Gospel-Centered Discipleship Quotes

“Depending on what your biological family was like, church-as-family may intimidate or inspire you. It’s easy to import our own baggage or expectations into the church, but it’s also important to be aware of the baggage. Creating some space to talk about these issues with one another can be very fruitful. But in our society, meeting with relative strangers for two-and-a-half hours a week, sharing a meal, giving and receiving grace from people very different from us, isn’t ordinary. We are used to being dependent on ourselves and, if we are honest, our highest obligation is to self—doing, saying, and feeling whatever we want. In an interesting twist, self-love is the paradigm for true love. Jesus tells us to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 19:19; see Lev. 19:18). Disciples of Jesus should do, say, and try to feel what is best for others, not just for themselves. To put it bluntly, disciples of Jesus should regularly sacrifice privacy, convenience, and comfort in order to love and serve one another.”
― Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded

“How many times have we rationalized away an opportunity to communicate the gospel? “They are in a hurry.” “She would think I’m weird.” “I don’t even know that person.” These rational objections didn’t stop Philip with the Ethiopian, or Peter with Cornelius’s family, or Paul with Lydia. Instead of assuming that your thoughts are a dialogue with your reason, enter into dialogue with the Spirit. Ask him for clarity, direction, and power to believe the gospel. In a word, surrender! Surrender to the Spirit’s promptings, follow his nudging, and talk to him about it along the way. When we surrender to the Spirit, we become more like Jesus. Communion with the Spirit releases the power of the Spirit to follow Jesus and make disciples.”
― Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded

“Not an ounce of holiness is possible apart from the work of Jesus applied through the Spirit. To bluntly summarize Owen: no Spirit, no gospel holiness. Without reliance on the Spirit we may get morality, even a veneer of Christianity, but no gospel holiness. Apart from the presence and power of the Spirit, our attempt to desire God, believe his promises, fear his warnings, and walk in his ways is absolutely futile. Disciples need more than resolve to believe the gospel; they need the Holy Ghost.”
― Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded

“Edwards explains faith by comparing it to honey.6 Allow me to paraphrase Edwards: I can show you honey. You can marvel at its golden hue, the way it refracts light, and its viscosity. And I can tell you that it is sweet . . . and you can believe that it is sweet. But unless you have tasted it, you don’t know it is sweet. Believing honey is sweet doesn’t mean you really know it is sweet. I could be lying to you. You only know honey is sweet when you have tasted it. Similarly, it’s not enough to believe Jesus is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins. There are many people in the southern states who believe these facts but have not tasted their sweetness. Religious affection compels us beyond “mere belief” into genuine faith, a relishing of all that God is for us in Jesus. It is not enough to agree with Jesus; we must worship Jesus. Genuine faith not only believes but “tastes” the sweetness of Christ. How can we cultivate this affection?”
― Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded

“Confession divorced from repentance reduces holiness to half-hearted morality.”
― Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded

“Jesus proclaimed the same gospel to the crowds that he taught to the disciples. He did not have the twelve on a special, gospel-plus track to study advanced subject matter. The good news is for everyone because nobody ever graduates from the gospel. Jesus taught the same gospel of the kingdom to sinners and to saints. Why? Because his agenda of grace is the only solution to our common predicament of sin, Christian or non-Christian. Both desperately need the forgiving, reconciling, and restoring power of the gospel to know and enjoy God, not just once but for a lifetime.”
― Jonathan K. Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship: Revised and Expanded