As some of you may know, I am daily reading through Scripture in its order. Today’s devotion was Romans 1:1-17. I have also just started to read Righteous by Faith Alone – A Devotional Commentary on Romans authored by Rev. Herman Hoeksema and Edited by Professor David J. Engelsma.
The key verse is Romans 1:16: “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.” (Emphasis is added.)
In this book, Rev. Hoeksema states: “…Therefore, when the apostle says that the gospel is a power of God unto salvation, the meaning is that the gospel of Christ has the inherent virtue of rolling away your sin, driving out your darkness, cutting the shackles of death, and translating you into a state of righteousness, of holiness, and of life. This transformation, which Scripture calls salvation, is the effect of the gospel of Christ.
Not it may be.
Not, perhaps it will be, if you meet it halfway, if you accept it.
No, it is. The gospel is this power. It surely transforms. The gospel is a living, transforming power that, if it touches your inmost heart so that you are connected with it, drives away your sin, your darkness, your death. The gospel does that. …”
And so, we have every confidence in the Gospel. The Church is not the “Purpose-Driven Church” as Rick Warren would have us believe. The Church is the “Gospel-Driven Church”. Ministers do not need to either worry or get prideful as to how persuasive they are in the sermon. Church administrators do not need to be anxious that they have the perfect programs in place for their church. The Gospel is the power of God that will surely save all of God’s elect to whom He sends His Gospel.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 