The Dynamite of God — Ian Paisley

The Gospel of God in Romans 1

You will find an authorized version of the Holy Scriptures in front of you of the Pure. If you pick it up and turn with me to our reading for tonight, which is part of the first chapter of the book of Romans, the epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans at the chapter 1.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separates it unto the gospel of God, which he had promised afore by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead.

By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name. Among whom are ye also called of Jesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to them that ye may be established, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have your ignorant brethren, that often times I purposed to come unto you and was let hitherto, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise. So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is a power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Ending our lesson at verse 16, and God will stamp the reading of his word with his blessing to all our hearts. I take the promised Holy Ghost, the blessed power of Pentecost to fill me to the uttermost.

I take, thank God, he undertakes for me. And the people of God said, Amen. You may be seated. I want to speak tonight on the subject of the dynamite of God. Dynamite, my dictionary informed me, is an explosive composed of nitroglycerine held by an absorbent called the dope, invented in 1866 by Alfred Nobel of the Nobel Prize theme.

It is a word that comes from a transliteration from the Greek word for power. One of the Greek words for power, dynamis, meaning inherent, real power, strength of power in its demonstration. Now there are many words in our New Testament translated power from the Greek Testament.

One means exerted strength. Another means strength of an individual. Another means energy, the putting forth of strength. Another means authority. And yet another means the beginning. But it is a word for inherent power which God uses in his holy book to describe the gospel of shattering power.

Verse 16 of Romans chapter 1. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God. The power of God. The power of God unto salvation. Paul exclaimed, this gospel that I preach is the power of God.

The dynamite of God. The high explosive of the Almighty. Nothing in time or in eternity is described in this manner by the spirit of God in his word. The gospel is unique. It has no parallel. Its potential is immeasurable.

The Gospel’s Universal Sphere of Operation

I want to leave some simple points with you about the power of God. The dynamite of God. I want to say first of all, the gospel of Christ is God's dynamite in its sphere of operation. And its sphere of operation is the whole creation of God to every generation.

The gospel is unchanging and unchangeable. It bears the hallmark of eternity for it is the gospel of the eternal God. The sphere of the gospel is set forth in some very familiar scriptures. We read in Mark 16, 15.

Go ye into all the world. The gospel is for all the world. In Matthew 28 and verse 19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations. And the apostle tells us in Colossians, no, 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 23.

The gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature unto him. The gospel is the dynamite of God in the sphere of its operation. What power, its simple message has generated in every generation on the whole earth.

John Angle, James of Birmingham once said, commenting on that great verse. And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to me. This was said by the savior of man. The cross is for all ages. All countries.

The great moral magnet to draw men from barbarism to civilization. From sin to holiness. From misery to happiness. And from earth to heaven. And it were as rational to say the lodestone had lost its original property of popular attraction.

And the mariner's compass is an old steel invention. And must now be replaced with some new device better adapted to the modern light of science. As to suppose that the gospel of the cross has become aged and that we need a new gospel.

The gospel is old yet ever new. It is as unaging as he who is the father of eternity. And it must never be forgotten that it is in this unaging gospel. God delivers to the world a dynamite in the sphere of his operation that nothing can stand before or resist.

I remember a man coming into this building one day. Tied and fettered by every sin in the book that he had committed. And I remember as he looked into my eyes, he said to me, Mr. Paisley, is there any hope for a man like me?

And I said, yes. There is a savior who conceived to the very utmost. There is blood that can cleanse away your every stain and shadow of sin. And there is a gift that God wants to give you. The gift of eternal life.

And that day he knelt down and he received Christ freely offered in the gospel. His life was changed. His home was rearranged. And days of future walking with God proved that that man that day knew something of the mighty dynamite of God in his life and in his heart.

The old was shattered. The sight was cleared. And upon it was built a new man. With new loves. New fire. New desires. And a crave after the holiness of the Christ that had saved him. The gospel of Christ is not only God's dynamite in the sphere in which it works.

The Gospel’s Strength as God’s Demonstration

But it is God's dynamite in its strength. Its strength is the almighty power of God in concentration. God has concentrated his power in the gospel. Paul said our gospel came not to you in word only. But also in power.

He said also my preaching was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom. But in the demonstration of the spirit and of power. The gospel of Christ is no mere proclamation. Rather the gospel of Christ is God's demonstration.

