Walking Away from TruthIn Other Words . . . Refuse to Mourn Sin & You Sacrifice the Joy of Salvation

“Is it possible we could experience the joy of our salvation

if we mourned [over our sin] as if someone had died?
We cannot experience joy without mourning.”

~ Pastor Robert Morris,
from Sermon: “Those Who Mourn Are Happy”

Here's the story:
. . . Jody (not her real name) says she left the church because the pastor preached that you cannot be saved unless you read the book of Romans.

Jody disagreed and just up-and-left. Walked out in anger. She abandoned her ministry in the church, uprooted her entire family and changed churches. And -- of course -- people started talking.

You know how it is in churches.

Before long the story also included this: Pastor told Jody she wasn’t a Christian because she listened to Christian radio. Other rumors were even more absurd. And ridiculous. And completely false.

You know how it is in churches.

Here’s the truth. . . the pastor preached a series of sermons from the Book of Romans and -- as is the case whenever the Gospel of Salvation is presented -- some people were offended and turned resentful.

Instead of accepting the truth of Scripture, some people choose to make a pageant of their pride, they get others all stirred up, and they eventually just leave the church. Sometimes they take others with them. They would rather sacrifice the true JOY of Salvation than to MOURN their own sin and depravity.

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

~ I Corinthians 2:14

Sadly, there are many people in churches today who are "without the Spirit." They simply cannot "accept the things that come from the Spirit of God" through Scripture because it is "foolishness to [them]."

. . . See, it's not until we reach the third chapter in Romans that the plan of Salvation is even presented. The JOY comes three whole chapters into the book! It takes the first (l-o--n---g) three chapters to present the problem of SIN and depravity. SIN is the prerequisite to SALVATION. Without sin, what's the point??!!

Lost people do not want to hear that they're sinners! They just want to be "saved." They just want the joy and happiness and Love of God bestowed upon them. They skip the first three Chapters. They never really acknowledge their depravity and sin before God, yet they say they're saved. Are they? Are they really saved? Sometimes people hear the first three chapters -- get angry -- and just walk away.

Until we accept and mourn the fact that we are depraved sinners, we cannot experience the joy of salvation!

The truth is (and most of my readers will “get” this), Jody did not want to accept and confront the fact that she was/is a sinner. . .

No. The pastor did not tell Jody or anyone else -- from the pulpit or anywhere else that you cannot be saved without reading the book of Romans. What he did was [quite eloquently and straightforwardly] explain that. . .

More than any other book in God’s Word, the Book of Romans changes people’s lives. And Satan hates this. Satan is alive and well and kicking with great force in churches where the Bible is opened to the Book of Romans because Satan does not want people to change.

For the most part, Satan does not have a problem with the Bible. In fact, he likes passages about God's great love and acceptance and mercy. . . He likes verses about joy and promises of a full life -- Matthew 11:28-29, John 10:10, John 6:35, John 6:37, Revelation 22:17. Satan likes it when people believe they can be happy and joyful in Jesus outside of true repentance and true salvation.

You must remember that Satan is an angel of light. He is a deceiver. And he can and does use Scripture to deceive. This is why it is so important that we learn to "rightly divide the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15)

Whenever the Word of God is opened to the Book of Romans, where Real Salvation is available if/when we acknowledge and mourn our sinful and depraved state, Satan always goes into immediate action to hinder and impede the message.

Until we accept and mourn the fact that we are depraved sinners, we cannot experience the joy of salvation!

There is no other book of the Bible which has been so instrumental in changing lives and in impacting the church as Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Most, if not all, of the great revivals and reformation in the history of the church have been directly related to the Book of Romans.

← In 386 A.D., Aurelius Augustine received Jesus Christ as his Savior after reading a passage from the Book of Romans. He went on to become one of the church’s most outstanding leaders and theologians.


A thousand years later, →
Martin Luther wrote, “Night and day I pondered Romans until I grasped the truth. I felt myself to be reborn. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.”

← Several centuries later (May 24, 1738 to be precise), a minister named John Wesley wrote this about his study in the Book of Romans: “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins. . . . ”

In assessing the importance →
of the Book of Romans, John Calvin said, “When one gains a knowledge of this Epistle, he has an entrance opened to him to all the most hidden treasures of Scripture.”

