For too much of my life I took the Gospel for granted. I didn't realize how blessed I am to be God's child. I think three things have since altered my opinion:
1. Education about the Gospel.
2. Education about my depravity.
3. Education of how few have heard.
Growing up in the Bible Belt, I did not fully appreciate my salvation until I was older. Being Raised in a Christian home,having attended a doctrinally sound church, and knowing several Christian friends as I grew up kept me from realizing the incredibly small number of Christians when compared to the rest of the world's population. Now, I was not in the dark the whole time, knowing of missionaries to countries who did not have a overflowing number of Christian believers. And I probably was grateful during my past years. But I had definitely lost the sense of gratitude. However, as the years have passed and I have visited such sites as Joshuaproject and gone on two missions trips, I have realized how precious is the gift which I must share with those who have never heard(Romans 10). I am compelled to share this valuable message. This recognition increases my gratitude for slavation as I meet people who have no idea what Jesus has done for them.
In addition to learning more about how few people have even heard of the Gospel,I am realizing more and more how much how important and relevant the Gospel is right now to me individually. What does it mean to live applying the Gospel to your life and why do I need it every day? I thought that was just something I learned at the time I turned to Christ from my sin. The book the Cross-Centered Life very skillfully answers those questions.
The Gospel is vibrant and needful. Think about the depravity of yourself when you admitted you were hopelessly lost. Think about the vice of sin from which you were delivered.Then, you will realize your own weaknesses. Also, if you think about your previous state then you will have more of a burning passion to tell others about the Gospel as well.
This gratitude leads me to want to praise God for his mercy, to more readily admit my own weaknesses, and to study how to better defend the Book which tells of the Gospel I love. I do believe the Holy Spirit will help you know what to say, and that God alone brings about salvation(we certainly cannot by our efforts). However, I want to be usable and knowledgeable.
Please take a brief minute or three and check out 2 Corinthians 5:
2Cr 5:1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,3 if indeed by putting it on [fn] we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened--not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. [fn] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling [fn] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
