by Sherri Stevens
Discovering Romans 1:16: "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."
If sharing the Gospel is such "good news," then why aren't we more motivated to share it with others? If we don't understand what the "good news" is, we will likely be apprehensive about sharing this powerful message that could impact other people's lives—both eternally and in the here and now. This single sentence (Romans 1:16) that the Apostle Paul included in his letter to the Romans has immense depth and profound implications.
In this study, we will unpack this power-packed message and attempt to accomplish five things:
1. Consider various aspects of the Gospel to understand God's supernatural message better.
2. Consider several reasons why we may be hindered from sharing our faith so that we may be inspired to share our faith more confidently and effectively.
3. Review Scriptural references that support and give context to the gospel message.
4. Offer tips on how to share the Gospel more effectively.
5. Offer reflective questions to deepen our understanding of the Gospel.
What is the Gospel?
The Gospel is the good news that God came to earth, saved humanity from sin, and is restoring all things.
The word "gospel" comes from the Greek word "euangelion," which means "good news."
The Gospel was promised through the prophets long before Jesus lived (Rom. 1:2).
The Gospel provides power for us to be rescued (Col. 1:3), regenerated, transformed (2 Cor. 3:18), and restored to a right relationship with God (2 Cor. 5:19-21).
Through the power of the Gospel, our sins are forgiven and conquered in our lives (Col. 2:13).
The Gospel transforms us into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
The Gospel declares, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).
The Gospel describes all human attempts to reach God as failed self-salvation strategies (Rom. 3:10).
The Gospel reveals an alternate kingdom with a new King in which the world's values of power, recognition, status, and wealth completely reverse (Matt.5:14-16).
What is the power of the Gospel?
The central verse of our study says, "In it (the Gospel) is the power of God" (Rom. 1:16). What does the Bible tell us about the voltage of God's power He has put in His verbal message?
The Gospel is the Word of God which is a living thing! (Heb. 4:12).
We are born again by the power of His Word (1 Pet. 1:23).
God's Word not only carries information but He empowers His Word like a seed planted in a heart (James 1:21).
God's Word (seed) springs to life and grows, reproducing the life of God (Gal 4:19).
The Gospel is not religious or irreligious. It is not becoming an adherent to a set of religious beliefs but being born-again through the power of God's Word so that the life of God that has been planted in our hearts reproduces the life of Jesus (Gal. 4:19).
The power of God's Word spoke creation into existence (Ps. 33:6-9; Heb. 11:3; Gen. 1:1-31).
The power of God's Word holds all things together (Heb. 1:3).
Who is the Gospel for?
The Gospel is for everyone who believes God's message of salvation, receiving His gift of righteousness by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). Although the world tends to divide people into separate groups, such as religious and irreligious or moralist and relativist, the Gospel divides people into only two groups: humble and proud (Luke 18:9-14).
The Gospel is for everyone, not just "the elect."
Many people have misinterpreted the terms "the elect" or "the chosen" in the Bible to mean that God chooses some people to be saved but not others. This misunderstanding can hinder us from sharing our faith because we can feel it is futile if we share it with someone God has not "chosen."
Although Jesus did indeed choose certain men to be Apostles, the term "choosing" Jesus used in the gospel accounts was regarding the roles of men he appointed and not about individual salvation. The gospel message is for everyone, not just a few special people who God "elected" for salvation. The Biblical term "chosen" implies a corporate or collective group of individuals who have come into a relationship with The Chosen One, Jesus Christ. If and when we trust Christ, we are now on Team Chosen.
Suggested reading: Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 2:9; 1 Cor. 1:27; Rom. 8:30-33
What does "predestination" mean in the Bible?
Another term that has confused many Christians and hindered many from sharing their faith is the term "predestination." Many have misunderstood predestination to mean that God predestines some people to become believers and others He does not. However, the Bible teaches that God is not willing for anyone to perish, but everyone would come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).
When the Bible talks about "predestination," it uses this term to refer to the privileges that a Christian will receive after deciding to become a believer, not who would become a believer. The word "predestination" is used in two places in the Bible, twice in Romans 8 and twice in Ephesians 1. In the book of Romans, Paul describes a believer as being predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.
The other time the word predestined is used is in Ephesians 1:4-11 where Paul says, "He (God) predestined us for adoption to sonship." Romans 8 interprets what Paul means by the term "adoption" when he writes, "We ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies." So the term "adoption," Paul explains, is when a Christian dies and receives their glorified body. Predestination has nothing to do with who will get saved but, instead, what happens to a Christian once they have been saved.
Suggested reading: Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:4-11, 2 Peter 3:9, Luke 13:34, Matthew 23:37, Acts 10.
The Gospel is for dead people, not bad people.
At its core, the gospel message is the solution to two human problems. Number 1: We have all sinned, and our sin has separated us from a relationship with a holy God. Number 2: The wages of sin is death. Therefore, since we have all sinned and our sin has consequently rendered us spiritually dead, we need spiritual life. The only source of spiritual and eternal life comes from the only One who conquered death through His resurrection.
Suggested reading: Rom. 6:23; 1 John 5:11-12; Titus 3:5-7; John 5:24; John 3:16
What is the righteousness of God that is revealed in the Gospel?
The Bible says, “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed" (Rom. 1:17), which is often considered the central theme of the book of Romans. But what exactly is the righteousness of God?
The righteousness of God has two aspects: the righteousness of God and the righteousness from God.
The righteousness of God is His internal virtues and character (Rom. 3:21).
The righteousness from God is our righteous standing derived from God declaring us righteous.
The righteousness from God is a free gift provided by God and imputed by God, not according to our legal obedience or good works.
