How to Preach the Gospel to Yourself: A Book Review on A Gospel Primer for Christians by Milton Vincent

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures—1 Cor. 15:3, 4

As Paul Tripp says, “No one is more influential in your life than you are. Because no one talks to you more than you do.” The voice you hear in your head is the one that will lead and direct your thinking, your perspective, your interpretation of life, and ultimately, the choices you make.

Unless we make the effort to offer an alternate voice, we will be swayed by others. Friends. Social media. Popular culture. Your past.

One way is to actively examine each thought and assess its merits, its truths, and so forth.

But another way might be to start training a whole new set of thoughts.

And what better truth should I focus on than the Gospel, the good news of Christ?

This is where I found Milton Vincent’s A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love so helpful. I have heard the exhortation to “preach the gospel to ourselves daily” and wondered how that worked. This book, divided in four parts, guides us into the why and the how to do just that.

• Part I provides 31 reasons to rehearse the gospel daily, thoroughly supported by footnoted Scripture. I did not realize there were that many benefits! This first part sold me to begin pursuing the practice.

• Parts II and III are the heart of the book. In both prose and poetic versions, Vincent has provided the gospel message succinctly and precisely, again supported by Scripture.

Each morning, I begin my day by reading alternate versions of these sections. Before I do, I ask the Lord to highlight for me one facet or truth that I may need to remember today.

After reading, I take the thought and ponder on it for a little. I look up the Scripture attached to it and meditate on it. Or I respond in a prayer of thanksgiving and worship. At other times, it may be a prayer of confession, repentance, or lament.

• Part IV of the book is the author’s brief testimony sharing his personal journey and how the gospel became truly good news to him. He described himself “like a kid in a candy store,” which encouraged me to view the gospel in like manner.

For those of you who are not big readers, you can be comforted that this book is only 97 pages. However, though it might be short, its message is also very dense, just like the Gospel itself. It’s simple enough for a child to understand but so deep that we will spend a lifetime unearthing its treasure. For that reason, be prepared to chew it slowly and repeatedly.

Too often, we think of the Gospel as our ticket to heaven when it actually is so much more than that. While faith in the Gospel makes it possible to be sure of our end destination, it is also meant to impact our lives today in the present.

For me, rehearsing the gospel using the Primer is laying strong foundations of truth in my mind. It gives me confidence to approach God, knowing Christ has made this possible. It challenges the lies I hear and helps me take them captive. It reorients my purposes and goals toward God, that I might love Him and love others with a heart of gratitude and praise. It reinterprets trial and suffering in light of instruction and discipline for my good. Yes, the gospel is good for today, this moment.

When I remember these things, my heart is changed. I am humbled by His sacrifice. I am motivated to engage in the process of sanctification, even when it is hard. I am challenged to get the message out to others so they too can know this glorious Christ.

As with Scripture memory, sometimes this may feel like a dull process. Often times the rewards don’t come until later.

But when we are willing to practice the habit, whether we feel like it or not, the fruit will come. When it counts, we will have the Gospel in mind and will think in line with it when we need it most.

I trust that if we are willing to sow that seed, we will find the Gospel taking a hold of us, and the voice inside our head will begin to change. Instead of feeding our selfishness, encouraging the lies, and warping our perspective, we will begin to see, think, and live the truth.

And that’s a great harvest for a small discipline.

Looking for more? Consider Paul Tripp’s New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional. You can hear him share about this on this post here.