I make no apologies for the fact that I preach the Gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ Jesus every time I have an opportunity to preach. This is what I believe God has called His preachers to do (1 Cor. 1:17; 2:2; 9:16). Not all preachers agree with this. Some say, "If the Gospel is in the text, I will preach it. If it is not, I will not preach it." Others argue, "People need more than the Gospel. They need instruction in holy living and obedience."
First, we must see that any preaching I do without the light of the Gospel is no more than vain babbling. It is the salt that has lost its savor. Consider the following. Without defining the Gospel
Worship becomes meaningless, even idolatry, as it does not identify and distinguish the God of redemption who saves sinners based on the righteousness of Christ.
Morality and obedience is no more than dead works and fruit unto death as they cannot be inspired by the certainty of final glory based on the righteousness of Christ.
Faith has no foundation or substance as saving faith always looks to Christ for righteousness and life.
Repentance and sorrow over sin without the Gospel becomes no more than legal, natural-conscience conviction that genders sinful doubts and unbelief.
Assurance or confidence becomes self-righteous presumption as it causes a sinner to look to himself for comfort, not Christ.
Without the Gospel, the Scriptures are veiled and locked as far as any real, saving understanding is concerned. So we must be careful to define the Gospel by God's Word. The Gospel is a specific truth, not all truth. It is God's absolute and unconditional promise to save sinners and give them the whole inheritance of eternal life based on the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 1:16-17; 3:21-26). This is the light of truth whereby Christ calls His sheep into the fold and the light by which they walk and live obediently unto the Lord.