In a hostile and man-centred world we are tempted to change the gospel to reduce embarrassment or shame, to be more attractive to visitors, or even to fake successful ministries. Yes, ‘…the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God’ (1 Cor 1:18). If we change the message in order to reach our church, neighbours, friends and family, we lose the power of God and have great reason to be ashamed.

Paul’s letter to the Romans reminds us that, at the very heart of the Christian gospel, lies the power of God (Rom 1:16) and the righteousness of God (Rom 1:17). While these two aspects are inseparable to the gospel (as cause and effect are inseparable) it is important consider the power of God (v.16) separately because the question of who does the work of salvation—both in willing it and working it—is foundational to true Christianity. Multiple errors and heresies have arisen because we have attributed the power for salvation to ourselves.

Paul writes, by way of introduction to his magnum opus: ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek’ (Rom 1:16). Paul himself, being the unseeking recipient of this power, knew where the origin of that power came from (Acts 9:1-19; 22:6-16). If seeking and finding Jesus was left up to Paul’s power, he would never have followed Christ; rather, he would have gladly stayed a hater and persecutor of Christ. Left up to his own will (in bondage to sin) he would have chosen to crucify Christ, time and time again.

But that very same Christ—rich in His mercy and without Paul’s permission—cut open Paul’s chest and gave him a new heart. In the language of Ezekiel (36:26-27) Christ gave Paul a new heart (and a new spirit), removing the heart of stone and giving Paul a heart of flesh. This new heart came with new desires and a new will, and thus we can say (with Ezekiel) God caused Paul to believe and obey Him. In the language of John’s gospel, Paul was ‘born again’ (John 3:3), he was born of ‘water and the spirit’ (John 3:5). It should be noted that the very use of this ‘new heart’ and ‘new birth’ language presupposes the power and initiative of God just as the birth of a child occurs without the input, power and permission of that child. For without a new heart and a new birth, Paul would have continued following ‘the prince of the power of the air’ living in the ‘passions of…[his] flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind…[a] child…of wrath, like the rest of mankind’ (Eph. 2:2-3).

So, when we read about the power of the Gospel in Romans 1:16, we have to remember Paul is talking from experience, not just mere academic nor intellectual theory. Paul understands firsthand that if salvation was left up to him—either on the basis of his own will to receive God, or his own works to please God—he would still be dead in his own sin. In fact, it’s this external power that gives Paul confidence to go to Rome and preach the ‘foolish’ gospel unashamedly (Rom 1:15) into the heart of this pagan empire. The wisdom of fallen and unconverted man finds the message of the cross a stumbling block, offensive and foolish. Paul writes to the Corinthians:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Cor 1:18-25).                                                                  

Whilst being so plain and foolishly simple, this power of God has come under attack many times in church history—even till today. First in theology, and secondly, in practice. 

In Theology

A British monk called Pelagius (c. 354–418) attacked the power of God to salvation in a number of ways. Pelagius believed that Adam’s sin only affected Adam, and so we were not born sinners. The essence of his teaching was this: man is born sinless, he can live without sin and keep the commandments by his own power, if he so chooses. Grace almost became a nicety—not a necessity—for Pelagius and his followers. Thus, the power for salvation ultimately rested in man’s ‘free-will’ not in God’s gracious and sovereign free-will, nor Christ’s atoning and substitutionary work on the cross. 

Augustine the Bishop of Hippo took Pelagius to task knowing that this view was patently unbiblical. How can it not be false when ‘…every intention of the thoughts of…[mankind’s] heart was only evil continually’ (Gen. 6:5), and that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…’ (Jer. 17:9)? Free will can only be relied on if we are not born sinners (in original sin) and if sin hasn’t affected the will. How can we be born in sin and not have our will affected? Pelagius was essentially asserting that we were in the same position as Adam and Eve who were created sinless and with a free will. Now, indulging Pelagius for a moment, where did that get our first parents? The fall into sin, death and destruction.

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