August through September Reading. One Chapter a week.
The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever: (Amazon link)
Summary
In Chapter 2, Mark Dever answers the most basic question in evangelism: What is the gospel? The gospel is not advice for life but the good news of what God has already done in Christ. It begins with the bad news, that we are sinners under God’s judgment—and then proclaims the good news: Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, died the death we deserved, and rose again in victory over sin and death.
The gospel is about substitution, not self-improvement. Changed lives are the fruit of the gospel, not the gospel itself. Our task is to faithfully proclaim the biblical message of Christ crucified and risen.
Thoughts & Application
“The gospel is not about how we can make ourselves right with God. It is about what God has done to make sinners right with Himself.”
- Don’t trust in self-improvement or religious effort. Rest in Christ’s finished work, and call others to do the same.
“The gospel must include the bad news of our sin and judgment, otherwise the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection makes no sense.”
- Be honest about sin. Only then does the glory of the cross shine.
“We must be clear: the fruit of the gospel is not the gospel itself. Changed lives are evidence of the gospel, not the message we proclaim.”
- Share Christ, not yourself. Good works support the message but never replace it.
“To get the gospel wrong is to have no gospel at all. To get it right is to hold out the very words of eternal life.”
- Guard the message. Clarity is essential because eternity is at stake.
Closing Challenge
This week, practice sharing the gospel in two minutes or less. Keep it clear, biblical, and centered on Christ. Pray for one opportunity to share it faithfully. Remember: we don’t save—God does—but He calls us to be His witnesses.
Written by Pastor Jon Beck (and fine-tuned by “Ezra,” my AI scribe).