In a recent article by Tullian Tchividjian, he urges pastors: “Don’t make the mistake of assuming people understand the radical nature of what Jesus has done so your preaching ministry is focused primarily on what people need to do.
“The ‘what we need to do’ portions of the Bible are good, perfect, and true; but apart from the ‘what Jesus has already done’ portions of the Bible, we lack the power to do what we’re called to do. The good commands of God, in other words, do not have the power to engender what they command. They show us what a sanctified life looks like, but they have no sanctifying power. Only the gospel has the power to move us forward. This is why the Bible never tells us what to do before first soaking our hearts and minds in what God in Christ has already done.
“The fact is, any obedience not grounded in or motivated by the gospel is unsustainable. No matter how hard you try, how radical you get, any engine smaller than the gospel you’re depending on for power to obey will conk out in due time.
“So, preach the gospel!” (Click here to read the full article.)