... to yourself. Have you ever heard this phrase before? Growing up in a Sovereign Grace chruch, you hear it quite often. But what does it really mean? "Preaching the Gospel to yourself"? Well, think about it. Just because we are Christians, does that mean we don't need the Gospel?
I'll answer for you... no, you still need it. We need to be reminded of what Christ did for us everyday! And if you are like me, with all the things going on in the day, you tend to forget.
C.J. Mahaney says in "Cross Centered Life" that we need to preach it to ourselves daily.
On the cd inspired by the little orange book, "Songs for the Cross Centered Life" by Sovereign Grace Music, the cd opens up with the song "the Gospel Song". Even tho it's just over 1 minute long, it tells the Gospel:
♫Holy God, in love, became
Perfect man to bear my blame
On the cross he took my sin
By his death I live again♫
I love that, "By his death I live again"! Isn't that an amazing thought?
Also in the book, C.J. Mahaney gives a few verses that you can memorize and use it to preach the Gospel daily. One that really stands out is Romans 5:6-11 (All scripture I have is from the ESV.)
"6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ
died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person -- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even die -- 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
Here are some others he gives;
- Isaiah 53:3-6
- Romans 3:23-26
- Romans 8:32-39
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
- Galatians 2:21
I'd encourage you to at least take one of these, and memorize it. I took the Romans 5:6-11, wrote it on index cards and have it on my wall. Keeps me reminded.
