As believers we often see the Gospel as something we graduate at salvation. We get saved by the Gospel and then put it on the shelf as if it’s no longer of use to us. However, the complete opposite is true. We will never graduate it. As as a matter of fact, our ability to live lives worthy of Christ will be directly linked to our ability to apply the Gospel to our lives daily. Paul exemplified this truth in his letters. 

In Philippians 2 he is exhorting the church to live and walk in humility. He is encouraging them to look and serve the interest of others. How does he do it? He says ” 5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^a 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,^b 7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,^c being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.   (Philippians 2:5-11)

In Ephesians 5 he is addressing marriage. How does he encourage the men in Ephesus to pursue God glorifying marriages? He says,25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (Ephesians 5:25)

In 1 Corinthians he is dealing with a sexually immoral church. They are working through quite a few issues. Corinth is off the chain literally!

So what does he say to them? He says, 1Now I would remind you, brothers,^a of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

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

The True Gospel

In Galatians the church is being “bewitched” and going back to works of the law. So Paul challenges them to stay true to the Gospel that the first believed in. So what does he say? He says, . 4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)

I could go on and on with examples of this truth. You will never graduate the Gospel! You will need the power of the Gospel to live in obedience to Christ until your toes turn up! Even in death you will experience the power of the Gospel. As John Piper once said “Death will become like your car, it will take you where you want to go.”  Belief in the Gospel will escort you into the very presence of God. The only place you will ever experience the fullness of Joy! 

Don’t ever put the Gospel on the shelf! You will need its power daily, so be sure to preach it to yourself daily!

                                                                                                                      -Mitchell Dean, FCA Field Associate

“ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”.

Mitchell Dean has been called by God to serve the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in East Alabama since 2010. Everyday he has the opportunity to go into the local schools and share the love of Jesus with students, teachers, & coaches. He is a born-again follower of Christ, meaning he has done away with his old life and began a new one with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). He played football and graduated from University of West Georgia with a degree in Sports Management, where he was a 2 year letterman.

He plans to “fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life which I am called when I made my good confession in the presence of many witnesses” 1 Timothy 6:12

Mitchell Dean, together with his beautiful wife, Brooke, and their four children: Abigail Grace, Elijah Mitchell, Titus Ben and Judah.