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THE GOSPEL IS THE THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES

 

This is what was stated in the Holy Scriptures, that is, in the Bible, by the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans (Romans 1:16).

Although our nature of limited human creatures allows us to only partially understand the scope and meaning of the Gospel, however it is fully presented to us in the person of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:2-3) and communicated in the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15-17), therefore it is very important to understand some fundamental aspects of this "power of God" that he has implemented “for the salvation of anyone who believes".

 

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

 

The Gospel (from the Greek, "Ey-Agghelion", "good announcement") is the happy news of the coming of the eternal kingdom of God, a reality in which sin, death, nor any evil, can exist but wher there is a perfect peace and justice. But this good news should bring a serious question to human beings: are we worthy of obtaining the eternal life resurrection in this kingdom?

 

CAN WE BE QUITE THE RIGHTEOUS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

 

God gave a law to his people; therefore, if a person wanted to try to be right, they should put into practice perfectly all the precepts of this law revealed by God, which is contained in the sacred scriptures (in particular in the first part of the Bible, in the Hebrew "Torah").

The apostle Paul, however, clearly warns:

“For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to do them.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3: 10-11)

 

“Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are in the Law, so that every mouth may be shut and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3: 19-20)

 

Therefore it is not possible to be justified before God by observing the law: the law, through its absolute intransigence, makes us understand that we are not able to follow it completely and therefore we deserve an eternal condemnation by God, not to be considered righteous and worthy of eternal life.

 

Even those who do not know the law revealed to the people of God are equally guilty before him; Regarding this, Paul says: “You are without excuse, O man, everyone who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you presume this, O man—who passes judgment on those who practice such things and does the same—that you will escape the judgment of God? " (Romans 2:1-3)

 

THE GOSPEL: THE GOOD NEWS

 

But, after these 'bad news', Paul exposes the Gospel: "Now, however, regardless of the law, the justice of God has been manifested, of which the law and the prophets testify: that is to say the justice of God through faith in Jesus Christ, for all those who believe - in fact there is no distinction: everyone has sinned and are devoid of the glory of God - but are justified for free for his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. " (Romans 3:21-24)

The justification takes place by grace, through faith in Christ Jesus, for all those who believe, and it takes place for free for us. But a price was paid, by Christ himself: "God has set it up as a propitiatory sacrifice through faith in his blood, to demonstrate his justice" (Romans 3:25). "God instead shows the greatness of his love for us in this: that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Christ, dying crucified despite being innocent, took all the sin of those who would have believed in him throughout human history, not imputing it to them, but by crediting his perfect justice to them through his resurrection from the dead. Jesus, Paul writes, "was given because of our offenses and was raised for our justification" (Romans 4:25). “In fact, God was in Christ in reconciling the world with him, not imputing to men their faults, and he put the word of reconciliation in us. We therefore act as ambassadors for Christ, as if God urged through us; We beg you in the name of Christ: be reconciled with God.He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5: 19-21).

 

OUR GOOD WORKS DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR OWN SALVATION

 

Justification is "by faith apart from works of the law" (Romans 3:28). Therefore, if even the works of the law (which are expressly commanded by God and considered righteous and good, Romans 7:12) do not contribute to justify us, then no other work can. This is so in order to exclude any human pride before God (Romans 3:27; 4: 2; 1 Corinthians 1: 26-29; Galatians 6:14).

 

BUT, IF GOOD WORKS CANNOT HELP TO SAVE THEMSELVES, IS NOT THE GOSPEL AN INVITATION TO SIN?

 

Paul denies that the Gospel gives people the permission to sin, writing: “ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you go on presenting yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were given over, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." (Romans 6:15-18). James 2:14-26 speaks of the situation of those who, saying that they have faith, show that they do not have a living faith at all, but a dead one. He teaches that those who profess faith must demonstrate by their works that they are justified, as Abraham and Rahab did. The good works are prepared by God to be done by us believers: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. ". (Ephesians 2:8-10). Good works are for the glory of God (Matthew 5: 14-16).

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