God's Colorful Word

     The word of God is not the dry, dull, and dead book that many allege! The
opposite is true. God, by the Holy Spirit, through the penmen who wrote the
precious words of life, often uses colorful language  in order to make his word
memorable and eternally relevant. Sometimes this is done by means of explicit
language, and at other times euphemisms and idioms are used to accomplish the
same goal. Let us take note of the following examples.

     We learn from Exodus 4:24-26, that after Moses had received instructions
from Yahweh to return to Egypt, and to tell Pharaoh to "Let my people go," that
Moses failed to circumcise his own son on the eighth day, in keeping with God's
instructions. (Genesis 17:10-14) The covenant of circumcision was to be taken
seriously, but Moses was negligent. Consequently, "at a lodging place on the way
Yahweh met him and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off
her son's foreskin, and touched Moses' feet with it and said, 'Surely you are a
bridegroom of blood to me!' So he let him alone. Then it was said, 'You are a
bridegroom of blood to me,' because of the circumcision." (RSV/ESV, also see
the NIV-2011) The word "feet" (Hebrew regalim) is not to be understood
literally. It is a euphemism for "genitals."

     In 1 Kings 18 we read about the "contest" between the colorful prophet
Elijah and the 450 fifty prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who
ate at Jezebel's table. (v. 19) Among the things that Elijah did in order to show
Israel that the "god" Baal was really no god was to attribute purely human
characteristics to Baal. He told the prophets to "Cry aloud, for he is a god;
either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is
asleep and must be awakened." (RSV) The words "gone aside" translate the
Hebrew word sig, which is used euphemistically for excreting bodily waste!
The Hebrew lexicons indicate the word was often used to refer to excrement,
anal waste, or in modern lingo, "using the toilet." Ha! a touch of humor in the
middle of a serious debate with false prophets! Oh to the bane of modern
sensitive ears! The ESV correctly drops the euphemism and directly translates
sig with the phrase "relieving himself." The Complete Jewish Bible says "on
the potty." Taylor's translation says, "sitting on the toilet."

     Our Lord spoke of the necessity of renouncing all that one has in order to
be his disciple (Luke 14:33) Then he said, salt that has lost its saltiness "is fit
neither for the land nor for the dunghill..." The Lord using the word "dunghill"
in his teaching? Yes. The Greek word translated "dunghill" is kopria and it
means manure pile. The people to whom he was speaking could relate to his
simple illustration and the underlying point could be easily remembered; the
loss of usefulness or influence leaves one inactive or unfit for the Master's use.
It can only be "thrown away." (Luke 14:34-35) 

     The Lord warned about "false prophets who come to you in sheep's
clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15) The wolves in
sheep's clothing analogy is brilliant! A simple and humorous illustration that
drives the point home. False prophets are no more God's prophets than they
are real sheep. They are pretentious. They appear to be one thing when in
reality they are something else. They often appear to be sheep, but in reality
they are sheep killers! They appear to be docile, humble, and caring, but
they will rip your spiritual guts out.

     Paul, the Lord's apostle, said the Judaizers (those who were binding
such  things as  circumcision as a tenet of  Christ's law), should  "mutilate
themselves" (RSV) or "emasculate themselves" (ESV) in Galatians 5:12.
The word translated "mutilate/emasculate themselves" is apokopto and
it means "to castrate oneself, or to have oneself castrated!" Their heresy
was so detestable to the apostle, that he would have them make eunuchs
of themselves. Paul did not believe the Judaizers were friends of Christ
and  the  gospel! They  were  dogs,  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ!
(Philippians 3:2,18-19) His  words  are  memorable, even though many
delicate modern readers consider them repugnant!  

     Finally, let  us  not  forget  the  words of Peter, that people who have
escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, and are again entangled in them and overpowered,
are like "the dog that turns back to his own vomit, and the sow that was
washed  to  wallowing  in  the  mire." (2 Peter 2:20-22) In other words,
people who abandon the truth that saved them and return to the corruption
that held them captive, are like puking dogs and wallowing hogs! They
have returned to the very things that defiled them before they were cleansed
by the blood of God's Son. They have reverted from a state of cleansing
back to a condition of filth and moral defilement!

