“The Power of God for Salvation” by the Rev. Dr. Tara W. Bulger

Romans 1:8-17

8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. 9For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, 10asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. 11For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish 15—hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”

This is the opening of the apostle Paul's letter to the church in Rome, which he has yet to visit. We have been studying the book of Romans in the Pastor's Bible Study class for a few weeks now, and it can be a tedious book, partly because of what Paul says too eloquently here in nine verses he will go on to expound upon in almost nine chapters. Many preachers, Paul included, have struggled with brevity in their words.

He begins this passage by thanking God for the churches in Rome and tells them how much he wishes he could be with them so they could mutually encourage one another. That's a pretty good definition of the church, isn't it—-a body that mutually encourages one another. But then Paul goes on to say that he owes a debt to so many people—Greeks and Barbarians, the foolish and the wise—and the debt is that he feels he owes it to these people to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. And then Paul gets to the heart of the matter when he states, "FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL; IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS FAITH."

The Power of God, for salvation.

Now, when I was growing up, I was taught that salvation is simply fire insurance. Salvation and being saved were simply about being welcomed into heaven after our death. And to be sure, salvation is the promise that we will be welcomed into new life. But when I came to faith, I was in my twenties, and I was not afraid or worried about dying—-I was worried about living. Having lived my life outside the Good News of Jesus Christ meant that I was lost. And alone. I had used all my gifts, I had sought all the human answers I could find, and still, there was a hole inside of me that would not heal. For me, salvation was more than just what happens after we die. Salvation was and is about hope, a connection with God that makes life richer.

The Greek root of the word for salvation is the same as the word salve. A salve can heal wounds and provide a balm for hurts. That's how I think of salvation. To hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, to be claimed by Christ, is to be given the gift of the presence of God, the healing of my wounds, the balm for life's difficulties. This is the Good News, which Paul wants to share with everyone.

I have had the kind of week where far too many friends and loved ones have received some awful news. I have sat with those who grieve, and I have struggled with the darkness. Maybe you have too. Let the salvation we have been promised bind you up and hold you tight. Let the salvation of our faith remind you that we serve a God who is in the healing business, who brings light from darkness, and who sits with us in our pain.

For I, too, am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for all who have faith. Amen.