Paul wanted to make sure the Corinthians understood that the power for transformation, the power to fix problems, was not in himself, his deep thinking, or excellent oratory skills. He wanted them to know that the gospel's power does not depend upon the person who delivers it. The power is in the message itself.
Many programs and diets exist, which might help us lose weight, but the changes will not be permanent if our hearts remain unchanged. Excess weight is not our problem; it is the evidence of our heart problem. We must address the underlying reasons why we sinfully turn to food. Was it to deal with rejection from someone we love? Was it to stuff down or soothe our emotions? Was it an attempt to manage bitterness from the abuse we endured? Was it to indulge our flesh just because we could?
After considering all the reasons we have turned to food, we must conclude that our hearts need to change if we would form a lifelong habit of godly living. And for our hearts to change, we must hear and receive and embrace the message of the cross daily, for that is the message of supernatural, life-transforming power!
In other words, diet programs, worldly wisdom, and man’s methods all lack one essential thing for us to change at the heart level: power! Being told not to do this or always do that is like the law; it does not contain within the message the power to change my life (Romans 8:3). The messages of "eat this, not that" are appealing but helpless, feeble, and weak against the flesh. “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (Colossians 2:23 NIV).
By contrast, the message of the cross comes with power to the heart of every person who believes it. Notice a few places that describe the power of this message:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16 NIV).
Question 4. According to Romans 1:16 NIV, what is the gospel message called?
The gospel: the message that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day, is called “the power of God.” It is for both Jew and Gentile, and is the message that saves us from God’s wrath, saves us from hell, saves us from our sins.
Sadly, throughout the past century, the gospel has become known only as “the salvation message,” meaning it’s only for unbelievers to “get saved.” The error in this is that it teaches us believers, we who are being saved, that we no longer need this message.
Notice how the following passage corrects this view:
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV).
Question 5. 1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV calls the message of the cross “the power of God.” To whom is the message of the cross the power of God?
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