     What is the point of all I have written in this blog post? The scriptures
are a living document and God speaks to humanity in a language people can
understand. If we  who  preach  and  teach want to be understood and to
make a lasting impression on people with the word of truth, we too, should
speak to those who hear in a way that they can get the point. Simplicity is one
of the keys to all successful teaching. The scriptures themselves indicate this
very fact.

                                                                                           R. Daly

Copyright 2013

    

The Songs We Sing

     The vast majority of the songs congregations of Christ sing when worshiping
God conform to the New Testament standard, but there are some songs that
do not. I would like to cite some of the songs that need to undergo lyrical
changes or be discarded because they express sentiments that promote false
doctrine or contradict God's word.

     Paul wrote the  following  words  to the  brothers and sisters in Colossae,
"Let the word of Christ  dwell in you richly, teaching  and  admonishing  one
another  in  all  wisdom, singing  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs, with
thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Col. 3:16, ESV-2011) According to
Paul, we teach when we sing. So  it  is  appropriate  to  ask, "May we sing
songs that do not harmonize with sound teaching? May we sing words that
contradict sacred scripture?" The fact is, since we teach when we sing, we
should be as certain that we sing the truth, as we should be that we preach
the truth.

     There is a song in the older books titled "When we All Get To Heaven."
Someone understood that biblically speaking "We All" will not get to heaven.
(Mat. 7:13-14; 25:41,46) The song has been updated in many of the newer
books, and it now says, "When the Saved Get To Heaven." Why the change?
Because we are to teach the truth when we sing. The song was not abandoned,
but some of the words were changed to bring the song into conformity with
New Testament teaching.

     There is another song titled "What If It Were Today?" The opening line
says, "Jesus is coming to earth again, What if it were today?" The main
problem is this: by no stretch of the imagination is it true that our Lord is
ever coming to the earth again! Paul said we "will be caught up in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air." (1 Thess. 4:17) The words of the song contradict
the word of the Holy Spirit.

     There is also a song titled "Jesus Is Coming Soon." Many congregations
have sung this song. The melody is a toe tapper and very delightful to the
ears. But, that is not the standard by which we determine if a song is
appropriate in the worship of God. It may be the case that Jesus will come
soon, but what scriptural testimony do we have to that effect? Some people
appeal to the words "I am coming soon" in Rev. 22:7,20; NIV, ESV) as
evidence that his second coming will be soon. The ASV-1901 says, "I come
quickly." Why the difference? The Greek word tachu is always used in
adverbial phrases in the New Testament and expresses the manner by which
something is done. It indicates speedily, quickly, without delay, and can
connote soon, in a short time. Even if tachu can be translated "soon" the
question is this: Is Rev. 22:7,20 speaking about the second coming of Christ?
The answer is a resounding no! Whatever the "coming" of this passage refers
to, it was a message of consolation to the seven congregations of Christ in
Asia at that time. (Rev. 22:16) The Lord would come in judgment against the
enemies of his people near the end of the first century. The song "Jesus is
Coming Soon" reflects a mistaken view of Mat. 24 where the Lord is talking
about the destruction of Jerusalem, not his second coming. One thing that
may help is to sing "Jesus May be Coming soon," rather than singing "Jesus
is Coming Soon."

     Another beloved song among members of the body of Christ is, "Lift Him
Up." It is a take on the words of Jesus in John 12:32, where the Master said,
"And if I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all people unto me." Friends,
Jesus is referring to his crucifixion. The very next verse says, "But he said this,
signifying what manner of death he would die." The chorus of the song says,
"Lift him up (lift the precious Savior up...) still he speaks from eternity..." When
we sing the chorus that says "Lift him up," based on the context of Jno. 12:32-33,
are we not saying crucify him?  

     There is a song titled "Jesus Paid It All." The third verse says, "Sinner, not
for me alone did the Son of God atone; Your debt too, he made his own, On
the cruel tree. Come to him with all your sin; Be as white as snow within; Full
salvation you may win And rejoice with me." The New Testament does not 
teach that Jesus made our "debt" or sin his own. Our sin is our sin. Jesus was
the sacrifice for sin but he did not make our sin his own, (2 Cor. 5:21). If he
made our sin his own, how could he not be a sinner by transfer? (Heb. 4:15;
1 Pet. 2:22) The concept of Jesus making "our" sin "his" own is purely
Calvinistic denominationalism!

