The Effect of the Gospel
Bob West
05/01/97
- Articles
The gospel of our Lord is "the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16). It has been often observed that the word translated "power" comes from a Greek word which is similar to the sound of our word "dynamite."
No one can remain the same after exposed to God's dynamite - the gospel. If he believes it and applies it to his life in humble obedience, it will save him from sin and further advance him along the road to spiritual life. On the other hand, if he rejects it, it will have a disastrous effect in his present life and in Eternity. It has been our unpleasant experience to see men who are horribly scarred and deformed by various kinds of explosions. But the effects upon the life of an individual who mishandles or rejects the gospel explosive are far more terrifying. These miserable souls are seen hobbling through life with shattered convictions, a heart insensible to love, a seared-over conscience, silent and unaccusing, and a will so accustomed to choosing evil that it seems incapable of any other choice.
So, you see, the gospel has a two-fold effect. The light that emanates from it can melt our hearts like wax. But at the same time, that light can harden a rebellious heart as the hardest clay. WE have heard the gospel. It has changed our lives - one way or the other! We need to ask ourselves: What effect has the gospel had on me?
