Truth Magazine

By Bobby R. Holmes

There is growing pressure on preachers today, especial ly the younger ones, not to preach on certain subjects and even when you do, how not to preach on them (don’t be too aggressive, etc.). This pressure is the outgrowth of a desire to please men. There seems to be a greater concern for the feelings of men than for their souls that are lost and doomed to the punishment of hell. We live in a “wishy-washy” society that attempts to speak out of both sides of the mouth at the same time. This isn’t something new. Paul warned Timothy of the same things in the following: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching cars; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Tim. 4:3-5). It seems that people want enough religion to make them feel good about themselves but not enough to cause a deep conviction for their failings. After all, that would then demand repentance. Let us notice some ways not to preach.

1. We are seeing and hearing a cry for more and more of the “positive” preaching. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not against positive preaching. I do my share of it. What I have reference to is a constant diet of nothing but the kind of preaching that makes the hearer go away feeling good about himself with little or no conviction for sin that may be in his life. I am equally against a steady diet of “negative” preaching that does nothing but condemn. This would be a classical example of the pendulum of the clock swinging to the opposite extreme. Balanced preaching is seen in the following: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2). Reprove, rebuke (negative); exhort (positive). Strong, faithful preaching is exhorted by Paul (2 Tim. 2:1-7). “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say,- and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.”

2. Preaching should not be with a sectarian spirit. Webster defines “sectarian” as follows: “(2) devoted to, or prejudiced in favor of some sect . . . (1) originally, an apostate from an established church” (New World Dictionary, p. 1287). When men are devoted to preach and defend doctrines that are not taught in God’s precious Book, they are not preaching as they ought. It matters not whether it is in regard to the Divorce-Remarriage position that brother Homer Hailey has taken or whatever – it becomes a sectarian type of preaching that divides the body of Christ and one day it will be answered for before God’s Judgment bar. In this kind of preaching there is more loyalty to men than to the Christ who died for them and a greater desire to please men than to please the Creator of the universe. Inspiration warns against this in no uncertain terms. “And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another” (1 Cor. 4:6). This kind of preaching sometimes has its beginning when men begin to measure themselves by themselves instead of the source of all spiritual knowledge, the word of the living God. Note 2 Corinthians 10:12 in reference to this. “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” There have been many who have started off as good, sound, dedicated and faithful preachers but fell prey to the devil. Let us all beware.

3. Another kind of preaching that ought not be done is the kind that suggests compromise. This is “first cousin” to the above. When men suggest that since there are several different views on the Divorce-Remarriage question we had just better “tread lightly” lest we teach something that is not found in Scripture, they are advocating compromise! When they state that since there are several views on Divorce-Remarriage we cannot be sure which is the “right one,” they are preaching compromise! There are several views on baptism (sprinkling, pouring, because of remission of sins, in order to the remission of sins, etc.). Can one be sure which is the “right one”? I believe we all know the answer to that one. In the same light we can know which is the “right one” regarding the Divorce-Remarriage question and the one that suggests otherwise is preaching compromise! “Intellectualism” regarding church history is being used as a cloak to cover up the Bible truth on the subject. Jesus stated the bottom line clearly in the following: “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, whosoever shallput away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matt. 19:4-9). There are no “if’s”, “and’s” or “but’s” about it. Why not just be satisfied with what the Lord has said. After all he will have the last word in judgment – then what? It indeed is “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

4. Another kind of preaching that “ought not so to be” is that of binding personal conscience on others. Churches (congregations) throughout the land are divided into splinters because of this foolishness. The list is almost endless. I realize that these things of personal conscience such as hats, women wearing slacks, etc. are matters of faith to the individual, but, they are not a matter of the faith! There is a difference. I, too, have personal beliefs about certain things, and some things that are done by some brethren do not “sit well” with me; but for me (and/or others) to preach these personal convictions as doctrine would be to preach as we ought not to preach. To divide the church for which Jesus shed his precious blood over matters of opinion will be dealt with by God. Many preaching brethren have made a “hobby” of preaching on these things that divide. They remind me of the Athenians that Luke spoke of. “For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21). While they spend their time “wrangling” over foolish things there are millions of souls being swept into eternity by death and most without the blood of Christ. Lost! Lost! Many of these could possibly have been saved if wasted time and energy had been spent to reach them. These “contenders for the faith” that argue and fuss over things that have nothing to do with salvation are swallowed up in extreminism and radicalism. May our great God help all to lift up our eyes to the fields of harvest. “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (Jn. 4:35).