The Gospel is news rather than instruction.
The Greek term “gospel” (ev-angelion) or "good news" distinguishes the Christian message from other religions. The Gospel is good news about what God did to accomplish salvation through Jesus Christ. It is not instructions about what we must do to reach God. We do not achieve salvation according to our good works. We can only accept it. The teachings of Christ do not save us, but Christ Himself saves us.
Suggested reading: John 1; Eph. 2:8-10
The Gospel is about grace rather than merit.
Every other religion is based on a system of meritocracy except Christianity. The Gospel of grace is an entirely different paradigm. God's grace grid is not a metric based on meritocracy but on the unmerited favor He bestows on those who will believe in Him.
Suggested reading: Eph. 2:8-10
The Gospel is how we "get saved" and "grow."
The Gospel not only holds the power of salvation after we die but also the power of our daily salvation. We do not “get saved” by believing the Gospel and then grunt out our growth by trying hard to live according to Biblical principles. Instead, we believe the Gospel to "get saved" and apply the Gospel as we grow in Him.
The Gospel is not "a second chance" salvation, where we get saved but are responsible for keeping ourselves saved. The Gospel is not just a new start, but a new life—Christ's life! We don't live a life trying to produce good works according to our human effort. Instead, we learn to abide in the True Vine, who supplies us with the sap of life so we can bear the fruit of God. We were meant to be partakers, not producers. God designed us to be fruit-bearers in a garden, not slave laborers in a factory.
Suggested reading: John 15; Col. 2:6
The Gospel calls us to repent of our sinfulness and our self-righteousness.
When we share the Gospel with others, we may find "sinners" receive the message as "good news," but the "self-righteous" reject it as "bad news." If this has been your experience, you are in good company because the same thing happened to Jesus.
Many of us are familiar with the parable we typically refer to as the parable of the Prodigal Son. However, Jesus didn't call it that. He called it the parable of the two brothers. In this parable of the Two Brothers, Jesus addressed tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees, and teachers of the Law. In the parable, the younger brother represented the tax collectors and sinners of the world, and the older brother represented the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Both brothers stood outside the house, and both sons were alienated from the father. Jesus deconstructs the grids of the moralist (the elder brother) and the sinner (the younger brother).
In the parable, Jesus describes a younger brother who wanders away to a distant country and squanders his inheritance on wild living. Later, he comes to his senses and returns home with a repentant heart. In anger, the older brother responds to his younger brother returning home, saying, "Look! All these years, I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!".
In this parable, Jesus emphasizes that the younger brother, not the older "obedient" son, entered the father's house. Why did the older brother insist on staying outside the father's house? His "goodness," not his "badness," kept him outside his father's house. The main thing keeping most people from entering into a relationship with God is probably not their sin but their self-righteousness. Self-righteousness can be a bigger barrier to God than our sin. But the Gospel calls us to repent of our righteousness and sin.
We may experience the same resistance in sharing the Gospel with self-righteous folks as Jesus did. The message will likely be met with anger by those who stand in their self-righteousness, thinking that God owes them something because of their good behavior. But we only enter into salvation if we humbly accept God on his terms, recognizing our sinful status and acknowledging that we have no acceptable righteousness of our own.
Suggested reading: Luke 15; Eph. 2:8-10
Tips on how to share the Gospel effectively:
General tips:
Pray for Guidance: Seek God's direction and wisdom in your interactions and conversations.
Engage in Natural Conversations: Look for opportunities to connect with people in everyday settings – at work, school, social events, or through shared interests.
Build Trust and Rapport: Focus on genuine interest in others and building relationships before explicitly discussing faith.
Share Your Testimony: Authentically share your personal story of how you came to know Christ and its impact on your life. This can be a powerful way to connect with others.
Listen Actively: Pay attention to what others say, ask thoughtful questions, and show genuine empathy and understanding.
Steps for sharing the Gospel:
Keep it Simple: Focus on the core message of the Gospel – God's love, the need for salvation, and the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Use Simple Language: Avoid complex theological terms, jargon, and "Christian-ese."
Explain God's Plan: Share the good news that God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life with Him.
Address the Problem of Sin: Explain that sin separates us from God and that we all fall short of His perfect standard.
Present the Solution: Share the Gospel message that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take the penalty for our sins and offer forgiveness and new life to all who believe.
Invite a Response: Encourage people to consider the message and decide to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Offer to Pray with Them: If they are open, offer to pray with them and ask God to reveal Himself to them.
Invite Them to Church: Invite them to join you at a church service or a Bible study to learn more about Christianity.
Other tips:
Be Patient and Respectful: Understand that people may not be ready to accept the Gospel message immediately.
Be Prepared to Answer Questions: Anticipate common questions about Christianity and try to be ready to respond with clear and thoughtful answers.
Use Evangelism Tools: Many helpful resources are available online, such as the "Five Finger Gospel" or the "ABCs of Salvation," which can aid in sharing the Gospel message.
Focus on Love and Compassion: Show love, respect, and compassion to everyone you encounter, regardless of their beliefs.
Be a Living Example: Let your life be a reflection of the love and grace of Christ.
Trust God: Sometimes, we plant seeds but don't see the harvest. That is o.k. Planting seeds is important! Sometimes, we might reap a harvest of seeds someone else planted.
Reflection questions:
1. How do you think the metamorphosis of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly can symbolize the transformational process of a person experiencing the power of the gospel?
2. Can you think of a modern-day parable that communicates the Gospel in the context of this high-tech, high-anxiety world?
3. Have you found that sharing your faith with others when you come from a place of humility rather than superiority has had a more desirable outcome?