← The famous sixteenth-century Bible translator William Tyndale wrote of Romans: “It is the principle and most excellent part of the New Testament... No man can read it too oft, or study it too well; for the more it is studied, the easier it is; the more it is chewed, the pleasanter it is. . . the more it is searched, the precious’er things are found….”

It has been said that Romans will delight the greatest logician and captivate the mind of the consummate genius, yet it will bring tears to the humblest soul and refreshment to the simplest mind.

Until we mourn the fact that we are sinners, we cannot experience the joy of salvation!

And Oh! How Satan hates the Book of Romans!

Satan doesn't mind simple sermons about love and happiness and kindness and living our best life now. . . .

Satan doesn't even mind sermons about Biblical history because he can always use science to confuse people.

But the Book of Romans is primarily a book of doctrine - this is where Satan meets God! It's the battle ground of Scripture. And it answers all our questions:

► What is the good news of God?

► Is Jesus really God?
► What is God like?
► How can God send people to hell?

► Why do men reject God and His Son?
► Why are there false religions and idols?
► What is man’s biggest sin?

► Why is there evil in the world?

► What is the standard by which God judges people?

► How can a person who has never heard about God be held spiritually responsible?
► Who is a true Jew?
► Can any person keep God’s laws perfectly?
► How can a person know he is a sinner?
► Where can people find real peace and hope?
► What exactly is grace?
► Why is living a Christian life such a struggle?

If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you need to study the Book of Romans. Especially the first three chapters.

"Is it possible we could experience the joy of our salvation if we mourned [over our sin] as if someone had died?
We cannot experience joy without mourning.”

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of . . . but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

~ II Corinthians 7:10

"Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. . . ."

~ Matthew 5:3

What is "poor in spirit?" It is the opposite of the haughty, self-assertive, and self-sufficient disposition that the world so much admires and praises. It is the opposite spirit of someone who chooses to walk away from the truth . . . .

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen

©2009 the Heart of a Pastor's Wife

This installment of InOtherWords in hosted by Michelle at Because I Love You.

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The Message of the Cross. . .

I love KOHL’s Department Store. I'm especially fond of the sales at Kohl’s. It's good quality stuff and quite regularly up to 60% off!

(Still can't beat the GoodWill, but. . . )

And . . . if you take your [senior citizen] mother on selected days: more $$$ discount. YEA! (Only she has to pay with her credit card and then you have to take her out to lunch at Baker’s Square and write her a check for all your stuff. . . . Not a bad deal though.)

Point: Everyone loves a sale.

Yesterday Laurie at Women Taking a Stand offered the most poignant correlation between Christ's ultimate sacrifice on the Cross and our often neurotic affinity for the much-loved "sale." Here's a portion:

"As much as I love a bargain, I am so thankful that when Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, and suffered, as He bled and died for me, that He did not try to make a bargain. He was willing to pay the full price.

Wouldn't it be great to shop at Kohl's and pull up to the check out stand with a full cart of merchandise and be told "It's been paid for" - "Your debt has been paid". (You know where I am going with this, don't you. . . )"

I was so moved by her thoughts . . . this is surely of the best parallels one could make to convey the Divine act of atonement. It's nothing less that an airtight line of reasoning for the Message of Salvation. The Way of the Master should be so incisive. . . . for where would any of us be right now without the unspeakable and unmatched sacrifice of the Cross.

Yet. . . ministries all over the world have abandoned the message of the Cross for a more agreeable, pleasing and less confronting message that seriously circumnavigates the message of the entire Bible. After all, the message of Salvation starts in Genesis!

In my husband's own ministry, he faces criticism for his emphasis on the Cross and message of Salvation.

Regardless of Mark's sermon subject/topic/theme, he always (always!) brings his message back to the Cross. This is our mandate as Christians! Evidently, the Enemy does not appreciate this. Here's a small sample of an e-mail my Mark received a while ago:

...Honestly, can’t you be more creative and challenge the people? The only thing you know how to preach about is Salvation. I’m pretty sure the people are saved! But maybe you preach it, because you wonder if you’re really saved. I wonder if you’re saved! Are you saved? Good luck in whatever it is you are trying to do to the people... I always thought a pastor’s mission was to save people, not drag them down.

