2. Recall the Gospel Together
In 2 Timothy 2:8–13, Paul reminds Timothy of the truth of the gospel to encourage him to press on and be faithful to the message that has been entrusted to him. If Timothy—a student of Paul, a faithful servant, a pastor, preacher and teacher—needed to be reminded of the truth of the gospel to keep going, how much more do you and I need to be reminded of the eternal truths of the gospel?
Much of this reminding happens in the context of gathering together with fellow believers. As God’s people recall his truths—week to week in homes and gathered together in worship—we combat gospel-amnesia by reminding one another that God’s mission is to save sinners through the work of his Son Jesus. As we re-preach the gospel to ourselves and to one another, we’ll be more prepared to speak it afresh to those without Christ.
3. Apply the Gospel Together
In Galatians 2:11–14, Paul opposes Peter because Peter’s conduct and behavior were not in accord with the gospel. Similarly, we need fellow Christians who will tell us that it’s not OK to not care about the lost. Such attitudes are not in accord with the gospel. When fear and apathy are exposed, it is a fresh opportunity to apply the gospel to our own lives. If we are fearful of what others may think, we are reminded that our identity is in Christ and our lives belong to him. If we lack compassion, we are rebuked as we consider God’s deep compassion for sheep without a shepherd.
Evangelism is one measure of our spiritual maturity. For many, theological knowledge does not translate to fruits of the Spirit—into love for fellow believers, or serving others, or sacrificial giving, or evangelism. Together in community we help one another become more like Christ by being faithful disciple-making disciples.
4. Prove the Power of the Gospel Together
If we do not believe the sufficiency of the gospel, we will never share it boldly and simply. Yet, if we truly believe that God’s word does the work of conversion through the power of his Holy Spirit, we will unabashedly share the simple and unadorned truth of the gospel. A truncated and inadequate gospel will quickly be abandoned and never shared. But a gospel that can save by grace through faith—apart from works—as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) is believed, treasured and declared boldly.
With fellow believers, we must remind each other of the sufficiency of God’s word to do his work for his purposes. If we are confident in the ability of the gospel to transform lives, we can boldly and indiscriminately proclaim this good news with sacrificial love to the lost in the hope that some will be saved.
