Romans 1:1: 'Paul a bondservant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God which he promised before through his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name among whom also you also are the called of Jesus Christ'
There is power in the gospel to bring the godless from among the nations to the obedience of the faith. It has the power to bring about a complete transformation of the human heart. It has the power to take someone from being an utterly godless, lawless, pagan, rebel, and God-hater, to someone who devotes their life to obeying and serving God.
We need to get back to the real gospel of Jesus Christ that IS the power of God to save, heal, deliver, and transform! It's not a formula, it's a person: Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the gospel! JESUS is the good news! All power is in the name of Jesus!
Jesus' name is the highest name in every sphere and in every realm: in heaven, on earth, and in hell.
Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the One who was promised beforehand through the prophets of the Old Testament. There is one prevailing theme throughout all of scripture: Jesus Christ.
When the Christ of the gospel is revealed, it is powerful enough to transform the most godless of pagans and take them from darkness to light.
There are two contrasting designations of Jesus in Romans 1:1: 'the seed of David' and 'the Son of God with power'.
The first one is according to the flesh – describing his natural descent from King David – it speaks of his Jewish lineage. The second is according to the Holy Spirit, who is described in a very special way here as 'the Spirit of holiness'.
The first one is a reference to his humanity and the second to his deity.
As the church, we need to be confident in our understanding of the nature of Jesus Christ. We are living in a culture that is becoming overtly hostile to the Christian faith. In the years ahead we are going to have to really understand the faith so that we won't compromise. We must hold unswervingly to the true faith because many will be deceived in this hour, many will succumb to the pressure and coming flood tide of persecution. There is going to be a great falling away. We must understand and fully grasp the centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ and that He is fully God and fully man.
He came as the Seed of David according to the flesh but then something happened: He died and then rose again from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the great demarcation, the line in the sand.
'Son of David' was a recognised Jewish term for the Messiah and when Jesus came to the earth He came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel – the Jews. Yet the Bible also says He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world: He died for everyone.
Why does the Scripture declare Jesus to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead? Was not He the Son of God beforehand?
We know that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He has always been the Father's Son. John 3:16 – the most famous verse in Bible says: 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life'.
But since then something happened! Jesus has now been designated to be: 'Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness by his resurrection from dead'.
John 3:16 shows Jesus to be God's only begotten Son. Jesus is still the Son of God as He always has been BUT He is no longer God's ONLY begotten son – because you are also a begotten son of God! Hallelujah!
Jesus has now been declared or appointed 'Son of God with power'. After his death, burial and resurrection from the dead; Jesus is now the 'Firstborn from among the dead'.
Col 1:18: says 'He is the head of the body the Church, who is the beginning, the Alpha'.
We have the rights of the firstborn son because we are co-equal heirs of God with Christ and the Father loves us with the same love that He has for Jesus (John 17:26)
You are now no longer in Adam, you are in Christ. The word 'firstborn' is the word prototicos. It is where we get the English word 'prototype'. Jesus is the prototype new man who will never die again! We are not God, but we are partakers in His divine nature. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
Can you confidently say: 'I am born- again'? You have now been born a son of God! That is what you now are in your new nature. That is what you are by birth!
In Adam, all die. In Christ, all are made alive. Why? Because He is the Son of God with power.
Hebrews 2:10: 'It was fitting for Him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory'.
This is what God in Christ has done. The Bible says you are complete in Christ who is the head of all principality and power. He sees you complete in Christ!
In Christ, He has brought many sons to glory. Jesus is no longer just the Son of God, He is the Son of God with power. He has completely conquered death, hell, the grave, and everything of the curse. Jesus has the power in himself to give life and his divine power gives us everything pertaining to life and godliness. There is a divine power that is yours by birthright in Jesus Christ.
We all struggle sometimes to live the Christian life. If you ask your average believer: 'Are you righteous in Christ?', the answer should not be 'I'm not really sure' – it should be '100% YES because I'm born again!' We need to have an attitude of 'I was born a son of God, I was born righteous in my new birth – I don't try to become it – I was born this way!'
Why did Jesus do what He did? To bring many sons into glory! The Church needs a revelation of Jesus as Son of God with power through the resurrection because of the Holy Spirit's power upon Him. That same power is available to us! That same power will come upon us!
When we exalt Jesus, when we behold him (2 Cor 3:18) we become like him. And you will agree with Apostle Paul in saying: 'I'm crucified with Christ and I no longer live!'
What a glorious transformation! I feel lifted up out of me! I don't need secular teaching on mental well-being! I just need to look at Jesus! He was raised up for me! To get me into glory!
Jesus said: Father, the glory you gave me, I've given it unto them'.
How do I get faith? I need to look at Jesus! Heb 12:2: 'Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith'.
How do I look to Jesus? I need revelation from the Holy Scriptures of who he is – I need some Christology! I need understanding of the glory and weight in the name of Jesus; to understand who He is as the eternal Son of God; to understand the cross and understand His resurrection and to understand His new appointment as Son of God with power that brings me up into glory! When I see this, He begins to download faith into me and will perfect that faith.
We are living in a time when it's going to get increasingly hostile. We're living in the end of the end times and the return of Jesus is imminent.
Not long ago this was considered mainstream Christian teaching by Pentecostals: Jesus – Saviour, Healer, Deliverer, Baptiser in the Holy Spirit and Soon Coming King. It was not an 'out there' teaching. A large chunk of the Bible is concerned with the end times.
As Christians, we must be rooted and immovable in Christ. There is coming (and it's already here) a great pressure, in the interests of community cohesion and peace, to back away from biblical truth, which will be increasingly characterised as 'extremist'.
Believing and standing for the fact that Jesus is God's Son will be seen as divisive, and unloving.
Proverbs 30:4: 'Who has ascended into heaven or descended... who has established all the ends of the earth (this is describing God).'What is His name and what is His Son's name? If you know.'
We have to know! And really know what we know!
The Christian life is one of great privilege but also one of responsibility. We need to get grounded in the faith and help others be strong. Without seeing Jesus there is no faith. We receive his authorship and his perfecting of our faith by seeing Him. I need to be in his presence and see Him so I can have a grasp of the person of Jesus Christ and have faith authored in my heart. Through knowing Him we reach into our calling and purpose. We receive the grace to fulfil it. There is a special grace and favour for your purpose available when you see the person of Jesus Christ.
The gospel is powerful because the gospel is all about Him. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. What is His testimony? 'I was dead, but now I am alive forever, never to die again!'
Our testimony is anchored to the testimony of Jesus. He does not just make you a better person he makes you alive from the dead in glorious resurrection power!
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