I won't comment too much on this. It's pitifully sad. Only God can judge a person's heart, but a surrendered Christian does not write this kind of hateful, illogical rant. I've never yet met a True Believer who did not welcome, appreciate and express great passion for the Message of the Cross! See I Corinthians 1:18.

Does an aversion to the message of the Cross hinder the life of the Church?

Of course! Salvation is the message of the Gospel. Ignore the message and you may as well use How to Win Friends & Influence People, Consumer Reports or Martha Stewart Living as your "bible."

Does an aversion to the message of the Cross hinder the fruit that Christians are called to bear?

Absolutely! In the life of the Christian there is a law at work which is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:2 says, ". . . because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

There's no getting around it. Scripture clearly states that it was Christ's death on the Cross that set us free.

It's only when we submit to and apply this law in our life (Prerequisite: the Cross!), the Holy Spirit can begin to manifest the fruit of the Spirit within us. Romans 8:4 says, " . . .in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."

And here's a poser for ya': What happens to a Christian nation when a potential leader (Democratic Presidential Nominee) believes that the Cross of Jesus Christ is simply "one of many ways to reach salvation?"

(I'll leave that one for Sean Hannity.)

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

~ II Corinthians 1:18

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile

~ Romans 1:16

This week. . .
I witnessed fruit this week - at Laurie's blog. There is a presence of love and peace and kindness and goodness and gentleness there. I also saw a woman not ashamed of the gospel.

I recognize and appreciate just a bit more how Satan works in the life of the Church. He (Satan) has a surely won a prize when he is able dilute and weaken the message of the Cross. He does far more damage to God’s Church when the work of the Spirit and the resulting fruit is in short supply.

I grew in my relationship with God this week knowing that the fruit in my life is completely contingent upon my walking in the Spirit.

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2008 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

Inspiration for Fridays:

Fruit of the Spirit Friday at Heart of Wisdom

God Stop Friday at Girlfriends for God

Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary

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Submission in Marriage . . . A Painful Situation?

. . . if you identify at all with the stuggle women have over this issue (and who of us doesn't?), then "Yes," it can be a painful situation. But. . .

. . . we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

~Romans 8:28

The word submit is surely one of the most difficult, disliked, and divisive words in the Bible. Easily cataloged among both the tender and agonizing situations in many women's lives.

Biblical Submission -- unless you are one of those well-heeled women who have never grappled with its dichotomy in our post-modern world -- is just another of those initially bad or painful situations that God always works together for good.

When I married Mark, I knew that there were many things in my life that would definitely have to change. I had been single for nearly forty years, was quite independent, very self-sufficient and perhaps a bit small-minded. I learned almost immediately that Mark was the head of our home, and I needed to submit to his authority.

Here’s how some of our first arguments went:

Mark: “You just need to submit to my authority and there will be no problem.”

Esthermay: “And you just need to love me as Christ loves the Church and I will!”

Ever had that conversation?

Three months into my idyllic and blissful (yea, right) state of "Happily Married," I was (#1) understanding why I'd waited four decades to say "I do!" And (#2) asking myself, "Who is this (gentle)man to whom I had eternally pledged my love and honor?"

See, we both understood what Scripture said. Problem was, (and I’ll speak for myself) I hadn’t yet learned that submission is a doctrine that you apply to yourself. Not your spouse.

Notice in Ephesians 5:21-33, Paul does not say, “Husbands, tell you wife to submit” – or, “Wives, tell you husband to step up and be the spiritual head of the home.” Instead, he speaks to each person individually about his or her own attitude.

Submission is obviously something that Paul believes every Christian can and should do because he illustrates submission with examples:

● wives and husbands

● children and parents

● slaves and masters

In each example, one person has more power, and one person has far less power. In Paul’s day, a wife had no legal rights. Men had all the power, all the financial advantages and virtually all the education. Pagan philosophy was still guiding the culture and women were thought of as damaged, inferior forms of men. With an imbalance of power like that, husbands could easily control their wives, using them to make their lives easier. And wives could easily resist, rebel, and make their husbands’ lives miserable.

God’s solution: Submission. Submission means that we willingly limit what we might naturally do in our relationships in order to benefit the other person. Out of reverence for Christ, we use our position in the relationship to serve the other person.

And when Paul says “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” the Greek word for submit is not a command. The command is back in verse 18: “…be filled with the Spirit.”

Submitting is just a natural expression of that.