5. I feel compelled to mention one last thing though it may be covered by one of the other writers. I was talking to a young woman awhile back about sin in her life and she commented, “Don’t try to put me on a guilt trip.” Man doesn’t like to be told he is in sin and headed for hell! People that are lost need to be made aware of it! Preaching that does not convey that truth is not how preaching ought to be done. The people on Pentecost were told frankly that they had been party to murder! “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel arid foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:22-23). The result of this “guilt trip” was repentance by some 3000 as they demonstrated their faith in obedience. “Then they that gladly receive his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). The Jews to whom Stephen preached were put on a “guilt trip.” “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth” (Acts 7:54). Felix was put on a “guilt trip” as Paul preached the gospel of Christ to him. “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:24-25). The thing that was “common” in these examples and others was the gospel of Christ. When preached forcefully and without compromise it produces godly sorrow (2 Cor. 7:10). Doctors offices are filled with people looking for pills and other means of escaping the guilt of unruly and impenitent lives and they don’t want preaching that will demand godly sorrow and a changed life. Preaching that doesn’t “deliver men from the power of darkness and translate him into the kingdom of God’s dear Son” (Col. 1:13) is not the kind of preaching that God demands!

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 3, pp. 89-90
February 6, 1992

By Donald Townsley

The apostle Paul, returning from his third preaching journey, stopped at Miletus and sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus. He gave a review of his work among them, saying they knew his manner of life from the first day he came into Asia – his humility, his tears and his trials (v. 19). As far as his preaching was concerned, he said he “kept back nothing that was profitable” to them (v. 20), thus he was “pure from the blood of all men” (v. 26) because he had “not shunned to declare . . . the whole counsel of God” (v. 27, NKJV). He faced the afflictions which awaited him in Jerusalem with unflinching courage (vv. 22-24), and was moved by nothing because of his unselfish devotion to the “gospel of the grace of God” (v. 24). He admonished the Ephesian elders to watch their personal conduct and to shepherd the church that was purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ (v. 28). He reminded them of the dangers they faced from false teachers – from without and within (vv. 29-30), and to keep the church free from error they would have to watch night and day (v. 31). He commended them to God and his word which was able to build them up (v. 32) and encourage them to unselfishness by recalling his own personal example while among them (vv. 33-35). We then have the touching parting scene as Paul made his departure (vv. 36-38).

Just as the Apostle Paul preached the whole counsel of God while he was at Ephesus (and wherever he went), so must every gospel preacher do the same today if he is to be pleasing in the sight of God. It makes me sad to say that much of the preaching today is not the kind of preaching that Paul did.

There is the trend toward neutrality in preaching today. The preacher knows the truth, but he also knows if he takes a stand and preaches it “right down the line” he will lose his popularity, his friends, his meetings, and he may have to move: so, many preachers fail to deal with issues and popular sins of the day. They stay away from such subjects as marriage, divorce and remarriage (only for the cause of fornication -Matt. 19:9); social drinking; dancing; gambling; lascivious dress; worldliness; the “social gospel”; materialism; church discipline; attendance, giving, etc. They fail to deal with issues such as the “Kenotic theory” (which teaches that Christ emptied himself of his divine attributes when he became flesh, and denies his deity – the very foundation of our faith, Matt. 16:16-18); Charles Holt’s doctrine of “individualism” (which denies that there is a local church); the “grace-fellowship” theory and the “continuous cleansing” theory (which minimizes sin and doctrinal error and advocates fellowship with those in error), and the “positive thinking” philosophy in preaching.

Many congregations are open for all kinds of error because these things are not being dealt with from the pulpit. Jesus said a man cannot be neutral in service to him: “He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Matt. 12:30). The neutral preacher is on the side of error whether he realizes it or not. The church faces problems that can only be met by men who love the truth and who have the attitude toward preaching that the apostle Paul had (see Acts 20:20,26-27; Gal. 2:5 and Phil. 1:17). We need men who will preach the truth and urge the principles of truth regardless of the consequences – men like Paul and Stephen. We need men whose preaching of the gospel will mold sentiment and arouse convictions in the hearts of men. “Men of God” down through the ages have never been men of neutrality – men like Noah (2 Pet. 2:5); Jeremiah (Jer. 1-9-10); John the Baptist (Lk. 1:17; Matt. 3:1-3; 14:3-4), and the apostle Paul (Gal. 2:5; Phil. 1:17).

