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Nobody does it better
The Old Path Magazine | Vol. 1 No. 3 | 2005 |
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continuation...
Preaching therefore should not be done by anyone for
want of something to do, or for lack of any skill in
other works. The opposite is true as preaching is
handling a very delicate material - the Word of God
- therefore only select individuals could be chosen.
It follows that preaching is not a job that is open
to application, but by appointment of the owner of
those words to be preached. That explains why not
everyone is given the understanding needed to
expound on the teachings contained in the Holy Book.
That a preacher is undergoing sacrificial life in
carrying out God’s work is manifestation enough that
he is the appointed one in saving souls. He gets
practice in persecutions. The more persecutions, the
deeper he gets in understanding events. And the more
challenges, the sharper he gets in understanding
God’s Word. Given unlimited Spirit, none can surpass
his understanding.
The irony of it all is that God has equipped the
faithful preacher with full knowledge of the Bible
with unmeasured Spirit, then warned him what not to
do that he may finish his work, and yet allowed him
to be fair game to wicked people and their evil
designs. But God is faithful, this mysterious set-up
may be the strength of God’s design in preserving
His nation through His Faithful preacher - one whom
none can beat in unlocking the mysteries of the
Bible.
In true preaching, there are no promises of perks
and the good life that it should be openly coveted.
There is only the heavy obligation to carry out not
just a simple commission for a short time and for a
few people. The task is gargantuan that the faithful
preacher is the one appointed by God. 2 Cor. 10:18
shows the position as closed career -
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but
whom the Lord commendeth.
Another mark of the faithful preacher is that he
does not preach by his own. Consider this from a
prophet -
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and
gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the
LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but
what the LORD saith, that will I speak? (Num. 24:13)
The words of the faithful preacher are from God and
as such, he is given unlimited Spirit. His ability
therefore is more than normal, or in other words
supernatural. Notice in John 3:34 -
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God:
for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
If the words spoken by the preacher are from man,
then it is wrong – no longer the word of God. A
faithful preacher therefore is warned not to listen
to fables, to men’s concoctions, and to lies.
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments
of men, that turn from the truth. (Titus 1:14)
Marks of an Unfaithful Preacher
Who can Lead One to Damnation
The Bible does not leave the world hanging without
giving indications about false preachers. First,
they make merchandise of God’s words. For a living,
they make business out of religion, and in the
process corrupt the Word of God. But that is not how
the apostles did it. 2 Cor. 2:17 says –
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of
God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the
sight of God speak we in Christ.
The Word of God is not supposed to be sold. In
Proverbs 23:23, one is exhorted to buy the truth,
and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and
understanding. It is forbidden to make God’s word
merchandise as it is freely given. This is found in
Matt. 10: 7-8 which also states a commission –
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven
is at hand. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have
received, freely give.
However, false preachers would not hesitate to do
anything with the Word of God in anyway they like
for gain. They are thus referred to as greedy dogs
who desire to be teachers but are not knowledgeable.
They pretend to be of God but the primordial desire
is to get rich. And, as expected, the members they
gather are as materialistic as they are. Isaiah
56:11 describes them as follows –
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have
enough, and they are shepherds that cannot
understand: they all look to their own way, every
one for his gain, from his quarter.
The love of money has often been the likely
trademark of the unfaithful preacher, and with it
the lack of knowledge, and of course the attendant
pretenses. Ecclesiastes 5:10 describes him as loving
silver and not being satisfied with it; loving
abundance and not being satisfied with increase.
There is also the desire to be teacher but is not
knowledgeable as mentioned in 1 Tim. 1:7, and the
pretense to be of God. Rom. 16:18 states –
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus
Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and
fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
For being such, the bible is emphatic about calling
them deceitful workers of satan as described in 2 Cor. 11:13-14 whose real goal is to get wealthy.
Jeremiah 5:26-27 states –
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay
wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap,
they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are
their houses full of deceit: therefore they are
become great, and waxen rich.
It is said, the materialistic attract their kind. If
the preacher is materialistic, their members would
be materialistic like them. It is like attracting
like. A poor preacher is not that attractive to
members of the congregation who think only in terms
of physical comfort, unless he has something greater
to offer. But a poor preacher would have lesser
distractions to contend with if he does not enrich
himself especially through deceit. Truly, as warned
in the bible, a faithful preacher must not aim to
get rich for the love of money brings in many
sorrows as described in 1 Tim. 6: 9-10 –
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and
a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition. For
the love of money is the root of all evil: which
while some coveted after, they have erred from the
faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
False preachers gather unto themselves people like
them who also follow their ways of covetousness. The
following two verses speak of their nature where
they put into bondage people of their kind, who
believe their deceitful preaching, by which they are
also made slaves.
2 Pet. 2:1-3 –
But there were false prophets also among the
people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring
upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall
follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through
covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long
time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth
not.
2 Pet 2:19 –
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are
the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is
overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
God’s Number One Warning
to the Faithful Preacher
The preacher’s work of saving souls is crucial,
therefore God as direct supervisor would want his
preacher preserved from anything that would derail
his duties. He is banking on faithfulness - of the
preacher - to lead God’s nation to the finish line.
To realize that, naturally He would provide all the
guidelines needed as in warning his preacher what
NOT to do. He, as God, would see to it that His work
is done, and as such, has prescriptions for his
preacher’s demeanor. This would draw the line
between the faithful and the unfaithful one. The
first would act accordingly; the latter would go
through the motions to get to his personal gain.
For any profession, there are prescribed
professional ethics. Much more so with the crucial
commission of saving souls, professional ethics is
inherent; it is expected; it goes with the task; it
cannot be separate from the task.
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Doctrines of
Christ
