“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
This verse contains important information. We are told God’s power resides in the gospel, and that the purpose of this power is the salvation of both Jew and Greek. This passage is intended to incorporate spreading the gospel to all humanity and is specifically stated by the Lord Jesus: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
Evidently, the event that takes place when one is twiceborn is nothing less than a supernatural creation by the Creator Himself (Ephesians 4:24)! There is no need for salesmanship or psychology or finesse or technique; the dunamis (power) of the Living God is transmitted, applied, and exercised as the gospel is spoken and a person listens.
• Ephesians 2:8—“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
• Romans 10:17—“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
• John 6:63—“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
• 1 Peter 1:23—“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:3-4—“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
To be successful (not to mention obedient) to the Lord’s command, we must surely use the power of God that has been made available to us in the Scriptures
Wherever there is true love, there must be giving, and giving to the point of sacrifice. Love is not satisfied with giving trinkets; it must give at the cost of sacrifice: it must give blood, life, all. And it was so with the love of God. "He so loved the world, that He gave his only-begotten Son." "Christ also loved and gave Himself up, an offering and a sacrifice to God."
And this was very grateful to the Father. It was as the odour of a sweet smell, reminding us of the sweet savour offerings of the ancient Levitical code (Lev 3:5, etc.). To us the anguish of the cross seems one awful scene of horror; but it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.
In love, so measureless, so reckless of cost, for those who were naturally so unworthy of it, there was a spectacle which filled heaven with fragrance and God's heart with joy.