In the last post I wrote: “Showing people sin is the easy part. Showing people the grace of God is not so easy.”
A profound—but plagiarized—thought.
The simple truth is that convincing someone of personal sin is not hard. I remember reading the story of a horror film writer on opening night of his movie sitting in the front row and watching the ghastly evil on the screen and realizing that this entire movie had been born in his heart. It was a sort of Ah-ha moment of his own sin. He was no Christian and I’m not certain he ever became a Christian. Every sinner knows that they are sinful, this is a truth none of us can escape–we can only suppress its reality.
And for those of us who are Christians, who have openly and honestly looked into the eye of that heinous beast of sin residing in all our hearts, a preacher can convict us of sin with little trouble. But if we are more aware of sin than grace the conviction of sin can easily dominate and suffocate a more important truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ.
In the last post, this led Tom post this comment: “As a pastor I desire to present Christ in all His goodness and glory in such a way that He is beautiful desirable, attractive and appealing, and yet I feel I so often fall short. You would think that it would be easy to present Christ in such a way that people would have a natural hunger and yearning for Him, yet I find it to be a great challenge and am frustrated that I fall so short of proclaiming Christ’s glory winsomely, fruitfully and effectively.”
Great thoughts, Tom. Its worth taking a moment to understand how we can better communicate the grace of the gospel.
And I begin by realizing that I will never sufficiently communicate the glorious gospel. We live by faith now, which has its inherent limitations. But one day we will look at Jesus and be overwhelmed with affection like never before. Yet the promise holds true to us that although “you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Pet. 1:8).
But how?
Three topics come to mind when I read your comment.
1. Study the Gospel
It may be that the content of messages could be improved. And for this the solution is fairly straight: Read Scripture and read excellent books on the cross. What better way to saturate our words with grace than by filling up our hearts and affections with appreciation for what Christ has accomplished for me on the cross!?
Thankfully there are dozens of excellent books on the gospel. My friend C.J. Mahaney—the author of my personal favorite book on the gospel, Living the Cross-Centered Life—has published a list of recommended books on this topic of supreme importance. Reading these books frequently, and slowly enough to be personally affected by the gospel on a regular basis, will fill your soul with love for the cross and that will be communicated.
But I would caution us from thinking that the key to better communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ is only about speak more frequently, affectionately, clearly, or eloquently about the gospel. I think there are two other critical factors that help determine (promoting or limiting) the effective transmission of the gospel to others.
2. Assault Legalism
We are all prone to think God is pleased with us to the degree we pleased him during the week. If I didn’t do so well, I’m more likely to be shut off from the gospel and words of grace. And if your hearers do not understand the depth and severity of legalism in their hearts they will be gullible to a hardness towards the grace of God (and may not even know it). A while ago I posted an outstanding excerpt from Sinclair Ferguson on the importance of ministers preaching strong indicatives (the gospel) to support the imperatives (commands) of Scripture. I encourage you to read it.
Because the simple truth is that if we think God’s approval of us pivots upon our spiritual performance—and not what Christ accomplished on the cross—our appreciation for the gospel will never seriously affect us.
3. Communicate Christ’s Affections
Paul tells the church in Philippi that he loves them with the affections of Christ Jesus. His exact words: “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:8). Paul’s affections towards the Philippians is an extension of the affection of Christ to the saints. Which means (if I’m reading this correctly) that ministers have an opportunity to communicate, to some (obviously) imperfect level, the affection of Christ to their people.
A genuine Christian who is unfamiliar with the joy of Christ and the gospel may (notice I said may) have a pastor that does not reflect, model, and communicate a Christ-centered love to them. Those people with loving, caring, humble, sacrificial pastors who tell them how much they love them—and from an unconditional love unhinged from their responsive performance—will more likely be familiar with the unconditional love of Christ displayed in the gospel.
So could it be that a church unfamiliar with the unconditional love of Christ—as displayed in the gospel—have not experienced the affection of Christ through their pastor?
