But the elders have also often talked about the helpfulness of “preaching the gospel to ourselves.” We preach to ourselves all of the time. We tell ourselves what to think, how to respond to life, or to be reminded of an event coming up in the near future. And rather than believe sinful ideas from the world or despairing, anxious, or hateful thoughts from our own hearts, we should also preach God’s Word to ourselves. This is where the gospel comes in for the gospel is the key by which all of Scripture becomes immediately applicable. When so-called “intrusive thoughts” come to us, we counter them by getting to the most important truths imaginable: what God has done for sinners like us in Christ.
Let me give brief example. One of my favorite gospel passages is 1 Peter 2:9–10. Listen to Peter’s assuring words to his Gentile readers about their security in Christ:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
When we are tempted to doubt God’s love for us or grow weary in living faithfully, we can preach these truths to ourselves:
- I’m part of a chosen race—Those whom God has loved apart from anything in them that would merit such affection.
- I’m part of a royal priesthood—A people united to Jesus, the perfect high priest, that we might who mediate God’s Word and presence to the world.
- I’m part of a holy nation—A people who know God as Father and live in ways that imitate his holy character.
- I’m part of the people of God’s possession—We have been set apart from the world as God’s people whom he keeps secure until the last day; I belong to him.
- I’ve been called from darkness to light—Though once blinded by sin, the call of Christ gave me life and set me in his kingdom.
- I've received God’s mercy—Once, like the rest of the world, I was living without the blessings of being part of God’s people; now God has brought me near.
- I should proclaim God’s excellencies—To myself, the church, and the world; I cannot remain silent of the glories of God revealed in Christ and his redeemed people.
Thinking just the briefest of thoughts about these short verses reorients my thinking at any given moment. When I begin to doubt God’s love toward his me, his gift of salvation, my need for holiness, or his calling on my life, these gospel verses put me back on track.
Those gospel verses can also help other believers. If preaching the gospel to ourselves can be helpful, how much more ought to be preaching the gospel to others too? Years ago, I remember hearing someone observe that so much of the wisdom we dispense can be “shot from the hip” quotes or ideas we’ve picked up from popular culture. But they may not be biblical or even helpful. Yet, if we are preaching the gospel to ourselves, it’s the gospel truths which should naturally come off our lips in encouraging reminders and exhortations to other believers around us.
Still further, if the gospel is filling up our minds and in our conversations at church, how much easier will it be to share it with unbelievers? If we were made part of God’s people to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9), shouldn’t those still in darkness be part of those to whom we are gospel conversations? They of all people need to hear of the excellencies—the glorious realities—of God’s person and work in Christ.
Evangelizing is often a struggle for believers. Perhaps it's because we don't think about and speak about the gospel enough? As I recently heard Glen Shriver say, “The reason you’re not telling your non-Christian friend about Jesus is because you don’t tell your Christian friends about Jesus either. . . . If we were better at evangelizing one another, we’d be so much better evangelizing the world.”
So, let me encourage you to soak in the gospel. Read about it, meditate on it, and praise God for it every day. Then preach it to yourself when you’re fighting against sin in your life. And preach it (share it, counsel with it, be thankful for it, etc.) to other believers when you see them. This will inevitably make it easier to naturally, joyfully, boldly preach the gospel to our unbelieving family, friends, and coworkers.
Comments