How do we know that the gospel is the power of God for salvation?

The power of the gospel to save is pivotal in sovereign grace theology, as presented in Romans 1:16, which states that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. This power resides in the content of the message about Christ crucified, which the preacher must declare faithfully. The gospel reveals the holiness and mercy of God, showing that salvation is not achieved through human effort but is a work of God’s grace, initiating a transformation that brings the believer from spiritual death to life. This is further evidenced in passages like 2 Thessalonians 2:13, where Paul attributes the calling to salvation as being through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, both of which reinforce the doctrine of sovereign grace.