     Another song frequently sung by Christians is "It Won't Be Very Long."
The song says "It won't be very long till Jesus shall descend." The question is:
how do we know this to be true? How can we know what Jesus doesn't even
know? He said, "But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mat. 24:36; NIV-2011)
How do we know "It won't be very long?" Therefore, how can we sing what
we don't know as if we know it?

     Another song that has gained great notoriety among believers is "Guide
Me O Great Jehovah." The name of the deity is Jehovah? One thing that
nearly all, if not all, Hebrew scholars acknowledge is the fact that God's
name is not Jehovah. As expressed by the Hebrew tetragrammaton, deity's
name is  YHWH  and   God   himself  says  so. (Ex. 3:14-15; Isa. 42:8;
Jer. 10:16; 16:21; Amos 9:6, etc.)YHWH is used in the Hebrew scriptures
about 6800 times and is never correctly represented by the name "Jehovah."
Jehovah is of late medieval origin. It does not accurately represent any form
of the Name ever used in Hebrew. God's name has never been, is not now,
and never will be Jehovah.

     Friends, let us pay more attention to the songs we sing when we worship
God. This is especially important when we become aware that many of the
most loved hymns were written  by  people  from  Calvinistic,  Pentecostal, 
and  denominational backgrounds. Their theology influenced the lyrics of their
songs. We teach when we sing and it is mandatory that we always teach the
truth. (Colossians 3:16)
                                                                                                    R. Daly

Copyright 2012


 

Must A Person "DO" Anything To Be Saved?

     To be consistent, those who advocate the erroneous doctrine of salvation by grace alone,
must deny that there is anything for a person to "do" in order to be saved. Those who teach
the doctrine of salvation by "grace alone," contend that a person is passive, not active, and
that anything that is "done" constitutes a "work" and they say, "We are not saved by works."

     One thing they fail to understand is this: there are different kinds of works, and one must
understand the difference in order to have a biblical concept of grace, faith, law, and works.
There are works of the law of Moses such as offering sacrifices, sabbath day observance,
and circumcision. No person can be saved by keeping the law of Moses. The law of Moses
has been removed. It is not binding on anyone. (Acts 15; Romans 3:21,27; 7:4; Galatians
3:23-25; 5:1-4). There are works of "merit" by which one seeks to "earn" or "deserve" the
right to salvation. No one can, by his own planning, earn or deserve salvation. It is a gift from
God and no one can boast. (Romans 4:2-8; Ephesians 2:5,8-9) There are also works of
obedience. These are the "works" that God himself has mandated or made necessary in
order for people to be saved. (Matthew 7:21-23; Hebrews 5:8-9) When a person complies
with God's conditions of pardon he is not attempting to save himself apart from God's grace,
nor is he trying to earn his salvation. He is by the grace of God, yielding to the commands of
the heavenly Master! A good question for the Calvinist is this: Can a person be saved without
submitting to the conditions that God has made necessary for salvation?

     On the day of Pentecost, the Jews who were cut in the heart by the apostles' words
asked, "Men, brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:36-37)  The  Holy  Spirit  who  was
revealing God's will through Peter and the rest of the apostles, did not respond to their
question by asking,"Do, what do you mean 'do?' There is nothing to 'do.' God has already
done it all. " Luke tells us, "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be immersed every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ in order to receive the forgiveness of your sins, and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) The Holy Spirit, through Peter, told them
what to do. Therefore, a person must "DO" something in order to be saved!

     In Acts 16:30 Luke says the jailer asked Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?" Paul did not say, "Do, what do you mean do? There is nothing to 'do.' God has
already done it all. " Paul told him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you
and your household." (v. 31) Paul  did  not  tell him to "only believe," or "believe only."
Salvation by faith alone is  not  taught  in  the  New  Testament. It is found in the mental
corridors of denominational theologians who have discarded God's plan of salvation. Paul
told him to "believe in the Lord Jesus." To "believe in the Lord Jesus" involves accepting
all conditions God has made necessary for salvation from past sins, and this includes
immersion into Christ Jesus! After Paul and Silas  spoke  the  word  of  the  Lord  to him
and those in his house (v. 32), he was immersed at once, he  and  all  his  family! (v. 33) 
It  is  after  he  and his household heard the word and were immersed that Luke tells us,
"And he rejoiced that he had believed in the God." (v. 34) Yes, a person must "do"
something in order to be saved, and when he does it, he has not earned his salvation,
neither has he vitiated or nullified the grace of God. The Bible says "he has believed in the
God."

