|
Return here each week for a new thought provoking article.
"SMOOTH THINGS"
by
Dalton Key
Article for the week of July 25, 2010
Dalton Key
Article for the week of July 25, 2010
"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should
not be the servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10.)
Paul was concerned - above all else - with his preaching pleasing the Lord. The apostle refused to bow to the dictates of the zealous, manipulative Judaizers of his day. His message was not determined by the whims of his hearers nor was it chosen so as to tickle their "itching ears."
An, no, Paul never took polls of public opinion or surveys of ever-changing congregational philosophy to help him decide what kind of preacher he should be or what kind of preaching he should produce.
Instead of putting his finger to the wind, instead of obsessing over matters of religious political correctness, Paul boldly preached "all the counsel of God." (Acts 20:27.) Give attention to his emphasis: "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:1,2.)
Paul charged young Timothy with these words: "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." (2 Timothy 4:2.)
Those of us who teach and preach today, nearly 2000 years later, would do well to follow Paul’s example and heed his charge.
Natural, human desire, whether in the world or in the pew, would minimize and trivialize the sin problem, emphasizing instead the need for all of us to "get along" and "feel good about ourselves." Public sentiment has always run strongly in favor of materialism and self-interest. Like those of Isaiah’s day, many today demand timid, middle-of-the-road sermons, as they cry out, "speak to us smooth things, prophecy deceits." (Isaiah 30:10.)
When forced to choose between pleasing God or men, the answer should be obvious. May those of us who teach and preach have courage enough to say, as did Paul, "Let God be true, but every man a liar." (Romans 3:4.)
Paul was concerned - above all else - with his preaching pleasing the Lord. The apostle refused to bow to the dictates of the zealous, manipulative Judaizers of his day. His message was not determined by the whims of his hearers nor was it chosen so as to tickle their "itching ears."
An, no, Paul never took polls of public opinion or surveys of ever-changing congregational philosophy to help him decide what kind of preacher he should be or what kind of preaching he should produce.
Instead of putting his finger to the wind, instead of obsessing over matters of religious political correctness, Paul boldly preached "all the counsel of God." (Acts 20:27.) Give attention to his emphasis: "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:1,2.)
Paul charged young Timothy with these words: "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." (2 Timothy 4:2.)
Those of us who teach and preach today, nearly 2000 years later, would do well to follow Paul’s example and heed his charge.
Natural, human desire, whether in the world or in the pew, would minimize and trivialize the sin problem, emphasizing instead the need for all of us to "get along" and "feel good about ourselves." Public sentiment has always run strongly in favor of materialism and self-interest. Like those of Isaiah’s day, many today demand timid, middle-of-the-road sermons, as they cry out, "speak to us smooth things, prophecy deceits." (Isaiah 30:10.)
When forced to choose between pleasing God or men, the answer should be obvious. May those of us who teach and preach have courage enough to say, as did Paul, "Let God be true, but every man a liar." (Romans 3:4.)
|
|