Today’s readings.. (2 Samuel 14), (Jeremiah 18), (Romans 1,2)

Paul in writing to the Romans speaks about “the power of God”. What does he mean? He is not referring to physical power such as will be shown at the time Jesus returns when the greatest earthquake ever (Rev. 16 v.18) and other terrible events will occur.

In today’s reading in Romans, Paul writes of the gospel saying, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes “ [1 v.16].

Paul’s point is that the Gospel makes sense, compared to the nonsense surrounding the many gods (of human imagination) the Romans, and all except the Jews, believed in.

Today, we can say it makes sense – compared to the nonsense that so many teach about evolution which more and more willingly accept as true. They think that everything that exists, sort of created itself, and there is no need for a creator God. Much of this attitude seems to be motivated by a desire to be free of the restrictions God’s laws impose on their lives.

A particular example of this is evident at the moment. In Ch. 1 v.26,27 Paul particularly singles out acts of homosexuality – writing “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity to the dishonouring of their bodies … “ The fact that more and more Governments are legalizing same-sex “marriages” would horrify those living a generation or two ago! But most of all – what must God think!? What action will he take?

But we need to also realise that to believe a gospel about believer’s having a future life in heaven is also nonsense and, as a falsehood, has no power at all. It is only the gospel God revealed to men through his son that has “power”- because it is truth.

It is based on historical fact, because the events of the First Century and what followed,make sense the more we think about what is written. The conviction of many people became so strong it had the power to turn the beliefs of the pagan Roman world upside down in the 2nd & 3rd Centuries – but sadly, then the Gospel became corrupted and expressed in Man-made creeds. .

We must let this gospel become a power in our lives – if we are to really live a life worth living with the wonderful prospect of eternity. We must not let ourselves be influenced by those who scoff at “the power of God.”