--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you think that the gospel is all about…" description: "\"If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do, that the practice of it is optional, and that conversion is simply something that anyone can ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/mark-dever-3175_assurance_if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-abou_1580626.png" --- # If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do… ![“If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do, that the practice of it is optional, and that conversion is simply something that anyone can choose at any time, then I'm concerned that you'll think of evangelism as nothing more than a sales job where the prospect is to be won over to…” quote by Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/mark-dever-3175_assurance_if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-abou_1580626.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/mark-dever-3175_assurance_if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-abou_1580626.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/mark-dever-3175_assurance_if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-abou_1580626.png) > “If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do, that the practice of it is optional, and that conversion is simply something that anyone can choose at any time, then I'm concerned that you'll think of evangelism as nothing more than a sales job where the prospect is to be won over to sign on the dotted line by praying a prayer, followed by an assurance that he is the proud owner of salvation.” [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evangelism should be about genuine transformation, not merely persuasive sales tactics. **In simple terms:** True evangelism focuses on changing lives, not just winning converts. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic relationships over transactional outreach. Themes faith evangelism authenticity Mood reflective hopeful Type theological motivational When to use this quote - church outreach - personal discipleship - community events - online ministry Key Concepts spiritual formation mission strategy personal testimony Questions to Reflect On - What defines authentic evangelism? - How can we balance truth and love in outreach? A Different Perspective Some may argue that persuasive methods are necessary to engage a skeptical culture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assurance/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Evangelism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evangelism/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Every believer should evangelize. I know some Christians think that evangelism is only for people with special gifts for it, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/every-believer-should-evangelize-i-know-some-christians-think-that/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [It's always made me feel odd when I'd get a Dove Award for an instrumental album that has nothing to do with gospel. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-keaggy/it-s-always-made-me-feel-odd-when-i-d-get-a-dove-award-for-an/) Phil Keaggy > [The gospel brings things together. One of the great demonstration of the gospel's power is reconciliation. I've got friends who are surfers, doctors, lawyers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-gospel-brings-things-together-one-of-the-great-demonstration-of/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Our conduct has a direct influence on how people think about the gospel. The world doesn't judge us by our theology; the world judges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-mahaney/our-conduct-has-a-direct-influence-on-how-people-think-about-the/) [Carolyn Mahaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-mahaney/) > [It is not accurate to think the gospel is what saves non-Christians, and then, what matures Christians is trying hard to live according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/it-is-not-accurate-to-think-the-gospel-is-what-saves-non-christians/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [It is inaccurate to think the gospel is what saves non-Christians, and then Christians mature by trying hard to live according to biblical principles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/it-is-inaccurate-to-think-the-gospel-is-what-saves-non-christians-and/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “It was The Gospel From Outer Space, by Kilgore Trout. It was about a visitor from outer space... \[who\] made a serious study of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-was-the-gospel-from-outer-space-by-kilgore-trout-it-was-about-a-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I think she has more gospel style than I do. I think I'm more, umm, you know mainstream I guess. I don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latoya-london/i-think-she-has-more-gospel-style-than-i-do-i-think-i-m-more-umm-you/) [LaToya London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latoya-london/) > [“Everything hinges on the Christ of the cross. The fact of the cross is the axiom of theological thought. It is impossible to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazoh-kitamori/everything-hinges-on-the-christ-of-the-cross-the-fact-of-the-cross-is/) Kazoh Kitamori > [“The gospel is not just the ABCs but the A to Z of the Christian life. It is inaccurate to think the gospel is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-gospel-is-not-just-the-abcs-but-the-a-to-z-of-the-christian-life-2/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [In a storm, I think, 'What if the gospel be not true? Then thou art, of all men, most foolish. For what has thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/in-a-storm-i-think-what-if-the-gospel-be-not-true-then-thou-art-of/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [I assume that normally the Lord will be bringing people to himself through the instrumentality of the preached word. However, we have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-assume-that-normally-the-lord-will-be-bringing-people-to-himself/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [What really concerns me is for Christians to understand the fundamentals of evangelism in a way that is helpful in the contemporary scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/what-really-concerns-me-is-for-christians-to-understand-the/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I think it's unhelpful to suggest that the task of evangelism is essentially the responsibility of ministers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-think-it-s-unhelpful-to-suggest-that-the-task-of-evangelism-is/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## More by Mark Dever > [“not the writings that come from prophets inspired by the one true God revealed in Jesus Christ, then why do we find those passages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/not-the-writings-that-come-from-prophets-inspired-by-the-one-true-god/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I think it's unhelpful to suggest that the task of evangelism is essentially the responsibility of ministers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-think-it-s-unhelpful-to-suggest-that-the-task-of-evangelism-is/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [What really concerns me is for Christians to understand the fundamentals of evangelism in a way that is helpful in the contemporary scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/what-really-concerns-me-is-for-christians-to-understand-the/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Prayer