                                                                                                                        R. Daly

Copyright 2012

"Those Who Had Believed Through Grace"

     The word "grace" (Grk. charis), in connection with God's plan of redemption for
mankind, refers to favor, or God's acts of kindness in bestowing salvation on those
who willingly submit to the conditions God's has mandated. God's grace is not
earned, neither is it deserved. God extends his grace to sinners because he wants all
people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:4) Paul told
Titus, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people." Without
grace there is no salvation. Paul told the brothers and sisters in Ephesus, "by grace
you have been saved." (Eph. 2:5) Every person who has ever been saved, was saved
by the grace and mercy of the loving God.

     Yet, there are many false notions about the grace of God. Most denominational
theologians, and many among the Lord's own people misrepresent scripture's
teaching about the grace of God.  There are those who say, "Since we are saved by
grace, and inasmuch as grace is God's part, there is nothing we can or should do.
Doing something involves 'works' and we are not saved by works." This is the old
Calvinistic concept popularized by the French reformer, John Calvin, in the 1500's.
The fact is: John Calvin was wrong then, and his religious puppets are wrong now.
The Bible does not teach that salvation by grace negates the acts of obedience with
which a person must comply before God will save them. The New Testament
clearly teaches that Christ is "the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him."
(Heb. 5:8-9; Mat. 7:21) Those who teach grace saves without a person rendering
full compliance to God's conditions, are guilty of not accepting all the Bible teaches
on the subject of salvation.

     Others  teach  the  concept  that  since  grace   is  extended to all people, those
who die in denominational error, and those who die as disobedient children of God,
may be received into heaven on the day of judgment. This doctrine is as smooth as
molasses, as sweet as honey, and as comforting as a summer breeze. But there is
a major problem with it; God's word teaches it is not true! Paul asked the Romans,
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may increase? By no
means! How shall those of us who died to sin live in it any longer?" (Rom. 6:1-2)
Grace is not designed to give hope to anyone who dies in defiance of God and
his word. It provides a way out of sin, into the kingdom of God, and finally a way
into heaven when time is no more. Grace does this by teaching us how to live. "The
grace of God has appeared, teaching us..." (Titus 2:11-12)

     An interesting statement was made by Luke when he wrote about the work of
Apollos among the brothers and sisters in Achaia. He said Apollos "greatly helped
those who had believed through grace." (Acts 18:27) How had they "believed
through grace?" Everything that God had done (sending his unique Son to die on
the cross (Jno. 3:16); providing for the establishment of his congregation (Eph.
3:8-11); sending the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles in their work of preaching
the saving gospel (Jno. 16:13; Rom. 1:16; 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:18,21); and giving
commands to be obeyed in order to have forgiveness of sins (Mat. 28:19; Acts 2:38;
Rom. 6:3-4) was an act of grace. When the people in Achaia obeyed the gospel of
God, the very grace that was manifested through all that God did was the means by
which they became believers, for it was the God of grace who saved them!

                                                                                                                   R. Daly

Copyright 2012

More Advice To Young Preachers

     Prepare yourself to defend the truth. Not everyone has the knowledge, disposition,
or skill to be an effective public debater, but all of us can learn to give "an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have." (1 Pet. 3:15) You
will not always have the full support from every member of the congregation with
which you work as evangelist, but you do not need such to be ready for the defense of
the gospel. (Phil. 1:16) You are God's servant and God says "Fight the good fight of
the faith." (1 Tim. 6:12) God also says we should, "be contending for the faith once
for all delivered to the holy people." (Jude 3) You will always have people who say
"debates are simply mean spirited contests." Others will say debates "never do any
good." Jesus, Paul, and Apollos were debaters! Many people were brought to the
Lord as a result of Paul's debates. (Acts 17:1-4, 10-12) Luke tells us that Apollos
was a great help to the brothers and sisters in Achaia, "For he vigorously refuted
his Jewish opponents in public debate." (Acts 18:27-28) Do not try to make a name
for yourself as a defender of the truth. Always glorify God! Study, study, study, and
learn to reason through the text. Think logically and keep your explanations simple.
Remember, every issue does not need debating. Do not waste precious time debating
matters of mere opinion or judgment. The substantive issues are important and
should be thoroughly examined.

