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Sound Bible preaching is being pushed to the wayside by liberal thinking. It is a disturbing trend that continues to bear fruit since the first occurrence of divisions within the church during the apostolic era (Galatians 1:10-17). The change in preaching today is due not only to the acceptance of ideas such as the unity-in-diversity movement and the new hermeneutics, but also to preachers hearkening to the pleas of those who demand unscriptural change. Also, a number of churches are employing women as preachers, bidding "God speed" to false teachers (2 John 10-11), and preaching sermons that are entertaining and encourages the listener to remain comfortable in his sinful state teaching that God's grace will cover his error on the day of judgment. Sadly, some churches of Christ have bought into the idea of soft preaching and have influenced others to follow in their footsteps into further apostasy.
Why is there so much emphasis on sound preaching? Sound preaching is simply preaching absolute truth, whether it be about salvation, unity, or the church. Solomon instructs us to,
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding (Proverbs 23:23).In 2 Timothy 4:2-4, Paul says,
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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 ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.There will be some who will be receptive to the teaching of the word, while others will reject it because of sin.
There were some people in the first century who were troubled over the fact that the apostles were preaching sound doctrine, thereby exposing their life of sin. Some of them resorted to threatening the apostles with persecution (Acts 4:13-22), while others simply spread false accusations (Acts 17:5-6) in order to put them into prison. Other examples include Demetrius the silversmith (Acts 19:23-41) and the masters of "a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination," (Acts 16:16-24). Likewise, a number of Christians are persecuted today for preaching the truth. For example, some liberal brethren have accused many in the Lord's body of "pattern theology:" adhering to the belief that the New Testament is the pattern for the church; and being "legalists:" strict obedience to the Scriptures. Paul said,
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
Furthermore, there are some who are limiting the definition of the gospel to only being the doctrine about Christ. In other words, they are preaching what they consider to be the "core gospel," consisting only about the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, thus leaving other matters of teaching in the realm of opinion. While it is certainly true that the word "gospel" means good news, it is not limited in that sense. The gospel encompasses both the Old and New Testaments. Peter says,
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you (1 Peter. 1:25).
The saving of souls demands sound Bible preaching. As ministers of the gospel, let us be encouraged to be more like Paul who said,
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27).
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
In our last edition we examined sexual immorality (or "fornication"), deemed by Paul to be a work of the flesh. Let us now continue with our study and examine uncleanness, as Paul says in Galatians 5:19:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness..."Uncleanness" (translated in other versions as "impurity") is the Greek term akatharsia, which Thayer defines as the following:
1) uncleanness
1a) physical
1b) in a moral sense: the impurity of lustful, luxurious, profligate living
1b1) of impure motives
We see from this definition, therefore, that the term under discussion has two primary meanings, notably, it describes one who is unclean physically and also one who thinks and acts in ways that are not pure and holy.
The term is used in both senses; Jesus uses it in Matthew 23:27 to describe the "uncleanness" of the sepulchre, "full of dead men's bones," and also the moral "uncleanness" of the Pharisees, who are compared to these sepulchres. The vast majority of its use, however, refers not to the physical uncleanness of a person but to the moral, internal "uncleanness" of a person, which we see clearly in Romans 1:24 (referring to the Gentiles), 2 Corinthians 12:21 (addressed to Christians), along with Ephesians 5:3 and Colossians 3:5:
Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves.
lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints.
Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
We see, then, that truly "uncleanness" is another work of the flesh, for the Gentiles have revelled in it and such things are not to even be mentioned among the saints, and are sins which require repentance.
What kinds of things, then, would fall under the term "uncleanness?" Any thing that is of sin and is not of God and would soil one's spiritual garments. Certainly the realm of sexuality and the sins therein fall under this category, as the term is used in conjunction with the other terms that refer to sexual deviancy (cf. above). Yet truly any thing that would separate one from God-- drinking, drug use, lying, causing strife, promoting error, violence, and many, many other things-- may be considered "unclean" and ought not even be named amongst us.
God has truly not called us to uncleanness; we are to actually be found in Him, without spot or blemish, willing to confess and repent concerning those sins which beset us. Let us heed the message of Paul in Romans 6:19 and 1 Thessalonians 4:7:
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification.
For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
Let us lay aside all things which lead to physical and moral uncleanness, and strive for the sanctification in Jesus Christ, presenting our bodies as servants of righteousness and not the slaves of sin.
Ethan R. Longhenry
ethan@thechristianexaminer.com
www.deusvitae.com
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