 
HERE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD PREACH
When Amos went to Bethel to preach, Amaziah, the corrupt priest, sent him a message saying, "Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not they word against the house of Isaac..." (Amos 7:16). Isaiah encountered the same problem. Folks in Judah were saying, "prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things...get you out of the way...cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us" (Is. 30:10-11).
In recent months I have observed numerous examples of T. V. talking heads, secular journalists and writers of opinion letters presuming to tell preachers and churches what they should be preaching. The interesting thing is that most of those offering these recommendations are secularists whose religion is humanism. They have no respect nor regard for God, Christ, the Bible or the Church yet they would presume to tell us how we should operate. Among the suggestions I have seen are: We should teach that all cultures and religions are equally wholesome and acceptable to God and that we should not assume that Christianity is in anyway superior to Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, etc. We should not pass judgment on conduct even though the Bible condemns it as sinful in God's sight. We should approach the Bible as a book of ancient fables, myths and legends and under no circumstances treat it seriously as a book whereby we are expected to worship and live. That every thing in the Bible is subject to revision as society changes. And even though a thing was once considered wrong, in our modern society we should see it through more enlightened eyes and grant it acceptance. This is one of the main approaches to the sin of homosexual conduct. We should teach that anything anyone wishes to present as worship to God should be tolerated and given tacit approval because sincerity is the only thing that matters. - That above all we should never attempt to make convert of other people who are worshiping God contrary to what His Word says.
- That we should adopt the agenda of such political groups and the feminist movement and the gay rights movement.
- That we must ignore the Biblical restrictions on the role of women in the leadership of the church and advance them to roles as preachers and elders.
- That we should not teach Christians to live their faith by taking an active role in influencing the values of the community and state.
- That we should not indoctrinate children in the principles of Christianity.
- That we should not teach parents to discipline their children.
- That we should not make use of the public media to extend our message to others.
- That we should not public repeat the fact that the leadership of the Jewish nation secured the execution of Jesus by using false witness and trumped up charges.
- That we should never be critical of anything said or done by the Jewish religion, the state of Israel or Jewish people, no matter what they may do.
- They tell us that we should not comment on the views or conduct of those in political office, no matter how egregious they may be.
I find it interesting that those who do not want Christians trying to influence others and especially those in the seats of government and education, want to influence the church to preach their doctrine of secular humanism.
Tragically, many Protestant ministers have rushed forward, volunteering to preach as the secularists wish for them to do. Several of their church bodies have issued statements from their governing bodies accepting, endorsing and recommending these recommendations.
Any Christian preacher worthy of the name and station will not only reject the recommendations of this unbelieving crowd, he will rebuke their presumptuous suggestions and continue to preach the Word, being urgent in season and out of season...reproving, rebuking and exhorting with all long suffering and teaching (II Tim. 4:2). Those who would tailor their message to please a wicked, anti-Christian world should resign their post or be driven from it. They are traitors to the Cause for which our Lord died.
JHW |