     Do not be afraid to differ with fellow preachers if necessary. Do not swallow
everything that every preacher, elder, editor, or professor says. Some preachers are
not studious, but they choose to "go with the flow." Always "examine the scriptures
daily to see if the things taught are so." (Acts 17:11) If another preacher proclaims
something that contradicts God and his word, reject what he says without apology!
"Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 Jno. 4:1) If a fellow
preacher says something that is not true or is questionable, ask him for the proof
from scripture. If he is a friend of God, he will get glad; if he is a friend of the devil,
he will get mad. Whether he gets mad or glad never hesitate to ask for "book, chapter,
and verse." (1 Pet. 4:11) It is important not to go  looking  for  a  "fight,"  but you
shouldn't run if it is necessary to fight. (1 Tim. 6:12) 

     Pray unceasingly. (Acts 2:42; Col. 4:2) Never begin or end a day without fervent
prayer. Jesus and the apostles prayed often. Paul requested the brothers and sisters in
Ephesus to pray that he "will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel."
(Eph. 6:19) Preachers of the gospel are soldiers of Christ and God will provide help
in our work if we humbly ask him to assist us. A  preacher  who  does not pray is a
preacher who will not remain strong, grow, or stay in the battle for truth. He will
have no incentive to do so, because he fails to communicate with God, the source of
his strength.

     Never use the pulpit or pen to destroy people or to vent personal resentment 
for those who hate you. Preachers who promote  righteousness  will  have  enemies,
but we must not allow them to make us hate them, for if we do, we will rot from the
inside out. We as preachers are seeking to destroy "strongholds" and "we demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and
we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor. 10:4-5) We want
the  people  to  be  saved   and   we   accomplish   this   without  being  quarrelsome.
(2 Tim. 2:24-26)   Always have the best interest  of   people  at heart, but "hate  the
clothing stained by corrupted flesh." (Jude 22-23)

     Use  accurate  modern  English  translations  that  convey  the  words  of God
in a way that people understand.  The  preacher  is  a  teacher  and  this necessitates
the understandability of both the translation he uses and the message he preaches. A
teacher fails if no one learns because of the complexity of his message. Shame on us
if we believe scholarship is deliberately preaching over the heads of the people. The
recorded sermons of the Jesus and the apostles were powerful, profound, and simple!
They are perfect models of how to do our work. (2 Tim. 4:1-5) Do not preach any
sermon until you understand it. Now, ask yourself if the people will understand it.
Aim for  scripturality and understandability. (Eph. 3:4; 5:17)

     Learn to appreciate the work of your predecessors, but do not believe one
thing just because they believed and taught it.  (Acts 17:11; Heb. 13:7) I admire
the men who called for a return to the Bible during period known as the restoration
movement. I appreciate Alexander Campbell's ability as a debater, J.W. McGarvey's
scholarship, Ben Franklin's consistency, courage, and clarity of thought. Yet, neither
of them is the standard of authority in religion. Some people are so enamored with
the restoration movement, that they spend more time analyzing the lives, times, and
writings of Campbell, McGarvey, Franklin, and Lipscomb than they do  studying
the writings of the apostles of Christ. Our faith does not rest on the wisdom of men,
but on the power of God. (1 Cor. 2:5) All of the men who lived and preached during
the restoration movement were fallible. They made many mistakes and taught some
things that were wrong. The same is true today. We must not defend or excuse any of
the errors the so-called restorers believed and practiced anymore than we should
defend preachers today who believe in premillenialism, the personal indwelling of
the Holy Spirit, the acceptability of mechanical instrumental music in worship, etc.
The  fact  that  some  of  those  who believed and taught  error  were in the early
stages of making a clean break from denominationalism, is no excuse for the fact
that they taught error. Any religious error from any source must be rejected.
                                                                                 
                                                                                                                     R. Daly

Copyright 2012 




         

1st and 2nd Timothy: Advice To Young Preachers

     In the mid to late 60's A.D. Paul wrote two letters to a young evangelist 

whose name was Timothy. They contain some profound wisdom from Paul 

to Timothy, that would serve him well along life's way after Paul had taken 

his exodus from the land of the earthly living.

