“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.” Romans 3:21
In the story of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” the land of Narnia is under the power and spell of the witch who keeps Narnia in perpetual winter. But, as Aslan the lion [a representation of Christ] comes closer, the Narnia winter gives way to spring.
When Christ dwells in our hearts by faith, there is a spiritual spring that inevitably spreads across the land of our hearts. The catalyst for this change is an intentional, daily, moment by moment revisiting of the central truths of the gospel. Romans 3:19-26 explains these truths clearly, and Jerry Bridges refers to this passage as “The Heart of the Gospel.” It is placed after a very detailed description of our condition as sinners. This portion of Scripture is one with which we should become thoroughly familiar and that we should “preach” to ourselves every day.
What does “preaching the gospel to yourself daily” mean? It means that you continually face up to your own sinfulness and inability to keep the law perfectly as God requires and then flee to Jesus through faith in His shed blood and righteous life. It means that you appropriate, again and again, by faith, the fact that Jesus fully satisfied the law of God, that God’s love has been awakened to you through the blood of Jesus, and that God’s holy wrath is no longer directed toward you. It means you are no longer condemned (Rom 8:1), you are forgiven (Col 2:13) and He now presents you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation (Col 1:22).
Knowing and remembering these truths softens the hard soil of our hearts so that God’s word can sink deeply, taking root, bringing life out of death , and spring out of winter. Why? Because out of that knowledge of the truth, a deep indebtedness and thankfulness for what Jesus has done bursts forth a deep desire to please that Savior who loves you so much. Hallelujah, what a Savior! Unlike the seasonal spring that occurs once a year, the spring that Jesus continually moves across the land of our hearts is always moving forward, into eternity, to be perfected when we see Him face to face!
Questions for consideration or journaling:
1. Am I familiar with the truths of Romans 3:19-26?
2. In your own words, what does it mean to “preach the gospel to yourself daily?”
3. Am I “preaching the gospel to myself daily?” How can I grow in this area?
Used by permission.