There is also the trend toward compromising the truth in the church today. Many churches want to feed upon “softism.” They want to hear a positive, indistinctive, ambiguous message: one that does not deal with sin as it is in reality, but glossed over so that it doesn’t sound so bad. The preaching the majority of these churches want does not emphasize and underscore the distinctive characteristics that separate the church from denominationalism and the world: they want no preaching on immodest dress; marriage, divorce and remarriage for unscriptural reasons; the social gospel, church discipline; mixed swimming; petting, dancing or denominationalism. Preachers who fail to preach on any biblical subject that is needed are compromising the truth of God.

I am sad to say that there is a trend toward “professional preaching” in the church today. Professional preachers are much like professional politicians: they don’t lead, they follow the crowd. They listen to find out what the people want, then give them what they want to hear (2 Tim. 4:3,4). A professional preacher is not going to rise up with courage, persistence and fearlessness and try to change things that are wrong and sinful! He is not interested in doing the most good that he can do; he is interested in making the most money. He feels toward his work as a lawyer or a doctor would feel toward his profession: that he must promote his own welfare and position from the standpoint of influence, popularity, demand and money. The professional preacher is a “hireling,” paid “so much” to do what the brethren want done. He will make sure he “guards his influence and usefulness” – he will never be found involved in controversy. When he “sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them” (Jn. 10:12, NKJV).

On the other hand, the God-fearing preacher who preaches the gospel because he loves God, the church and lost men will preach the gospel regardless of circumstances or the consequences. He has the attitude of the Apostle Paul, “woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16)

The Preacher Who Preaches the Whole Counsel of God Will: Deal With Sin As a Reality

Preachers of the gospel must show from the Scriptures that sin exists as a fact in the lives of men and women because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23; 1 Jn. 1:8). When a person sins it brings spiritual death (Rom. 6:23; Isa. 59:1-2; Ezek. 18:4). The only way for mankind to have forgiveness of sins was for the Son of God to die – to shed his blood – on the cross of Calvary (Jn. 3:16; Matt. 1:21; 26:28; 1 Pet. 3:18), and the only way this blood can be appropriated to the lives of sinful men is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Heb. 5:9).

Deal With Sin in Particular – Be Specific

Peter was specific on Pentecost when he said to the Jews in his audience: “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23). John the baptist was specific when he said to Herod, concerning his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married: “It is not lawful for thee to have her” (Matt. 14:4). Herod was living in adultery with his brother’s wife and John was specific in telling him about his sin (Lk. 3:19). John lost his head by specifically dealing with their sin of adultery (Mk. 6:25) but he was courageous enough to preach the truth regardless of the consequences, and it pleased God for him to do so. It is pleasing to God today for preachers to deal specifically with the sin of adulterous marriages, telling men and women about their unlawful relationships. In fact, if they want to please God, they must be specific in pointing out the sins of the people to whom they preach, regardless of the consequences.

The preacher who preaches the whole counsel of God will rebuke the sins that many “wink at” and overlook – sins such as holding malice in the heart and evil-speaking (1 Pet. 2:1); “evil thinking” – looking and lusting (Matt. 5:28); the sin of hating one’s brother (1 Jn. 3:15; Matt. 5:43-44); gambling (Eph. 5:5); carnality, envy, strife and division (1 Cor. 3:3); lascivious behavior – short-wearing, mixed swimming, petting, dresses cut too low and too short, and watching movies and TV that is not fit for anyone to watch (1 Tim. 2:9-10; Gal. 5:19; 1 Thess. 5:22). The preacher who preaches the whole counsel of God will not hesitate to deal with these sins that many people overlook and count unimportant.

Rebuke and Condemn The Doctrines and Commandments of Men

Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees: “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). Paul said to the brethren at Colosse: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8).

Preachers who preach the whole counsel of God will rebuke and condemn the man-made doctrines of today denominationalism; institutionalism; instrumental music; the Protestant influence on religious thought in the church today; the “Boston movement”; Charles Holt’s individualism and the “Kenotic theory.” All of these manmade doctrines must be exposed by faithful men of God.

