“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.”
Question: How is the “gospel of Christ” the “power of God to salvation”?

What is the gospel of Christ?

As Peter explained in Acts 2, the gospel or good news is that the man Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the Christ. He died on the cross in our place, taking on himself the death due to us for our sin, so that we may be forgiven and reconciled to God.
When Jesus rose from the dead, he won victory over death, providing freedom from sin and death for all who believe in him.
As Jesus is the Son of God, he is fully God, and has ascended to be with God.
The reconciliation he won on the cross is not earned by us, it is simply received through faith in Jesus, by repenting of our sin, trusting in his sacrifice for our forgiveness, and accepting him as our Lord, to follow him in all we do.

The Power of God

This good news is not just informative, it’s not just a record of events. Our response to receiving this amazing news is life changing, it has eternal consequences. The gospel has miraculous power as its effect is beyond the natural.
To be willing to believe is beyond human logic, it’s only by the power of God that we can accept who God is and what he has done for us in Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:18 reads, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing”.
And it’s only with God’s power that we can see our state of sin, and our need for forgiveness, and in his strength turn to Jesus and follow him. So, faith itself is also a gift of God, we cannot claim any credit for it. As we read in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
And when we believe, we are given the Holy Spirit to live in us and transform us; we find our thoughts, words, and actions are changed, as God equips us to do his will.

So, the gospel is more than mere words, and it is essential for people to hear. In Romans 10:14, Paul says, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
But if, in our fallen state of sin, we resist the power of the Holy Spirit to show us our sin and enable us to repent and turn and trust in Jesus, we condemn ourselves to remaining separate from God and his mercy. And while in this earthly life God sends his blessings on all people, even those who reject him, for those people who are determined to be separate from him, their wishes are granted beyond the grave.

Personal Experience

A quote I have often used is, “there but for the grace of God go I.” It’s easy to share with people as its main focus is on the plight of another, rather than theology. But it captures the power of the gospel to change lives.
I don’t like to dwell on what my life would have been like if I hadn’t handed it over to Jesus at a young age, but I do feel I have been blessed in so many ways, and equipped to do his will in ways that are beyond my natural state.
It reminds me of the quote by Eric Little in the movie Chariots of Fire, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure”.