We’re in graduation season. Seniors complete their final exams and move on to the next stage of life. Graduation is a joyous experience, but as Christ-followers, we never graduate from the gospel.

I’m returning to a devotional thought each Monday to begin the work week. Follow my blog or my Facebook posts for a devotional meditation to begin the week intending to inspire our regular walk with Christ. Today’s meditation comes from the Gospel value, a list of values I selected to teach my boys about following Jesus and growing into maturity. For each values, I wrote a motto and identified complementary Scriptures to memorize.

The Gospel motto: we never graduate from the gospel.

The gospel is the euangelion or the “good news” about Jesus as the Son of God who came to save the world. The apostles heralded the gospel message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to sinners. It is the power of the gospel that saves sinners (Romans 1:17).

This value reminds us that the gospel is both the entry point for our faith as well as our means of growth. We are saved by works, Jesus’ works, not our own. Hearing and believing the gospel is how one becomes a follower of Jesus. Applying and living the gospel is how one continues to follow Jesus. The gospel teaches that we don’t work for our salvation but from it. When we recognize that we don’t graduate from the gospel, we’re able to see how daily belief in the redemptive and restorative work of Jesus helps us grow as Christ followers. Two Bible verses in particular help us grasp this value.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
– Matthew 5:3.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
– 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Mediation Takeaways:

• Memorize the motto and the verses.
• Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 as Paul details the historical events of the gospel.
• Read and reflect on the book of Romans where Paul defines the gospel through the entire letter, but especially chapters 1-11.
• Take a few minutes and thank God for the person(s) who shared the gospel with you.

Remember. We don’t just enter faith by the gospel; we grow in faith from believing and practicing the gospel.

Happy Monday!

For the next several months, each Monday meditation will come from a list of values I’ve attempted to teach my boys. For more on these values, see my post from last year.