Transforming Power
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also of the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'the just shall live by faith'"
Romans 1:16,17
Pastor Doug and I love to visit the Rocky Mountains. One year on our visit we drove the one way drive up Falls River Road to the peek and then into Grand Lake, Colorado. As we entered Grand Lake nothing but black mountain sides greeted us, a vast difference from the pines and Aspens that usually line the way. A fire had come through the year prior and left nothing untouched. The power of the fire transformed the beautiful mountains into charred ash. The forest had come in contact with something powerful.
Paul describes the gospel of Christ being the power of God to salvation for all who believe. If anyone could testify about the transformative power of God, certainly Paul could. This once hater and punisher of christians, came in contact with the Gospel and immediately knew its power. It changed his life.
The same is true today when someone comes in contact with the power of God to salvation, we are changed. Suddenly there seems to be an awareness of the world around us, how it does or does't line up with what we read in the Bible. Things that we use to not think much of, now we have become sensitive to how it affects us. It isn't a revelation of self or even an improvement plan to "be better", but it is the result of coming in contact with a power that has changed us.
Paul wasn't ashamed of this gospel or the change it had created in him. He spoke of it wherever he went. I can imagine some of the comments, "hey aren't you the guy that use to (fill in the blank)?" Paul would have to say yes, but he didn't stop there. He continued with the reason for his transformation. Some of us have had a similar experience when we encounter friends or family that have known us prior to salvation and now see us behaving differently. Paul saw these moments as an open door to speak about the great transforming power of God to salvation. He spoke of his past, but most of all to those who knew him before, he spoke of his encounter with Christ. Don't let shame of your past keep you from telling about your new life in Christ.
Romans 1:16,17
Pastor Doug and I love to visit the Rocky Mountains. One year on our visit we drove the one way drive up Falls River Road to the peek and then into Grand Lake, Colorado. As we entered Grand Lake nothing but black mountain sides greeted us, a vast difference from the pines and Aspens that usually line the way. A fire had come through the year prior and left nothing untouched. The power of the fire transformed the beautiful mountains into charred ash. The forest had come in contact with something powerful.
Paul describes the gospel of Christ being the power of God to salvation for all who believe. If anyone could testify about the transformative power of God, certainly Paul could. This once hater and punisher of christians, came in contact with the Gospel and immediately knew its power. It changed his life.
The same is true today when someone comes in contact with the power of God to salvation, we are changed. Suddenly there seems to be an awareness of the world around us, how it does or does't line up with what we read in the Bible. Things that we use to not think much of, now we have become sensitive to how it affects us. It isn't a revelation of self or even an improvement plan to "be better", but it is the result of coming in contact with a power that has changed us.
Paul wasn't ashamed of this gospel or the change it had created in him. He spoke of it wherever he went. I can imagine some of the comments, "hey aren't you the guy that use to (fill in the blank)?" Paul would have to say yes, but he didn't stop there. He continued with the reason for his transformation. Some of us have had a similar experience when we encounter friends or family that have known us prior to salvation and now see us behaving differently. Paul saw these moments as an open door to speak about the great transforming power of God to salvation. He spoke of his past, but most of all to those who knew him before, he spoke of his encounter with Christ. Don't let shame of your past keep you from telling about your new life in Christ.
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