Preach the Gospel to Yourself, Part 1

Friend,

When is the last time you preached the Gospel to yourself? You may think that sounds odd. The Gospel is the good news we share with folks who haven’t yet had the privilege of hearing it, right?

That’s true, of course. But the good news of the Gospel is something that must occupy our thinking as believers every day of our lives. We must continually preach the Gospel to ourselves. But why? If I’m already assured of the forgiveness of my sins through what Jesus accomplished on the cross, why keep repeating what I already know?

Paul may have summarized it best. “. . . And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). That is, the foundation and the focus of Paul’s daily experience was bound up in the truth that Jesus Christ died for him.

Reminding yourself of the simple Gospel truth is what keeps you on track spiritually. Have you failed and sinned? Preach the Gospel to yourself. Only the blood of Christ covers that sin, and it is still sufficient. Are you tempted to be proud of your spiritual achievements? Preach the Gospel to yourself. The only righteousness that matters to God is the righteousness of Jesus Christ which God imputed to you in His mercy. Are you tempted to be self-reliant? Preach the Gospel to yourself. You could not save yourself, and you cannot change yourself apart from His grace and power.

Let’s join Paul in believing that the Gospel must be our daily foundation and focus. “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. . .” (Gal. 6:14).

Are you struggling with obsessive ambition for personal glory? Then look at Jesus on the cross and think about your greatness. We are great sinners. We are great debtors to grace that we could never repay.