The Preaching of the Cross is the Power of God

1 Cor 1:18-For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

In this simple statement, Paul places before the Christian a very strong foundation from which we can build a successful life.   He declares that the preaching of the cross is the power of God to us.  The Greek word for power in this verse is 'dunamis' from which we get the word dynamite.  Here is the definition of the word dunamis.

1) strength power, ability

  a) inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person       or thing exerts and puts forth
  b) power for performing miracles
  c) moral power and excellence of soul
  d) the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
  e) power and resources arising from numbers
  f) power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts

Let's examine some of the reasons that Paul declares that the preaching of the cross is the power of God.  One of the key reasons for the cross is found in John 3:16--For God so loved the world.  We will all agree that there was no real reason that God should love His created creature after Adam sinned and sold his right to rule the world.  This great Creator God, could have destroyed this miscreant and started all over with someone else that would have been more worthy to give a world full of beauty to.  However, we have to see that as easy as this seems, God's 'dunamis' love refused the idea altogether.  His great love for the human race put in place a plan to buy back sinful man and restore to him all of the pleasures that God had instituted in the first place.

Let this be totally apparent to us all.  It was His love for us that kept Him from destroying everything.  It was His love for us that caused Him to send His only begotten Son.  It was His love for us that made Him devise a plan to put a stop to the torture and ridicule of satan.  As I have stated in previous blogs, the believer should meditate wholly on God's overwhelming love for us instead of all the meanness that surrounds us every day.

As we meditate on His great love for ourselves, we become fearless giants.  As we meditate on His great love, we become more encouraged to enter His presence not only on a daily basis but remain there more and more throughout the day.  As we meditate on His great love for us, it fans the smouldering embers of the fire that we once knew the day we received Him as our personal Savior.  On that day, we drank deeply of His love and became filled with joy at His presence.  When we meditate on His great love for us, we also become aware of His great love for all mankind.  And as we do that, we push away the habits that we have gotten used to and begin to bring forth a greater habit.  The POWERFUL habit of prayer to a loving God who DESIGNED the cross to display not only His power but His great love.