is the preview of God's action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/prayer-is-the-preview-of-god-s-action/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I assume that normally the Lord will be bringing people to himself through the instrumentality of the preached word. However, we have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-assume-that-normally-the-lord-will-be-bringing-people-to-himself/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“The motive for discipling others begins in the love of God and nothing less. He has loved us in Christ, and so we love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/the-motive-for-discipling-others-begins-in-the-love-of-god-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [If joy or urgency are missing from our presentation of the gospel, then our testimony to Christ will be missing that sort of fullness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-joy-or-urgency-are-missing-from-our-presentation-of-the-gospel/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“Yet the Bible teaches that the local church is the natural environment for discipling. In fact, it teaches that the local church is itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/yet-the-bible-teaches-that-the-local-church-is-the-natural/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Sin claims to free but in fact it kills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/sin-claims-to-free-but-in-fact-it-kills/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Some believers are faithful in the way that they live, but at the end of the day, they will not share the gospel with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/some-believers-are-faithful-in-the-way-that-they-live-but-at-the-end/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/we-do-not-fail-in-our-evangelism-if-we-faithfully-tell-the-gospel-to/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Once we see more of our need and understand more of what Christ has done for us, he will become more precious to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/once-we-see-more-of-our-need-and-understand-more-of-what-christ-has/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Unfortunately, many of our churches calibrate their life to these nominal Christians. The predictable result is that you get fake, hypocritical churches that confuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/unfortunately-many-of-our-churches-calibrate-their-life-to-these/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) [Explore all 137 Mark Dever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## More Assurance quotes > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [A wholesome regard for the memory of the great men of long ago is the best assurance to a people of a continuation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/a-wholesome-regard-for-the-memory-of-the-great-men-of-long-ago-is-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [For it is an absurdity to call a country civilized in which a decent and industrious man, laboriously mastering a trade which is valuble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-an-absurdity-to-call-a-country-civilized-in-which-a-decent/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [When God overcomes our difficulties for us, we have the assurance that we are engaged in His work and not our own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-muller/when-god-overcomes-our-difficulties-for-us-we-have-the-assurance-that/) [George Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-muller/) > [What really distinguishes this generation in all countries from earlier generations ... is its determination to act, its joy in action, the assurance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-really-distinguishes-this-generation-in-all-countries-from/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Everybody in the real world will agree - the moment a project is behind deadline, quality assurance tends to go out the window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cox/everybody-in-the-real-world-will-agree-the-moment-a-project-is-behind/) Alan Cox > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [We have a commitment to serve our Lord. We have an assurance that the cause is just and worthy. But, above all, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/we-have-a-commitment-to-serve-our-lord-we-have-an-assurance-that-the/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“Out of all its squalor and human decay, its eruptions of butchery, India produced so many people of grace and beauty, ruled by elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-all-its-squalor-and-human-decay-its-eruptions-of-butchery/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not rest, believer, until you have full assurance of your interest in Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/do-not-rest-believer-until-you-have-full-assurance-of-your-interest/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Confidentially, the type of male I find most enjoyable for a friend is one who has enough fire and assurance to speak up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/confidentially-the-type-of-male-i-find-most-enjoyable-for-a-friend-is/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Great literature has always been written in a like spirit, and is, indeed, the Forgiveness of Sin, and when we find it becoming the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/great-literature-has-always-been-written-in-a-like-spirit-and-is/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Our assurance is anchored in the love and grace of God expressed in the glorious exchange: our sin for His righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/our-assurance-is-anchored-in-the-love-and-grace-of-god-expressed-in/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) [Browse all 557 Assurance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assurance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do, that the practice of it is optional, and that conversion is simply something that anyone can choose at any time, then I'm concerned that you'll think of evangelism as nothing more than a sales job where the prospect is to be won over to sign on the dotted line by praying a prayer, followed by an assurance that he is the proud owner of salvation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Dever" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-about-what-we-can-do-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assurance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-about-what-we-can-do-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/mark-dever-3175_assurance_if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-abou_1580626.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/mark-dever-3175_assurance_if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-abou_1580626.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/mark-dever-3175_assurance_if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-abou_1580626.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do, that the practice of it is optional, and that…” — Mark Dever", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mark Dever", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you think that the gospel...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-about-what-we-can-do-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-you-think-that-the-gospel-is-all-about-what-we-can-do-that-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```