17/08/2024
Preach It as It is - Never Compromise!
Today Christians and especially we, in the ministry are afraid to confront sin because we are immediately rebuked "JUDGE NOT."
Christians are often ACCUSED of "judging" whenever they speak out against a sinful activity. However, that is not the meaning of the Scripture verses that state, "Do not judge." There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise—with careful discernment (John 7:24).
What Jesus was condemning here was hypocritical, self-righteous judgments of others.
In Matthew 7:2-5, Jesus warns against judging someone else for his sin when you yourself are sinning even worse. That is the kind of judging Jesus commanded us not to do. If a believer sees another believer sinning, it is his CHRISTIAN DUTY to lovingly and respectfully confront the person with his sin (Matthew 18:15-17). This is NOT JUDGING, but rather pointing out the truth in hope—and with the ultimate goal—of bringing REPENTANCE in the other person (James 5:20) and restoration to the fellowship. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We are to proclaim what God's Word says about sin.
But today we can’t preach about materialism because we might offend rich people in the audience—as well as the poor people. We can’t preach about fornication because there are people in the church who are living together. We can’t preach about domestic violence because there are deacons who sometimes hit their wives. We can’t preach about homos*xuality because our culture says it’s hateful to call that a sin.
And the list goes on. In fact, some preachers are avoiding the word SIN altogether because it’s too negative. And we all know that the latest polls show people want a positive message.
This temptation to dilute the gospel has produced a new recipe for a trendy sermon. We start with some great motivational speaking (“Your past does not define your future!”), add a few quarts of cheap grace (“Don’t focus on your sin!”), pour in some prosperity gospel (“Run to this altar and grab your financial breakthrough!”), flavour it with some trendy pop psychology (“It’s all about you!”) and voila!—you end up with a goopy mess of pabulum that not even a baby Christian could survive on.
I’ve often wondered how the apostle Paul would view our “positive confession or Word of Faith” gospel. Just before he was martyred, Paul gave his spiritual son Timothy clear instructions on how to keep his message on track. He said, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Tim. 4:2).
We’ve rewritten Paul’s words today. Our rule is, “PREACH WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR! Avoid controversy! Stroke, soothe and pacify the people so they will come back next week!” Is it any wonder that this low-protein spiritual diet has produced an anaemic church?
Paul’s preaching in the first century was unquestionably CONFRONTATIONAL. He didn’t hold back from addressing sin, nor was he afraid to call sin what it is. Paul knew that a SPINELESS CHRISTIANITY WOULD PRODUCE SPINELESS CHRISTIANS. He told Timothy that biblical preaching would require three brave verbs:
REPROVE - The Greek word here, elegcho, means “to convict, admonish or expose” or “to show one his fault.” The word can also mean “to scold” or “to reprimand.” Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a mother’s discipline knows that reproof can be the purest form of love.
REBUKE - The word epitimao means “to admonish strongly” or “to charge strictly.” The English definition means “to express sharp, stern disapproval.” And the origin of the word means “to beat or strike.” I’m not talking here about a preacher who beats people with the Bible. Screaming at people is not biblical rebuke. But when was the last time you felt the Holy Spirit strike you in your conscience during a sermon?
EXHORT - This is the gentlest of the three words. Parakaleo can be used to mean “to comfort” or “to call alongside.” It’s the same root word used to describe the Holy Spirit, who is our Comforter. TRUE BIBLICAL PREACHING NOT ONLY EXPOSES SIN AND WARNS US OF ITS CONSEQUENCES, BUT IT CALLS US TO REACH OUT TO GOD FOR HELP TO OVERCOME OUR WEAKNESS. When we challenge sin we must provide a means of grace for deliverance and healing.
Paul was also not afraid to name sins. I recently did a survey of all of Paul’s epistles to see how he addressed s*xual immorality. I discovered that he confronted s*xual sin head-on in 10 of his 13 epistles. He boldly called out adultery, fornication, sensuality and homos*xuality in a culture that was saturated in hedonism.
After exhorting the Thessalonians to practice abstinence, he rebuked them sternly by saying that anyone who opposes God’s laws about s*x “is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you” (1 Thess. 4:8). Those are STRONG words. They need to be REPEATED IN OUR PULPITS TODAY.
Paul wasn’t trying to win any popularity contests, and his comments about s*x would get him blacklisted today if he tried to buy airtime. Yet when he penned those tough words, he was speaking from God’s heart—with love—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to all of us.
It’s time for us to grow a backbone. Let’s get rid of weak Christianity, spineless preachers and jellyfish morals. Let’s preach the message of the Bible instead of a neutered version. Let’s not only point out sin but also point people to the only hope they have of overcoming it—our strong Saviour, whose death on the cross was the ULTIMATE CONFRONTATION OF SIN.
He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Jeremiah Knight
The Reformation Resurgence