Oh yes the preacher may make the proclamation. But it is the almighty spirit of God which makes the demonstration. Oh may the spirit of God come to hearts this night. As we proclaim this gospel. And may God transform the weak proclamation into an almighty demonstration.

Can these bones live? Thank God they can. When God puts forth this dynamite. This inherent power of God in this gospel. Jericho was transformed through the preaching of Philip. Why? Because Philip's proclamation was transformed into the spirit's demonstration.

And the result was a great Samaritan revival. Aboard the chariot Philip's proclamation was transformed into the spirit's demonstration. And the evangelization of the great black African continent commenced.

In the Philippian jail Paul's proclamation was transformed into the spirit's demonstration. And the devil possessed jailer was converted. And the evangelism of Europe ran apace. And the persecution of pagan Rome.

And the Colosseum became the place of the martyrs' burnings and tortures. The final proclamation of those martyrs became the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of power. And light of the gospel throughout all the dominions of Caesars Rome.

In the days of John Huss and Bragg. His proclamation was transformed into the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. And with power the foundations of the great reformation were laid. In the day of Wycliffe when England was corrupted by the idolatry of the papacy.

The proclamation of faithful John Wycliffe was turned into the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. And what happened? Every other man in England became a lord. A believer in the gospel which Wycliffe preached.

The time would feel me tonight to tell of the reformers. Luther in Germany. Calvin in Geneva. Zwingli in Switzerland. The martyred bishops in England. Knox in Scotland. Whitfield and the Wesley brothers.

The Puritans. The noble army of the great expounders of God's Word. Of Spurgeon and Moody. And the 1859 revivalists. And the 1904 revivalists. And the 1920 revivalists. And of all of these died through the centuries whose proclamation was transformed into the demonstration of the Spirit of God and of power.

And heaven was peopled by thousands of thousands of converts. What annals of the demonstration of the Spirit of God the Church of God has witnessed. How mighty is the arm of the Lord when it is made bare.

The half truly cannot be told until we cross over to the other side and read the story in the records of heaven. May God give the church today that pure tongue of holy fire to proclaim this gospel. And may this gospel and its proclamation be transformed into a demonstration.

Oh for the manifestation of the mighty dynamite of the gospel of Christ. Rejoice the Savior reigns among the sons of men. He breaks the prisoners chains and makes them free again. Let hell oppose God's only son.

In spite of foes his cause goes on. The baffled prince of hell in vain new projects tries. Through his empire to repel by cruelty and lies. The infernal gates shall rage in vain. Conquests await the lamb once slain.

He died but soon arose triumphant over the grave. And now himself he shows omnipotent to save. Let sinners kiss the victor's feet. Eternal bliss his subjects. All power is in his hand. His people to defend.

To his most high command shall millions more attend. All heaven with smiles approves his cause. And distant eyes receive his laws. This little seed from heaven shall soon become a tree. This ever blessed leaven diffused abroad must be.

To God the sun shall come. It must go on. Amen. Amen. Yes there is a sphere of the operation of the dynamite of God. There is a strength in the dynamite of God. But the dynamite of God is also the dynamite of God and the shattering of sin.

The Gospel’s Shattering Power Against Sin

I read in Acts 2 .37 when the gospel was preached they were pricked in their hearts and said what shall we do? I read in Acts chapter 7 they were cut to the heart and gnashed on him with their teeth. I read in Acts chapter 16 and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken.

And immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed. The dynamite of the gospel has a most shattering effect on sinners and their sin. Sin rules man as if it was an unbeatable and unconquerable enemy.

It whispers in the ear of sinners, you can never escape my clutches. It is unrelenting in its accusation and lying and most hateful in all its actions. How many poor sinners have been butchered by sin and rushed into hell by its satanic condemnation.

Sin is hell's murder pill for its victims. How the poor jokes wheel in hell's deception and they cry out it's too late for me to repent. They cry out I'm too far gone and there they are in the misery of being lost.

But oh this gospel can shatter all the sin and all the lies and all the deceptions of hell. No man living in this world is too late to come to Christ. No soul is too late to close with Christ freely offered in this gospel.

God is able, Christ is able to save them to the honorables that come unto God by Him. Seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. The shattering of the gospel can reach the darkest of the lost outside of hell.

