4, 11-12 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:
In Whom we also have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the council of His own will:
That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.”
Predestination has to do with the calling and place of our work. It has to do with the “path” He places us in. He predestinated us to certain good works, and then places within us, by His Holy Spirit, the power and ability to do them…for His sake.
He has a purpose for all He has saved. And all this was set in motion for us….you and me…before times eternal.
Think of it! God Almighty has a purpose for me. Though I rebelled against Him and His Will, yet He set His love upon me, and drew me to Himself:
John 6:37, 44 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
In the scriptures, the purpose God called me to, is spoken of as: “good works”, or “bringing forth fruit”
John 14:12 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.”
(And His works were prayer, preaching, calling others to the Kingdom of God, feeding, healing, and manifesting the words and works of His Father God.
All this He did before He laid down His life for us.)
John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”
Titus 2:14, 3:8 “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto all men.”
Our purpose, is to pray—for ourselves, and others; to witness of the light of God in our own life; to preach, teach, be a soul winner, as we are called.
We are to seek the good of all men (and there is no good, without God in it).
These are the obediences which are given to us to do, for the glory of Christ. Big or small in the world’s eyes….they are of great value to Jesus.
Everyone has their place in His purpose. And it is as we are in our place, walking with Him everyday, that we fulfill our purpose.
God’s salvation is full of power. Power to save us to “the uttermost”, and power to save others, through us.
What greatness dwells in Him….and He is, by the Holy Spirit, in us. Let us draw out His grace for our life.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 