“Preach the gospel to yourself every day,” Jerry Bridges has written and said in numerous contexts.
And he means that literally — each new day demands a fresh rehearsal (through the quotation of Scripture) of the essential components of the gospel so that we are reminded each day of our standing before God.
In a sermon I was listening to yesterday, Pastor Tim Kerr summarized the essentials of the cross that needs this regular rehearsal with two questions:
- What do I deserve?
- What have I received?
Here is the recitation of the gospel — I justly deserve the condemnation of God because there is nothing inherently commendable in me (cf. Rom. 3) but despite that horrid reality, the truth is also here that in love and because of grace, God has set his love on me — a believer in Christ — not because of my worthiness, but instead bestowing on me all the worthiness of Christ. I am accepted in the beloved.
In these questions is also help for two competing temptations when we are convicted of sin. One temptation is to think, “I’m in Christ, and I have no fear…” (perhaps with a tendency to dismiss the conviction and continue in the sin). To that temptation the believer needs a recitation of what is deserved and how horrid and tragic our sin and its consequences are. Yet the other temptation is to become overwhelmed with sorrow and become overly morose. In that circumstance the believer needs to comprehend and dwell in and meditate on the glorious truth of all that he is in Christ and all that God has done in accepting him in and through Christ (cf. Rom. 5-8; Eph. 1-2).
What do I deserve? What have I received?
Those are good questions for meditation this Christmas Eve — and every day.
Words of Grace 