If the Apostle Paul were here today, I think one of the things he would say to us is: “The Gospel really works!”
Romans 1:16 (NIV)
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.
The Apostle Paul wasn’t ashamed of the Gospel because he knew that the focus of the Gospel was on Jesus and what the power of God could do, not on him and what his ability could do. Paul wasn’t a great orator, and as a result, people challenged him as being an authentic apostle sent by God, However, the power of the Gospel set Paul free from what other people thought about him. Paul wasn’t ashamed of the Gospel because he experienced its power in his own life – he experienced the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel really works because the Gospel is the power of God, and the power of God is what manifests all the benefits of your salvation – healing and deliverance included. The power of God manifests all the benefits of your salvation when you believe in your heart that you are right with God. This equates to receiving God’s love personally and then trusting in the power of God’s unconditional love for you that was provided through the sacrifice of Jesus. Trusting God equates to believing that He loves you unconditionally.
As a result of Adam’s sin, there is a void in every person that longs for a love that can only come from their Creator, God Himself. God delivered this love (as His righteousness) in the person of Jesus Christ, and now God’s love for you is best summed up in the fact that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. God’s unconditional love for you is best summed up in the fact that you are the righteousness of God in Christ.
As a believer, you must embrace your worth and value based on the fact that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. You must believe that God loves you apart from your performance, behavior, and achievements. You must live your life according to who you are in Christ. What will happen? The power of God is released and you will find yourself enjoying all the benefits of your salvation!