     I have known several men through the years who have been dear friends 

and advisers to me.  Sometimes they told me things that were like bitter weed 

at the time, but they were meant for my well-being. By the grace of God, I have 

lived long enough that I am now able to pass along some things that I have 

learned to young preachers. 

     Be a worker. (2 Tim. 2:15) Never be ashamed of the gospel. It is the 

message of salvation. (Rom. 1:16) Be prepared to rise during the early hours 

of  the morning, or to study into the late hours of the night in order to fill the 

mind with the word of the living God. "Study long and study deep." Take 

nothing for granted and be thorough in your research. Examine every possible 

avenue of understanding in your analysis of a word, phrase, sentence, verse, 

etc. When you "lock down" the meaning, put it in your head. Remember, an 

evangelist is a worker. (2 Tim. 4:5)

     Read scripture. (1 Tim. 4:13) Be devoted to public and private reading. 

Read, read, and read again. Reading will keep your mind fresh and you will 

always have a reservoir of information for those you serve. If you are not 

widely read, you will grow stale and you will experience burnout. But, more 

importantly, have an intimate familiarity with the book on which you stake 

your life! 

     Learn to speak clearly, distinctly, and emphatically. Many of us

began preaching "race horse style." We were nervous and the main thing

on our mind was standing up, speaking up, shutting up, and sitting down,

often at the expense of  good diction and clarity. Slow down and speak

up in order to be heard and understood. When Peter addressed the people

on the day of Pentecost, he "stood up with the eleven, raised his voice

and addressed the crowd." (Acts 2:14) We must teach people in order

that they may learn, and they will learn if they understand what we are

saying. Slow down and pronounce your words clearly.

     Commit as much of God's word to memory as possible. You will

not always be in a position have a copy of the Bible in hand, but you should 

strive to have it in head. You should not memorize scripture in order to

dazzle an audience with your own accomplishments, but memorization

is  expedient and useful, and  it  enables  the  preacher  to  conserve  time   

in delivery. Placing God's word in the heart also enables a person to be

upright before God. The psalmist wrote, "I have treasured your word in

my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11)

     Keep your sermons simple and relatively brief. Simplicity is one

of the keys to all successful teaching. Some preachers have taken pride

in the fact that they are "preachers' preachers." Such is not good! We 

should learn from Jesus and his apostles that truth is to be taught in an

understandable manner. Jesus frequently used parables as a means to 

convey God's truths. (Mat. 13) Why? They were both simple and memorable.

Neither Jesus nor his apostles tried to teach over the heads of the multitudes.

It is also a fact that "the mind will not absorb more than the body can

tolerate," so keep the sermons relatively brief.

     Do not participate in "preacher gossip." Preachers are some of the
most notorious gossipers on earth. One of the reasons for this is, many
preachers travel throughout the country in meetings and they hear a lot,
see a lot, and know a lot. As a result they are overcome by the "can't
wait to tell it bug." Many preachers also think of preaching as a
"competitive sport" rather than the work of God. Therefore, they seek
to belittle and cast aspersion on those they deem to be competitors. This
is shameful and should be avoided at all costs. Use your mouth in the
classroom and the pulpit, not on the telephone, computer, and breakfast
table to spread the latest news. Remember, if gossip is brought to you
about someone else, it will be taken from you to someone else! A dog
that will bring a bone will take a bone. Guaranteed! The Bible says to
avoid those who gossip. (Prov. 20:19)      

 

     Forget about lining up with "brotherhood" positions. Make it your 

goal to be fiercely loyal to the truth. "Buy the truth and do not sell it; get 

wisdom, instruction, and understanding." (Prov. 23:23) The only person in
whom you should have one hundred percent confidence is God, and the
only "position" you should hold is the one that aligns with truth! Avoid
sectarian philosophy by refusing to "line up" with men and movements.
(1 Cor. 1:11-13) Be an independent thinker. Do not believe anything  
just because a friend believes it, and do not reject anything  just because
an enemy believes it. Go wherever truth leads! Follow the trail of evidence.
Nothing but the facts; only the facts.