There is no wall which sin builds which the gospel cannot demolish. There is no prison which sin constructs which the gospel cannot break open. There is no cell which sin devises which the gospel cannot leave unruled.

There is no chain which sin forges which the gospel cannot shatter. There is no torment which sin devises with which the gospel cannot give relief from. There is no bondage which sin has generated which the gospel Christ dynamite cannot smite.

There is no power which sin has generated which the gospel cannot pull down. There is no plan of darkness which sin has schemed which the gospel cannot disintegrate. There is no weapon which sin has concocted which the gospel cannot destroy.

The gospel is the strongest of the strong. It's the mightiest of the mighty. It is the conqueror of conquerors. The gospel is almighty to deliver. It was the old Puritan Cudworth who said, The gospel is the true Bethesda.

It's full of grace. For such poor, lean, and infirm creatures as we are, upon the moving of God's Spirit in it, may descend down not only to wash our skin and outside, but also to be cured of all diseases within.

The gospel is not like Havana and Farfa, the common rivers of Damascus, which can only cleanse the outside. But it is a true Jordan, in which leper demons can wash and be cleaned forevermore. This gospel can prick the toughest heart.

It can cut the thickest hide. It can destroy the vilest construction of hell. The gospel of Christ is the greatest of all lepers. Did ever one of Adam's race cost thee, my Lord, more toil and grace than I have done before my soul could yield to thy divine control?

How great the power, how vast the sway that first constrained me to obey! How large the grace that I didst impart that conquered sin and won my heart! Thine was my heart, deep plunged in sin, a dismal dam of thieves within, where every lust presumed to dwell the hateful progeny of hell.

A base apostate from my God, I trembled in the Savior's blood, I scorned His mercy, mocked His pain, and crucified my Lord again. But lo, the chief of sinners now is brought before thy throne to bow. Surely this mighty power from thee can conquer all that conquers me.

The Gospel’s Power to Save the Soul

Heal, dearest Lord. My choice is love. By pity drawn from realms above, I wonder at thy grace that won a heart so vile as mine. Finally, this gospel is a dynamite to the salvation of the soul. Acts 11 .21, a great number, be lead and turn to the Lord.

Romans 1 .16, the gospel, the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. 1 Corinthians 1 .18, for the preaching of the gospel is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us which are seeth, it is a dynamite, O God.

The gospel of Christ is God's dynamite to our salvation. It saves from the pollution of sin, depleting sin, degenerating sin and damning sin. It saves from the penalty of sin, sin that deserves eternal death, sin that merits everlasting torment, sin that sendeth the sinner to eternal hellfire.

It is a deliverer from the power of sin, sin which no sinner can conquer, no sinner can break, no sinner can smash, can be broken by the power of this gospel. It saves from the presence of sin, sin which knows no ending, sin which knows no dying, sin whose torments are forevermore.

Sin is a source of every ill. It draws a heart from God, it darkens a mind, perverts the will and leads the downward road. Before Christ was born, it was said of Him, Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.

Christ's purpose is to save to the uttermost all that come to Him. Remember, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Jesus saves from sin. He saves from hell. He saves to keep. He saves to justify.

He saves to sanctify. He saves to glorify. And He saves. No wonder old Joseph Hart wrote these lines, How high a privilege it is to know our sins are all forgiven. To bear about this pledge below this special grant of heaven.

To look on this when sunken fears with each repeated sight let some reviving cordial cheers and makes temptations light. Oh, what is honor, wealth, or mirth to this well-grounded peace? How pure are all the goods of earth to such a gift as this.

This is a treasure rich indeed, which none but Christ can give. Of this, the best of man have need. This I, the worst I trust, dear sinner friend, you will receive the gift of the dynamite of God's salvation.

Call upon Him now. He will save you. Hallelujah! Let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank Thee for Thy holy word. And we thank Thee for the thrill of the gospel that is in our souls, in our hearts, in our minds.

And we pray that the thrill of that gospel may fill our hearts now with heaven's peace. And for those who know not Christ, freely offered in the gospel, may they come to Him this night and find all that we have said and millions more are true when Christ enters the heart and washes the heart in His precious blood and makes the sinner clean for all of time and for everlasting eternity.

Be with us, we pray, in the closing moments of this meeting for Jesus' sake. And everybody said, Amen.