Is your sermon vocabulary (unintentionally) betraying the gospel?

You want to preach grace.

But you may be (unintentionally) preaching more law than you think.

And yes, law precedes grace. But once the law has done its work, leading us to Jesus, everything changes.

We don’t live against the law. But instead of duty and obligation, grace becomes the motivation and the Spirit becomes our power source for change.

Do this (if you dare).

Listen to a recording of a recent message.

How often did you use the words "must," "should," "have to," or "need to"?

Yes, these words can be connected to grace.

But if that connection isn’t explicit, they are heard by the listener as words of obligation, duty, and responsibility. Words that imply that God's acceptance is waiting on the other side of our obedience.

Learning the Grammar of Grace changes everything — especially when doing sermon application.

For example,

If the grammar of the Law application is "We must."
The grammar of the Gospel application is "We get to."

When you shift your language, you shift the motivational posture of the heart.

It seems like a small semantic change.

But it really is the difference between law and gospel, a wage and a gift, an obligation and an opportunity.

Here’s how to apply the Grammar of Grace to a topic like generosity.

Instead of demanding people give more, walk them through this sequence:

Question 1: What is the biblical truth about generosity?
Question 2: Why do we struggle with generosity?
Question 3: How does Jesus demonstrate generosity?
Question 4: What opportunity for generosity is now possible?

When you answer Question 3 with the cross, Question 4 (the applicaiton) changes.

This means, we’re not called to generosity to prove or secure our standing.

We’re called to be generous because (as recipients of mercy) it reflects the greater generosity of Jesus.

Good questions people are asking...

(1) "But won't people think obedience is optional?"

This is the fear that keeps pastors locked into law language.

If I don't say "must," people won't take it seriously.

If I don't say "should," they'll think it doesn't matter.

The reality is that obligation language doesn't produce obedience. It produces either pride (when people succeed) or despair (when they fail).

Grace language — "we get to" — actually fuels stronger obedience.

(2) "Doesn't this make sin seem less serious?"

No.

Grace doesn't minimize sin. The cross does the opposite. It shows how seriously God takes sin.

But once sin is dealt with at the cross, the Christian life isn't about sin management. It's about worship, love, and reflecting the image of the One who saved us.

When you preach "get to," you're not saying sin doesn't matter. You're saying sin has already been conquered, and now we live from victory, not for it.

(3) "What if my people are immature believers who still need the law?"

Immature believers don't grow through guilt.

They grow through beholding the cross of Jesus, and abiding in Him by faith.

For example, Paul didn't tell the Corinthians to try harder. He told them who they were in Christ, then showed them how to live in view of that identity.

The law shows us our need. The gospel meets that need. And the Spirit empowers the response.

Thoughts? Questions? Let's talk!

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