     Be wise in selecting commentaries. Do not focus on commentary 

"sets" per se. Most sets are highly uneven in quality. Carefully pick the 

individual volumes on particular biblical books. Furthermore, give high 

priority to exegetical commentaries, that is, those that explain the text 

and examine it lexically, contextually, and grammatically. I do not want 

a commentary to necessarily agree with me, but I want it to make me 

think my way through the text. Do not turn to commentaries as your first 

"court of appeal." Delve into the text itself. First try to determine what
you see in a passage. Attempt to draw your own conclusions before
you seek out a commentator's point of view.

     If possible learn the biblical languages. Not everyone can or will 

become an expert in Hebrew and Greek, but most preachers can either 

learn the basics of the biblical languages or at least learn how to use the 

fundamental reference works that are available. No, you don't need to 

learn Hebrew and Greek to go to heaven. But since our heavenly Father 

chose those languages as the means of conveying his will to humanity, it 

would seem that one would want to know something about them. It may 

also enable a preacher to avoid making some of the common mistakes often

observed, such as etymologizing for word meaning, lexical overloading, 

condemning modern translations when they differ with the KJV, misusing 

Hebrew and Greek grammars and lexicons, etc.

     Never be ashamed to say, "I am wrong" when you are wrong. 

Pride is a destroyer of self, friendships, and the soul. (Prov. 16:18) 

Sometimes people will point out a fault or sin just to embarrass you or 

because they are being eaten from the inside out by jealousy. Be man 

enough to admit the fault. Make the necessary correction and move ahead. 

If their motives are not pure, even though they might have embarrassed 

you, it will be God who gets the last word! He knows peoples' hearts and 

your adversaries will have no escape. The Lord's apostles had critics, but 

they did not allow that to stop them. (Phil. 1:15; 2 Tim. 4:14-18)

     As a general rule, avoid  "preachers' " meetings, breakfasts,
luncheons, etc. Very often they evolve into opportunities to consume
more than what's on the plate. If half the people are half as bad as most
preachers say, it seems that instead of talking about it, they would get
up and go help the people overcome their weaknesses and sins. Spend
your time diligently studying God's word and helping the people you
should love. Help them overcome the obstacles they face on the road
to eternity. (Gal. 6:1)

     Never entertain resentment for other preachers. We are all
needed in the Lord's service. We all approach things differently and
our knowledge varies. I refuse to be jealous of another man. If I am
envious of him, I am rebelling against God, for it is God who has
blessed my fellow preachers with their ability. Rejoice in the ability
of others and perfect your ability. If you spend time honing your skills,
you will not have time to sit idly and resent others! (Gal. 5:19-26)

     Avoid institutional thinking regarding the local congregation.
The local congregation is God's appointed "group" to perform the work
he has assigned her. (1 Tim. 3:15; 5:16) Shun the idea that the well-being
of the congregation is dependent on men and papers, or colleges and
universities. The well being of the local congregation is dependent on the
Lord's blessings and her adherence to his inerrant word! God has given
her an all-sufficient arrangement (Phil. 1:1); guide (Jas. 1:25; 2 Pet. 1:3);
worship (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1Cor. 11:17-26; Eph. 5:19); and mission
(2 Cor.11:8; Phil. 4:14-17; 1 Thess.1:8) No human arrangement or
society is her equal! Defend God's plan against any and every
unauthorized human scheme. Do not expect to have many true friends
when you stand for the truth. Cherish those who are proven friends,
and remember, God is the friend who is larger than the world!

     Develop a hobby. Learn to get away from things sometimes.
The Lord was a fisherman. He loved the wilderness and would often
get on the water . A change of pace is good for one's face, for the race
we are running, and for one's faith as it shows us the variety in Yahweh's
creation. When you resume your routine after having "taken a breather,"
you will be fresher than a rose bouquet that's one minute old, and ready
like a race horse to leave the gate!

