"The Power Of
God Unto Salvation"
Romans 1:16
Paul was never ashamed to preach the
gospel of Christ because he knew that "it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth." Let other men speculate, theorize
and argue their points of theology as they will. We recognize that God has only
one means by which he is pleased to save his elect - the preaching of the
gospel. Therefore we will, as God enables us, preach it to all men everywhere.
The issue is not whether God can save his
people without the use of means. We know that God can do anything he is pleased
to do. The issue is what God has told us he will do. And he has told us that he
will save sinners only by the preaching of the gospel. "Faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom.
What a privilege we have! God allows us,
who have been saved by the gospel to proclaim the gospel for the salvation of
others. He could save them without us. But he is pleased to use us. Just as our
Lord, when he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, commanded those who
stood by, saying, "Take ye away the stone," so he now commands us to
"preach the gospel to every creature." Attached to the command is
this promise: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved." "And let us not be
weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Our labor is not in vain in the Lord. God will use us, as we faithfully preach
the gospel of his grace, for the salvation of his elect and the glory of his
dear Son, our Savior.
Don Fortner