Preach the Word
by Jefferson David Tant
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 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; 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” (II Timothy 4:1-4).
Paul’s admonition to the young preacher Timothy has just as much application today as it did 2,000 years ago. Paul warned that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…” It is quite obvious to all that that time did come. And that’s how we have some 42,000 different “Christian” denominations today, following after the creeds and doctrines of men rather than clinging to God’s Word, the New Testament.
Who likes to be “offensive?” I don’t know of any acquaintances who like to offend others, but if the Word of God offends others, we cannot keep our mouths shut and avoid speaking the Gospel truth.
Did Christ ever offend anyone by His teaching? Obviously, as we read in Matthew 5:12: “Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?”
Did the Apostle Paul ever offend anyone by his teaching? I guess that would explain why he was beaten and imprisoned from time to time.
I’m not saying that we should deliberately set out to offend by our preaching, but if preaching the truth through love for souls offends others, then so be it.
How do we explain the departure from Truth and the rise of denominations that began a few centuries after the church’s establishment in the First Century? Again, Paul’s words to Timothy quoted above, that the time would come when they will not endure sound doctrine… and shall heap to themselves teachers…” Did that “time” come? Obviously so.
As we consider recent history, known as “The Restoration Movement,” starting around 1800, it is interesting to note that within some 60 to 70 years, we have the beginning of the use of instrumental music in worship. This was one of the factors of the division that took place in the mid to late 1800s, resulting in the Christian Church and Churches of Christ. And using instruments in worship among Churches of Christ is happening again in the 21st Century. One example is the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where the preacher is Max Lucado, a well-known author. This 3,800-member church uses instrumental music in its worship. As the old expression says, “History repeats itself.”
How did this happen? One factor may have been an attitude I have seen in recent years. One young preacher that I personally know said he could not preach against instrumental music in worship because the Bible didn’t specifically condemn it. Oh, he would not be in favor of it but could not condemn it. Some might take that attitude and conclude that since the Bible doesn’t condemn it, it must be OK. How could that young preacher ever convince someone it was wrong since he can’t preach against it?
OK, let’s continue that train of thought. Some time ago, I studied with and baptized a young woman who was a member of a denomination that used potato chips and Coke for the Lord’s Supper. Does the Bible condemn that? Reading through the Bible at various times, I’ve never read where that’s condemned. Would that be OK, then? I don’t think so!
Most of my readers will be familiar with the expression in our courtrooms when a witness is called to testify. The witness is asked to promise to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” That phrase is believed to have initially been coined in Old English and became a staple of English trials by approximately the 13th century. It is used to swear in witnesses while giving evidence in court, emphasizing the absolute veracity of their statements. When witnesses testify, they solemnly declare: “I do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
This tradition traces back to Roman times, when legally binding oaths were emphasized, and perjurers faced severe consequences. The concept of truthfulness has persisted throughout history, even as the specific wording of the oath evolved.
We appreciate the need for the truth to be revealed in our civil court proceedings. But how much more vital is this concept in gospel preaching? Gospel preaching has two concerns, as Paul expressed to Titus: “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9).
Consider that the “whole truth” includes both that which is “for” and that which is “against,” and the “against” would certainly include instrumental music in worship and potato chips and Coke for the Lord’s Supper, etc.
