PREACHING IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Advancing science and technology makes most things obsolete in a matter of years.  People have come to think that everything needs to be updated and modernized including the proclamation of God's Word.  Anything man makes or originates can always be improved upon. But the things of God need no revision or improvement.

I. The good news of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection (I Cor. 15:1-4), cannot be improved upon. This gospel is God's power to save sinners who believe (Rom. 1:16-17).  It is a "glorious gospel" (II Cor. 4:4).  It is "everlasting" (Rev. 14:6).

II. The Bible cannot be improved upon.  It is "inspired of God, (and) is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (II Tim. 3:16-17). How can fallible, finite men improve on a work of perfection from the infinite and perfect God? Every attempt to do so has resulted in folly or disaster.

III. Sinners have the same needs today as always. All fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).  Sin still separates men from God (Is. 59:1-2).  Sin is like a tyrant that dominates and ruins the lives of all it controls (Rom. 6:16-17; 23).  Man is yet unable to free himself from sin's power without divine help.  Good work, human wisdom and effort are still useless to rid one of sins (Is. 59:1-2; Tit. 3:5).  Works of law-keeping are of no more value now that in ancient times (Rom. 3:20).  Modern man needs the same Savior that Jews and Greeks of the first century needed.  With Paul we cry out, "Wretched man that I am!  Who shall deliver us out of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 7:24).

IV. The plan of salvation was given "once for all" (Jude 3). The God against whom we sinned and who freely offers us salvation has set forth terms for forgiveness. Faith in his Son, repentance for the wrong done and immersion in water brings remissions of sins (Acts 2:38). No one has yet found another way to receive forgiveness. Salvation being God's gift to impart, we can only humbly meet this terms for receiving it.

V. The church of Christ needs no modernization.  The blueprint of the church originated in the mind of God before the world began (Eph. 3:9-11). It was purchased by the blood of Jesus on Calvary (Acts 20:28); set up and organized by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).  The divine nature of the church makes it "a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing;...holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27).  We can always improve on our personal lives and the effectiveness and zeal with which we do God's work—but the church is a work of perfection that is always marred when men try to improve it.

The above being true, men are needed who believe the Bible and teach it faithfully without addition or subtraction (Rev. 22:18-19); men who love the church and work to promote her welfare and spread her borders; men who are set for the defense of the gospel and the Lord's holy bride (Phil. 1:16).  We need men who love the souls of lost sinners and are willing to pay any price and fight any battle to bring them safely to the Savior.

We now are confronted with a generation of preachers and professors who do not subscribe to these premises.  They are eager to change the faith, worship and practice of the church which Christ built.  What arrogance to think that they can do a better job than the Creator of the world, the founder and Savior of the church. May all who love the Lord and His church refuse their changes and reject those who propose them.