We need men in pulpits today who have great faith in God and in the word of God: men who will preach the whole counsel of God. When there is a lack of faith in the pulpit and the whole counsel of God is not preached, it is disastrous to the cause of Christ. A lack of faith caused Peter to sink into the water (Matt. 14:30); a lack of faith caused Demas to forsake the Lord and Paul (2 Tim. 4: 10), and a lack of faith caused the church at Laodicea to wax indifferent and become lukewarm (Rev. 3:14-19). Many churches today are losing their love and zeal for the Lord and his work because the whole counsel of God is not being preached.

When the pulpits of churches of Christ are filled with men who are courageous enough to preach the whole counsel of God, without fear or favor, we will see many of our doctrinal problems solved and sinners will be converted to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Brother preacher, let us get back to preaching the whole counsel of God. Our eternal destiny depends on it!

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 3, pp. 87-88
February 6, 1992

By James W. Adams

Schopenhauer, famous German philosopher, was so right when he made the observation which is our title. Our law enforcement agencies constantly remind us that “con-artists” never look like crooks. This is as true of purveyors of pernicious error in the religious realm as it is of crooked monetary entrepreneurs in contemporary society, and as foolish as many are in being duped by “get rich quick” schemes, they are even more susceptible in the religious realm.

This reminds me of what occurred at a Florida College Lectureship several years ago. In an audience of several hundred brethren, a preacher stood and asked to speak. His request was granted, so he asked the man seated next to him to stand. The man, obviously embarrassed, stood. The man, though unknown by face to most of the audience, was known by reputation to all as a teacher-practitioner of pernicious religious error. The first brother then said, “Many of you do not know this man; he is Brother ___________. Look at him! Do you see any horns?”

Many in the audience laughed. I did not. It was not amusing. The flamboyant introduction was obviously done to lay at rest any suspicions that faithful brethren might have concerning the man. Obviously, the flamboyant demonstration was to palliate the errors of the man being introduced, and to recommend him to the acceptance of the audience which was a cross section of conservatives throughout the nation. Whether done for this purpose or not, it had the effect of exonerating the man from the onus that rested upon him by reason of his unscriptural and divisive doctrine and practice.

I probably erred on that occasion by not arising to say: “No, we see no horns, but it was Paul, the apostle, who said concerning teachers of error in his day, ‘Such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ, and no marvel,- for even Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”‘

My reason for not doing so: I did not wish to be publicly unkind to the man thus introduced, for I was certain that he was not privy to what occurred. I mention the incident in this article only to address a matter that stems from the attitude demonstrated by it.

We live in a time when a “good personality” is idealized. Too many churches, when selecting preachers for meetings and local work, are more concerned about their being “personable” than they are about their knowledge of the Bible, ability to preach the Word and character to sustain it, their faith or their convictions. We do not minimize the importance of preachers developing personalities that help rather than hinder the acceptance of the truth which they preach. However, when a “good mixer” is given precedence over a “good preacher,” something is fundamentally wrong with our sense of values.

We often hear brethren bewail the lack of depth in members of the church today. The “pew” will never rise above the “pulpit” is almost without exception true. People who are brought into the church (?) by the impact of human personality rather than the influence of truth and are nurtured by the same means cannot be expected to have spiritual depth or be safe from error.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 4, pp. 101, 118
February 20, 1992

By Bobby Witherington

There are many books which deal with preaching. Some are excellent. Some are not worth the paper and ink they require. Some are downright dangerous. But there is one book which not only reveals the value of preaching; it also reveals what constitutes genuine, effective, soul-saving preaching. Of course, this “one book” is the Bible – the book of books.

Anyone who desires to preach the gospel would do well to examine the sermon content, the manner, and preaching methods of those great preachers of whom we read in the Scriptures. And one preacher not to be overlooked is the apostle Paul. This peerless apostle, this “apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13), seemingly had one magnificent obsession – that of converting the entire Roman Empire to Jesus Christ! In order to accomplish this noble objective he was willing to “spend and be spent” (2 Cor. 12:15), suffer intense persecution and deprivation (2 Cor. 11:23-27), and ultimately to even die a martyr’s death (Acts 21:13; 2 Tim. 4:6-8). Few students of either history or the Bible would deny that other than Jesus Christ himself, the apostle Paul was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) preachers that ever lived. There has to be a reason (yea, many reasons) for his effectiveness as a preacher. With a view in mind of encouraging more of us to follow his example, it is our aim in this article to give consideration to the kind of preaching which characterized Paul.

