Watkins challenges God’s people to be ‘rooted, grounded in the gospel’

If ever there was a time for God’s people to be rooted and grounded in the gospel, that time is now, said Daven Watkins.

Watkins, pastor of First Baptist Church Pelham, challenged this sort of “gospel grounding” as he preached Jan. 29 during the Monday morning session of the 2024 Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference, which was held at his church.

He stepped in to preach in place of Charles Carter, pastor emeritus of Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, who couldn’t attend because of illness.

Preaching from 1 Timothy 1:12-20, Watkins gave four characteristics of a “gospel grounded” person.

1. Perpetual prayer of praise

The person who is gospel grounded has a “perpetual prayer of praise on their lips,” he said.

“Paul begins our passage by simply saying ‘I thank Christ Jesus’ … that’s written in present tense, which implies that it’s a continuous action,” Watkins said. “I don’t think Paul ever got over being saved.”

He said he thought Paul was always aware of who he was before Christ, so thankfulness was a continuous, repeated action for him.

“May you and I be people who never get over the fact that Jesus has saved us,” Watkins said.

2. Continued amazement

In addition to gratitude, that posture should bring ongoing awe, he said. “The person who is grounded in the gospel has a continued amazement that Christ saved even me.”

Sometimes followers of Jesus can get bogged down in the busyness of serving at church and take salvation for granted, Watkins said.

He encouraged his listeners to stop, remember and “just say, ‘Jesus, thank You. Thank You for saving me … You should’ve killed me, but You called me. You should’ve forsaken me, but You’ve forgiven me. You should’ve left me, but You’ve loved me.'”

He also encouraged them to remember the depth of their own sin just as Paul did as they try to have patience with other believers who aren’t perfect.

3. Eruption of praise

Watkins said in verse 17, Paul erupts in exalting God — something all believers should do.

“It’s almost as if his sanctified pen explodes in praise,” he said. “It’s kind of abrupt, isn’t it? It doesn’t really flow in the text.”

Watkins said good theology (the study of God) always leads to great doxology (the praise of God).

“So to this King, we give glory and honor forever and ever,” he said. “There are times when there is an eruption of praise in my life and your life. When you stop and consider who Jesus is and what He’s done in your life, you just can’t help but praise the Lord.”

4. Surrendered to the Savior

That leads to a surrendered life, Watkins said.

“When we are grounded in the gospel, we live a life that is surrendered to the Savior,” he said.

Watkins said that showed in the way Paul handled his relationships and his pursuits. He was so “gospel obsessed” and surrendered to the Savior that he gave Him everything.

“I think that Paul was gospel grounded. I think he was doing his very best to teach and to train his Timothy to be gospel grounded,” Watkins said, adding that Paul wanted Timothy to then train others.

“Why in the world would we live like that? The only answer I can come up with is this — ‘my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness,'” he said.