     Practice habits that are conducive to good health. The preacher's
mind is a terrible thing to waste. "Water is nature's beverage and honey
is nature's sweetener," so consume a lot of both if you are not allergic to
them! Eat large amounts of  fruits and vegetables, especially those that
are high in antioxidants. Blueberries, pomegranates, apples, pears, nuts,
bananas, whole grain cereal, etc. Seek out sources that are high in
vitamins C and E along with the mineral zinc. You will not regret it! Do
all you can to preserve and strengthen your mind. It is your "workshop."
Pray constantly. (Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17) Remember, stress is a killer.
(Prov. 14:30; 15:13; 17:22)

     Do not be a braggart. Be humble and unassuming. (1 Cor. 13:4)
You do not need to blow a trumpet about your academic attainments.
People will know your capabilities by your conversation, writings,
preaching, etc. A person is not a scholar merely on the basis of
academics. There are men and women with PhD's who have trouble
understanding Jno. 3:16; Acts 2:38; Eph. 5:19 and many other texts.
Scholarship indicates depth of thought, thoroughness of research,
originality, and unflinching loyalty to the truth.
                                                                                                RD

Copyright 2011 

Radicalism

     A radical is a person who goes to extremes, or one who seeks revolutionary changes,
whether they are political, social, or religious in nature. Radicalism refers to the beliefs,
doctrines, and practices of radicals. It is important to "speak where scripture speaks and
to be silent where scripture is silent." (1 Pet. 4:11) It is never right to go beyond the
teaching of God's word. (1 Cor. 4:6) We should not allow human emotions, tradition,
like or dislike for men or movements to cause us to become extremists. It is possible
for  both  "liberal"  and  "conservative"  thinkers  to  be  proponents  of  radicalism. A
conservative  radical  is  as  dangerous  and  undesirable  as   a  liberal radical. Neither
recognizes  the  proper  balance  in  their  approach  to   issues. Both  are  driven by a  
unidirectional approach that is based on extremism.

     For  instance, the  radical  liberal  goes too far with scripture's teaching about the
mercy of God. They see the mercy of God as the means by which a person who dies out
of Christ, might have hope of being received into heaven after the resurrection and
judgment. They even go to the extreme of teaching that a child of God who dies in a
state of unfaithfulness might have hope because God is "rich in mercy." There is no
doubt  that  God  is  "rich in mercy"  because the Bible says so. (Eph. 2:5) Scripture
teaches that we are saved by mercy. (Titus 3:5) But the radical liberal sees mercy as
doing something that God never promised. Where does God's word teach that God
will allow a person who dies in rebellion to him to enter heaven? Actually, God says,
"Or do  you  not  know  that  wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?"
(1 Cor. 6:9)

     Consider the following: It is a known fact that both Ananias and his wife Sapphira
lied to the Holy Spirit and died as the result of their attempted deception. (Acts 5:1-11)
Will their sin be erased in the judgment because of God's mercy? Why not apply the
radical liberal's view of God's mercy to them as well as others who die in sin? God
himself has already spoken as to the eternal destiny of Ananias and Sapphira. "All liars
will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." (Rev.
21:8, NIV-2011) Neither the radical liberal nor anyone else has the right to speak falsely
for God. (Job 13:7,RSV) The radical liberal opens the gate too wide. They are too far to
the left.

     The radical conservative makes a similar mistake. They also go to extremes but
in a different direction. The conservative rightly teaches that the local congregation's
work is preaching and defending the gospel (1 Tim. 3:15); providing benevolence for
believers who are destitute (1 Cor. 16:2),  and  worshiping  God  (1 Cor. 11:17-34). 
Therefore,  the conservative correctly reasons that the congregation has no authority
to build and maintain facilities for political, secular, and worldly entertainment purposes.
But the radical conservative goes a step further and denies that the meetinghouse could
be used as a place to feed hungry believers. They would say that any and all "eating
in the building" is unauthorized. They  have  missed  the  mark. The  building  is
authorized  as  a  place in which to assemble and worship (Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25),
and as a place for the congregation to meet, discuss, and perform it's work within the
realm of expediency. (Acts 6:1-6;14:27; 1 Tim. 5:16) It may not always be expedient
or advantageous to feed needy believers in the meetinghouse, but such is not necessarily
wrong. The New Testament teaches that the local congregation may provide food for it's
needy members. (Acts 6:1-4) The food may be paid for with money from the treasury.
The place where the food will be served to hungry believers may be provided by
money  from  the  treasury,  and  that  place  may  be  the  meetinghouse  of  the
congregation without any violation of scripture. The radical conservative goes
too far to the right and the radical liberal goes too far to the left. If one goes too
far to the right or left they have gone in the wrong direction! Disaster is the result.

                                                                                                                     R Daly
Copyright 2012