Is the Gospel the power of God for salvation, not church membership or baptism?
Yes. Paul writes that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation, not church membership, not a baptism, not a work. Salvation is the all-inclusive work God does for the believer who cries out as a sinner and believes Christ died for him.
Les explains from Romans 1:16 that Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God. Les stresses that it is not church membership, not a baptism, not a work, but the Gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. He reminds listeners that salvation is the all-inclusive word implying everything God does on behalf of the believer who cries out, 'I'm a sinner, I'm in need of salvation, I believe that Christ died for me.' Then God does everything else: He imputes righteousness, forgives, cleanses, baptizes into the body, and does everything needed. We know He did it by faith, not by feeling or sight, because the book says so. Les then defines the Gospel by going to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, noting that John 3:16 by itself is not the Gospel.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
More Questions
Why does the fact that the gospel is God's power for salvation leave our works out?
According to Romans 1:16, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and this leaves our works completely out of it; there is nothing we can do, and any attempt to add our work would only tarnish the gospel.
What does Romans 1:16 mean when it says the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes?
In Romans 1:16, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes because that person has what God is looking for—faith.