Paul the Christian

Many who acknowledge the greatness of Paul as a preacher tend to place great emphasis upon the fact that he was inspired. That is true. He was. Paul became a child of God in the same way as you and me. He heard and obeyed the gospel. When the Lord appeared to him on the Damascus road it was not to save him, but to make him a “minister and a witness” of the things which he had seen and of the things he had yet to reveal to him (Acts 26:16). To become qualified to be an apostle, as one “born out of due time” (1 Cor. 15:8), Paul had to see the Lord (1 Cor. 9:1). Being an apostle, he was able to speak that which God “revealed . . . through his Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:10). Paul did not learn his message at the feet of the other apostles; rather he received it “through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:12). He was an apostle in every sense of the word, and even his hearers could bear witness to the fact that, through “signs and wonders and mighty deeds,” Paul demonstrated “the signs of an apostle” (2 Cor. 12:12).

But Paul’s effectiveness as a preacher was deeper than the facts of his inspiration and his possessing the signs of an apostle. His real effectiveness stemmed not so much from what he had, but from what he was! It is true that Paul was a very cosmopolitan person. He was “born in Tarsus” (Acts 22:3), a noted seat of philosophy and literature, ranking with Athens and Alexandria. He could speak Greek and Hebrew (Acts 21:37-40), plus other languages not specified (1 Cor. 14:18). He was educated at the feet of the noted Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He was a Roman citizen, and he was not adverse to using his citizenship to his advantage and for his protection (Acts 16:21; 22:25). In many ways he was unique. But the underlying secret of Paul’s unflagging determination to preach the gospel (as well as his effectiveness as a preacher) lay in the fact that he was a Christian! (Acts 26:28,29) His conversion was genuine. He never forgot the terrible sins of which he had been guilty (1 Tim. 1:15), but from which he had been forgiven by a gracious Lord. He had been a forceful personality when he was a persecutor of Christians, but now as a genuine Christian he could truly say, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). To “gain Christ” he had suffered the “loss of all things” which were formerly near and dear to him; yet compared to what he found in Christ he counted those things as “rubbish” (Phil. 3:8). 1 fear that too many brethren look first to a person’s apparent ability when that person expresses a desire to preach. Ability is important, but what that person accomplishes in the vineyard of the Lord will be more determined by what he is than by what he has! Many young men (and some not so young) who are “learning to preach ” should first take some lessons on “how to live!” Let us quit putting the cart before the horse.

Paul As a Preacher

Regarding this point it is hard to know where to begin. Paul’s effectiveness lay in many things, such as: He was “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,” and he had strong faith in its “power” to save (Rom. 1:16). He believed in the headship and the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:22,23; Rom. 10:9). He was willing to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3,10). He strongly believed in prayer and was not embarrassed to ask his brethren to pray “for me” (Eph. 6:19). He worked with others, and trained them to succeed him (cf. his letters to Timothy and Titus). He was “set for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:17). He was determined to magnify Christ in his body, “whether by life or by death” (Phil. 1:20). Anchored by hope (Heb. 6:19), he never lost sight of that “crown of righteousness” (2 Tim. 4:8) for which he was constantly striving.

As a preacher, Paul was bold, and straight-forward in his speech. At Salamis on the island of Cypress, Paul and Barnabas spoke the word of God to Sergius Paulus the proconsul. However, Elymas the sorcerer withstood them and sought to “turn the proconsul from the faith.” But Paul “looked intently on him and said, ‘0 full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?'” (Acts 13:7-10) Paul doubtlessly had the gift of discernment (cf. 1 Cor. 12:10) and knew the kind of man Elymas was. But the point is, Paul did not mince words. He had the courage to call “a spade a spade.” If Paul were alive today you can be sure he wouldn’t refer to homosexuality and lesbianism simply as “alternate lifestyles!”

As a peacher, Paul endeavored to reason with the people, beginning at some point of common understanding and methodically laying the scriptural foundation which would inescapably bring honest people to a realization of the truth about Jesus Christ. Such was characteristic of his preaching at Antioch in Pisidia where he began by citing known historical facts regarding God’s dealing with the nation of Israel and prophecies with which the people were familiar and which found their fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the deliverance he made possible (Acts 13:14-40).

