The Gospel's Power & Message - a book review

 

The Gospel's Power & Message by Paul Washer is the work of a man whose heart is definitely tuned to and captured by Jesus Christ and the power and message in the Gospel.

I don't believe I have ever read a book that has dealt so thoroughly with the subject and supported their views so closely with Scripture.  The book is 276 pages long and there are very few of those pages that don't have several Scripture references listed at the bottom of them.

I have a few quotes that I want to share that come from the first 110 pages or so, to give you an idea of how Paul Washer is handling this subject of the Gospel and it's power and message.  Please understand that Paul Washer is a very straight forward person and the comments that I share will reflect that, but they are all truth.

"As our world becomes increasingly irreligious and anti-Christian, evangelicalism runs around aimlessly, looking for a remedy.  We carefully study the fads and fashions of the culture and then make the necessary changes in the gospel in order to keep it relevant.  When our culture no longer desires what we have, then we give them what they want.  When a certain model of ministry draws a crowd of carnal men, we write a how-to book that lays out a strategy for the rest to follow.  However, in all of this we fail to see that we are not making the gospel relevant.  We are only catering to a godless culture in order to keep it within our walls.  In the end, the gospel is gone, God is not honored, and the culture goes to hell."   Page 58-59

"The church needs men who will stand before the opposing masses with nothing to help them or defend them except the gospel and the God who has promised to work through it.  How cumbersome was Saul's armor to David, and how ridiculous did David appear when he wore it?  The sheer weight of it sapped his agility and strength.  Yet he made the crucial decision to put it off and face the giant with nothing more than the name of the Lord.  Likewise, we must refuse Saul's armor and weaponry and go to battle with nothing more than the smooth stones of the gospel.  We must make that crucial decision to throw off the props, strategies, and clever techniques of modern-day evangelism, facing the twin giants of unbelief and skepticism with open Bibles and the clear, uncompromising message of Christ crucified and resurrected from the dead.  Then we will see the power of God manifested in the genuine conversion of even the greatest sinners.  Is there anything too difficult for the Lord?" Page 59

"...salvation is not of works because that would not glorify God; it would make Him a debtor bound to reward the supposed virtue of the creature.  Salvation by works is nothing more than humanism clothed in religion....faith is true religion.  It is man as he is, "lost and ruined by the fall," emptied of all confidence in self, and trusting in the faithful promises of a saving God."  In the epic drama of salvation by faith, God is the hero, and upon Him alone do we lavish praise." Page 66

"As stewards of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we do no service to men by making light of sin, skirting around the issue, or avoiding it altogether."   Page 75

"...man forfeited all on that day when Adam exalted self over deity and chose the autonomyof a finite creature overthe lordship of an infinitely wise and benevolent God."  Page 111

The entire book was filled with so much wisdom due to all of the Scripture that was noted, and would definitely be a wonderful reference book as well as just reading it for the sake of Christian growth.  It's definitely convicting in parts, but also filled with encouragement through to the end!

Some of my most favorite chapters of the book are toward the end of the book...Chapters 20, 22, 24, 25,26. 

Chapter 20 deals with the cross of Jesus Christ with the emphasis being on the fact that when Christ was praying in the garden before His crucifixion and sweat great drops of blood...asking the Father if He could to let this cup pass from Him, it wasn't about the pain and suffering that He knew He was going to have to endure, but rather it was He knew that having all the sins of the world put upon Him would seperate Him from His Father.  It's quite the moving chapter!

Chapter 22 deals with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It's a very powerful chapter as he makes mention of the fact that the resurrection is what Satan is using as he attacks the preaching of the Gospel.

Chapters 24-26 deal with Christ's ascension as the High Priest of His people, His ascension as the Lord of all, and His ascension as the Judge of All.  These chapters are so thought provoking and enlightening.

Would I recommend this book?  Definitely!  Not as a "light read", but it would definitely encourage in the realm of Christian growth.