{"id":437,"date":"2010-04-17T11:13:18","date_gmt":"2010-04-17T17:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/?p=437"},"modified":"2011-08-10T23:58:37","modified_gmt":"2011-08-11T05:58:37","slug":"does-the-gospel-really-have-any-power-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/archives\/437","title":{"rendered":"Does The Gospel Really Have Any Power? (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the first post on this subject a week or so ago, I made the case that the Gospel doesn’t have any real power unless there is faith. Today, the point I want to make is that the Gospel doesn’t have any real power unless there is weakness.<\/p>\n

Does this mean that Christianity or the Gospel is a crutch for the weak? In a sense, yes.\u00a0 I think you could say that.<\/p>\n

Most people use that phrase as if it is a derogatory statement. They are implying that us weak people need something like the Gospel, but they are not weak like us. To someone who sees themselves strong, or a self-made person, the Gospel is not needed or desired.<\/p>\n

Is it possible to build a successful life without the Gospel? Is it possible to have meaning and purpose in life without the Gospel? Is it possible to build a successful church without the Gospel? Yes, yes, and yes. Jesus even says that we can build our house on the rock or sand. Both can be built, but which one will last?<\/p>\n

Both will stand for quite some time. It’s not until the time of testing comes that one will fall. Some people’s house (not built on the sand) will endure their entire life on earth, and will only fall when the test of eternity comes. Jesus says everyone will be salted with fire (Mark 9:49<\/a>).<\/p>\n

In that moment, will what you’ve built last in eternity?<\/p>\n

Many of those who have built on something other than the Gospel feel quite secure with what they have. The Gospel then is a threat to them. It requires tearing everything down and starting all over. Some people are more than willing to do so, because as they build, they recognize that it’s not working. While seen as a frustration, this is actually a blessing. It’s those whose lives are working for them who I worry about. They feel they have no need to tear down and start all over. They do not feel weak at all.<\/p>\n

But the Gospel does its work in those who recognize their weakness. For these people, there is no greater power than that which is found in the Gospel. It has eternal power. And nothing can stand in its way–not even Satan or hell itself.<\/p>\n

Just a few verses to consider along this point:<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 2:1-5:<\/p>\n

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. <\/sup>For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.<\/em><\/strong> I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.<\/em><\/strong> My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power<\/strong><\/em>, so that your faith might not rest on men’s<\/strong><\/em> wisdom, but on God’s<\/strong><\/em> power.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2 Corinthians 12:9-10:<\/p>\n

But Jesus said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.<\/em><\/strong>” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.<\/strong><\/em> That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses<\/strong><\/em>, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Matthew 5:3:<\/p>\n

Blessed are the poor in spirit<\/strong><\/em>, for theirs<\/strong><\/em> is the kingdom of heaven.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mark 8:35-36<\/p>\n

For whoever wants to save his life <\/sup>will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.<\/strong><\/em> What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Isaiah 40:28-31:<\/p>\n

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
\nThe LORD<\/strong><\/em> is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
\nHe will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.<\/p>\n

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;<\/p>\n

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. <\/strong><\/em>
\nThey will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Those who hope in the Lord, and put their trust in Him for salvation–they are those who experience the power of the Gospel. Yes, we are weak and are considered by others as nobodies and fools. We are considered by many to be weak, immature, and pitiful. They do not realize that although they may have a nice house, it is not built on the foundation, and it will crumble one day.<\/p>\n

I don’t know if this is a Bible verse or not, but if not, it ought to be inserted somewhere in Proverbs: It is better to have a small, plain house built on a sure foundation than to have a mansion full of riches built on a foundation that is slowly crumbling over time.<\/em><\/p>\n

And now for a poem\/song along these lines:<\/p>\n

Some people have their life all planned
\nThey spend their time building something so grand
\nSatan has them eating right out of his hand
\nCuz they place their trust in fading riches and land<\/em><\/p>\n

But blessed are those who obey My command
\nThey build their house on the rock, not the sand.
\nBoth can be built, but which one will stand?
\nBlessed are those who hear and understand.<\/em><\/p>\n

Well that wraps up my two-part series on the power of the Gospel. My next series of blogs will investigate building one’s church on the Gospel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the first post on this subject a week or so ago, I made the case that the Gospel doesn’t have any real power unless there is faith. Today, the point I want to make is that the Gospel doesn’t have any real power unless there is weakness. Does this mean that Christianity or the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,7,4,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-god","category-our-culture","category-the-church-world","category-the-gospel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=437"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1359,"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437\/revisions\/1359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timfalk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}