The Gospel: God’s Power to Transform

Colossians 1:5b-8

1.  The Gospel is God’s powerful commitment to fulfill His promises to us.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” - Romans 1:16–17(ESV)

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  - I Corinthians 1:18(ESV)

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  - I Corinthians 1:22–24(ESV)

A. It transforms as it is made known and taken up by faith (vss. 5b-6).

Romans 10:5-17

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.  - Colossians 2:6–7(ESV)

B. It transforms our desires and our actions (vss. 7-8).

Jeremiah 31:31-33

Ezekiel 36:22-29a

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” - John 14:15–18(ESV)

Romans 8:1-11

Galatians 5:16-26

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  - I Corinthians 6:9–11(ESV)