The Power of the Cross is the Power of God Almighty Unto Salvation.
Salvation Through Reconciliation
In II Corinthians 5:18-21 we are told of the Ministry of Reconciliation.
II Corinthians 5:18-21
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The Ministry of Reconciliation is the ministry of sharing with the world that God has reconciled the world to Himself through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and that we are to reconcile ourselves to God by believing the gospel. We are to believe and put our faith in the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, that He was buried and that He rose on the third day.
When we believe the gospel, we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who gave His life as a ransom for us. We believe that He is our Savior. Our belief of the gospel reconciles us to God. The gospel that we are to believe is recorded in I Corinthians 15:1-4.
I Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
God Gives Believers of the Gospel the Power of the Indwelling Holy Spirit
When we believe the gospel, God gives us His Holy Spirit to indwell us. In Ephesians Chapter 3 our Apostle Paul speaks of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to him. In Ephesians 3:14-20 Paul speaks of bowing his knees and praying to God the Father for them.
Ephesians 3:14-20
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
The power of the cross is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, that He was buried and that He rose on the third day. Upon believing the gospel, we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and put all of our total faith in what He has done for us.
In Ephesians 3:14-20 we see the powerful prayer that Paul prayed to God the Father on behalf of the Ephesians. As saved believers, we as well have been given the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit. As saved believers, shouldn’t we pray to God the Father and ask Him to bless us with the same blessings that Paul asked for on behalf of the Ephesians? We certainly can.