The Gospel is The Power of God To Salvation For Everyone Who Believes!
The following biblical commentary by St. John Chrysostom on 2 Thessalonians 1:8, and accompanying evangelization video by Ray Comfort of Living Waters Ministries emphasizes the importance of the “Fear of the Lord” in leading a soul to repentance and faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:16-17 tells us “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” The power of the Gospel rests in its ability to convict the soul of sin as well as the forgiveness of sin found in the atoning work of Christ to all who believe. Jesus stated that this would be the work of the Holy Spirit when He came into the world, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:8-11) Following the commentary by St. Chrysostom is a evangelism video produced by Ray Comfort of Living Waters Ministries that shows the power of these Gospel principles when rightly presented to a soul in need of salvation.
St. Chrysostom Commentary (Abridged; Emphasis added)
2 Thessalonians 1:8. “In flaming fire rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
If they that have not obeyed the Gospel suffer vengeance, how much more will they suffer who besides their disobedience also afflict you? And see the Apostle’s intelligence; he does not say here “those who afflict you”, but those “who obey not.”
All this was said to them, but it applies also to us. When therefore we are in affliction, let us consider these things. Let us not rejoice at the punishment of others as being avenged, but as ourselves escaping from such punishment and vengeance. For what advantage is it to us when others are punished? Let us not, I beseech you, have such souls. Let us be invited to virtue by the prospect of the kingdom. For he indeed who is exceedingly virtuous is induced neither by fear nor by the prospect of the kingdom, but for Christ’s sake alone, as was the case with Paul. Let us, however, even thus consider the blessings of the kingdom, the miseries of hell, and thus regulate and school ourselves; let us in this way bring ourselves to the things that are to be practiced. When you see anything good and great in the present life, think of the kingdom, and you will consider it as nothing. When you see anything terrible, think of hell, and you will deride it. When you are possessed by carnal desire, think of the fire, think also of the pleasure of sin itself, that it is nothing worth, that it has not even pleasure in it. For if the fear of the laws that are enacted here [in earthly kingdoms] has so great power as to withdraw us from wicked actions, how much more should the remembrance of things future, the vengeance that is immortal, the punishment that is everlasting? If the fear of an earthly king withdraws us from so many evils, how much more the fear of the King Eternal?
Whence then can we constantly have this fear? If we continually hearken to the Scriptures. For if the sight only of a dead body so depresses the mind, how much more must hell and the fire unquenchable, how much more the worm that never dies. If we always think of hell, we shall not soon fall into it. For this reason God has threatened punishment; if it was not attended with great advantage to think of it, God would not have threatened it. But because the remembrance of [punishment] is able to work great good, for this reason He has put into our souls the terror of it, as a wholesome medicine. Let us not then overlook the great advantage arising from it, but let us continually advert to it, [in our conversations] at our dinners, at our suppers. For conversation about pleasant things profits the soul nothing, but renders it more languid, while that about things painful and melancholy cuts off all that is relaxed and dissolute in it, and converts it, and braces it when unnerved. He who converses of theaters and actors does not benefit the soul, but inflames it more, and renders it more careless. He who concerns himself and is busy in other men’s matters, often even involves it in dangers by this curiosity. But he who converses about hell incurs no dangers, and renders it more sober.
But do you fear the offensiveness of such words? Have you then, if you are silent, extinguished hell? Or if you speak of it, have you kindled it? Whether you speak of it or not, the fire boils forth. Let it be continually spoken of, that you may never fall into it. It is not possible that a soul anxious about hell should readily sin… A soul that is fearful of giving account cannot but be slow to transgression. For fear being vigorous in the soul does not permit anything worldly to exist in it. For if discourse raised concerning hell so humbles and brings it low, does not the reflection constantly dwelling upon the soul purify it more than any fire?…No one of those who have hell before their eyes will fall into hell. No one of those who despise hell will escape hell.