Two great questions to ask yourself are these: (a) Upon what condition does Christ’s love for me depend? (b) Upon what condition does my love for ______ rest upon what he/she does or does not do? And this love is obviously one that has first escaped the entrapment of legalism.
Conclusion
So those are three categories I would raise for your consideration, Tom. Read and study fill your own soul with the gospel, assault legalism in your heart and church, and seek to incarnate the love of Christ in caring for your flock. In all things praying the Holy Spirit would burn hot so your church will gather and sing with tear-filled eyes:
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!
Tony Reinke 
I grew up in church, but never felt the love of God, even when it was spoken of. I never felt the love of God when I thought about the fact that I was “saved because I chose to believe.” I never felt the love of God until He finally opened my eyes to my sin, to my utter inability to save myself by any act (including any “sinner’s prayer”), and to the fact that I was completely at His mercy…and then GAVE me His mercy. That has changed everything.
There is something powerfully compelling about the love of God presented NOT in isolation, but against the backdrop of how undeserving we are. But as you said, it takes a pastor who unconditionally loves his congregation (and one who knows his own sinfulness and passionately loves the God whose mercy saved him) to be able to communicate both truths effectively. May the Lord raise up many such pastors!
Great post!
I echo and amen Betsy’s comment!
When I look back at when the gospel was preached (through various means)to me, I first came face to face with my sin.I had been skipping along in and unaware of my sin.
That I was a sinner was news to me!
That my sin was offensive before a holy and righteous God and that God IS holy and righteous was news to me!
Sin was a new concept to me!
I learned I was a sinner and an enemy of God. I was compelled by the love of God through Christ who was sent to His enemies (me)
to bear the (my) penalty for sin.
These truths penetrated me through the Holy Spirit.
God is holy.
I am an offensive sinner.
God is love.
Jesus paid it all.
My sin in contrast to His grace walk hand in hand.
I hope my thoughts and words communicate together. Even if a pastor, preacher or anyone sharing Christ stutters or is not as polished or clear as could be it is through the Holy Spirit that men are saved and then sanctified, not by persuasive speech!
Another aspect of this is the recipient of the gospel. All those who Christ purchased, whether genius, simple minded or retarded etc. will be saved. The gospel may not even be able to be “fully understood” by some people no matter how clearly or “correctly” it is preached. The Holy Spirit is sure to save sinners who have been purchased by the blood of Christ! The Holy Spirit works in spite of us!
Sorry if I digressed from the point of your post. Although we never digress when we speak of His grace to sinners!
This is exactly what Thomas Watson deals with in his book “All Things for Good” (or at least that is his heart behind the book). Check it out if you have the time.
Oh yeah, tell Walt Alexander ‘hi’ for me at the PC Tony.
““Showing people sin is the easy part. Showing people the grace of God is not so easy.”
Amazingly powerful statements. I have always faced this difficulty while witnessing.
Tony,
Thanks for the tremendously practical, yet profound, guideline to improving our communication of the Gospel–especially regarding Christ’s affections! What an aspect missing in many evangelistic tools or ‘projects’ and one I’ve greatly neglected!!
And what joy! it seems no hymn surpasses communicating those affections as the one you quoted! What grace, what heart, what love is decried!! It reminds me of the way the Lord calls out in Isaiah 55:1: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters! And you who have no money come, buy and eat!!”
Thank you again!!
Linda
I see this post as an excellent balance to the kind of approach you see with Ray Comfort and Way of the Master. On one hand the approach has a great deal about it that is true, but I find it too trite. Tricking people into admitting their personal sin does not a Gospel-believer make.
Tony, as a pastor one of the things that I often see in people who hear the preached word is that they think I or some other preacher is talking about someone else! Many literally have no intention of applying what I say but yet the agree with it. I have condesnsed it down to two reactions that the non-regenerate or at least hard-hearted Christians show. 1)They deflect it: “I hope she heard that” “I wish my husband were here.” 2) They bargain with God: “I will do anything you want, just stay about from my heart.”
I think Kellers new book The Prodigal God speaks volumes to this elder-brotherness.
Love to have you be a guest blogger at YEARN, I just began it a few days ago.
Thanks.