As a preacher, Paul rightly “divided the word of truth,” often contrasting the law had the gospel and proving that the law has been superseded by the gospel (Gal. 2:16; 3:16-29; 4:21-31; Col. 2:14-17; etc.). He was not opposed to telling those who were returning to the law that “you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4).

As a preacher, Paul preached what was needed, when it was needed, to whom it was needed, and where it was needed. To unbelieving Jews who rejected Christ, beginning with their law, Paul preached the truth about the person of Christ. In idolatrous Athens, Paul preached the truth about the one true God and thereby showed the folly of idolatry (Acts 17:16-33). In the presence of the grossly immoral Felix and Drusilla Paul “reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25).

As a preacher, Paul declared “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). He was not one to withhold vital truth on any subject for fear of hurting someone’s feelings.

As a preacher, Paul was not adverse to calling names. He mentioned Hymenaeus and Alexander whom he “delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:20). He called the names of Hymenaeus and Philetus who had “strayed concerning the truth” (2 Tim. 2:17,18). He said “Demas has forsaken me” and that “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm” (2 Tim. 4:10,14). He even mentioned the time when Peter was guilty of hypocrisy (Gal. 2:11-3).

As a preacher, Paul could get upset when he encountered those who were perverting the gospel. Witness his conduct at Antioch (Acts 15:2). Concerning this incident at Antioch where some false teachers ought to spy out his liberty in Christ, Paul said with regards to these teachers, “to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal. 2:5). Indeed, Paul was no compromiser!

As a preacher, Paul was concerned about the purity of the church. He wrote to Corinth where the brethren were tolerating a known fornicator. Mincing no words, Paul charged the brethren to “deliver such a one unto Satan,” declaring “that a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:5,6).

As a preacher, Paul was humble. He referred to himself as the “chief” of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). On another occasion he referred to himself as “less than the least of all saints” (Eph. 3:8). He preached “Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2); he did not elevate himself.

As a preacher, Paul preached when the brethren supported him (Phil. 4:15,16) and when they did not. He was willing to labor “night and day,” not being a burden to any, in his effort to preach “the gospel of God” (1 Thess. 2:9). He was not one to say, “I can’t preach because I have no support.” He taught that brethren ought to support men who preach (1 Cor. 9), but this was not a factor in determining whether or not he would preach!

As a preacher, Paul was no quitter. Though his labors had been abundant and with great success, Paul could say, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:13,14).

As a preacher, Paul was constantly in trouble. In trouble with false brethren, false teachers, and the civil authorities. He was beaten, maligned, persecuted, and imprisoned. It was not uncommon for him to be run out of town. He ultimately died a martyr’s death. But Paul got into trouble because he preached the truth that troubled people in sin. It is probable that very few churches of Christ today would tolerate a preacher like Paul! But O how we need a bunch of Pauls! Especially in this age of Peales and Schullers when brethren have gone pig-crazy and hog-wild over the sickly, sentimental, sweet-spirited, feel-good-about-yourself slop these men are feeding hell-bound sinners!

Yet as a preacher Paul was tactful. it was not uncommon for him to begin a letter by saying, “Grace to you and peace from God your Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” It was customary for him to first compliment people for the good things they did before he reprimanded them for the bad things they did. The truth he preached often offended people, but he didn’t try to be offensive as a person.

Finally, as a preacher Paul was a happy man. For proof, read Philippians. Happy, though in prison! Happy because he was fruitfully working in a cause larger than himself. Happy because he was constantly reaching out to others. Happy because he served God, enjoyed peace of mind, had no fear of death, and had a joyful anticipation of receiving that crown of righteousness.

Conclusion

Preachers, perhaps it is time that many of us paused long enough to take a long hard look at ourselves! Are we drifting with the tide? Have we lost our spiritual nerve? Are we really “telling it like it is”? Have we exchanged idealism for realism? Have we become so secure in our comfortable “positions” that we are afraid to “rock the boat”? Just how well do we measure up when we are placed alongside the apostle Paul? May God give us the humility to inventory ourselves, the integrity to admit our failings, and the courage to make the needed changes.

Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 3, pp. 80-82
February 6, 1992