Now, here’s where we need to go back to the very beginning to learn God’s plan and watch things unfold and understand why the next verse says, “Wives, submit to your husbands.”

When God walked through the garden and found Adam and Eve hiding, shivering in the nakedness of their sin, He told Eve, “Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Genesis 3:16)

There are different interpretations of the first half of this verse, but it’s the last half that is of consequence. I’ll be the first to admit it. I don’t like the verse! Some days, I hate that verse.

But it’s God’s Word. God has established a chain of command. Things may have been different if sin hadn’t entered the garden, but it did and now there is a definite order of authority in the universe.

I Corinthians 11:3 spells it out, “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” There is no shame or dishonor for a woman to be under authority. The Lord Jesus submitted to the authority of the Father and we can be sure that God thinks no less of us because we are women.

We have His promise in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

For my husband to be what God wants him to be, it is extremely important that I, as his wife, do my best to fulfill my purpose and role. Including submission.

It may seem old fashion and impossible to live out in today’s world. But submission is absolutely Scriptural; and if we called according to His Purpose -- and are willing to do what God shows us through His Word -- He will cause it to work together for us.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*

Today --six years into the bliss -- the Knight in Shining Armor of Small-Farm-Town-Minnesota and Moi are much closer to the "Happily Married" part. I only wish I'd found him when I was 20!

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© Copyright 2008 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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Conformity. . . In The Church?!

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. "

- Romans 12:2

As soon as you throw out the word 'worldly' you've got as many definitions for it as hearers of it. It's important to know precisely what "worldliness" is.

As a girl, I was taught that worldliness included such things as smoking, drinking, dancing, and playing cards. I never did these things -- was never tempted to do these things -- and I felt good about myself was self-righteous. As I got older and my circle of friends grew bigger, I recognized (in my own thinking) that worldliness also included swearing, going to "raunchy" movies, gossiping, and wearing clothing that were "fashionable" but not necessarily modest.

Fast forward a few decades: Today, my list is full up and sated with far more descriptive behaviors.

But this is not what Romans 12:2 is about. To think of worldliness in only these terms is to trivialize what is a far more serious -- and far more subtle -- problem.

The word "world," in Romans 12:2 is actually "age" (aion, meaning, "this present age" in contrast to "the age to come"); and "do not conform," is a compound word having at its root in the word "scheme."

A re-write of the verse might go something like this:

"Do not let the post-modern culture in which you now live force you into its scheme of thinking and behaving."

In the context of Romans Chapter 2, the Apostle Paul is telling Christians that they need to be changed from within to be increasingly like Jesus. And is doing this, the world's ideas will be of no interest because Christians will be able to test and approve what God's will is.

The chief problem in the evangelical church today is that we have been increasingly conformed to the world's patterns. You name it: music, evangelism, preaching, bible-study, small-groups. . . Everything has to be "appealing" and perceived as exciting and new and refreshing!

In my early thirties, I begin to believe that being a part of "church" wasn't so much about being a new person that had been reborn of the Holy Spirit, but that it had more to do with being in "unity" with others. Or better yet: "Community!"

Unity had been (and still is!) mistaken for Truth. (i.e. what God's Word actually says and instructs us to be doing as true believers.) "Unity" had become synonymous with "Truth." And I believed the lie. (And this was early in the new-evangelical movement.)

For many years, I was uncomfortable with this thinking. I couldn't really pin down precisely why, I just wasn't comfortable in my church. And even more than that: I just wasn't comfortable before Jesus when I was alone -- away from the "Community."

It took many years (of studying God's Word) for me to pin down my awkwardness before Him and understand the Truth. God's Word doesn't really have that much to say about "unity" and "community" in the sense that the evangelical church identifies it today. It has everything to say about how a true believer acts and thinks and shares and interacts with the world.

The post-modern culture had forced me into its scheme of thinking and behaving.

I believed the lies:

I believed that simply fellowshipping with other Christians made me a church-member-in-good-standing.

I believed that plain old Bible-Study was boring and irrelevant to my life. I believed that studying and discussing books written by Christian authors was far more applicable to my life.

I believed that bringing Christian Contemporary Music into the church was relevant because it would draw people who might not otherwise come to church. I believed that playing the old Hymns was a turn-off to non-Christians and they wouldn't come to church if we played them.

I believed that making allowances for people who differed slightly in the way of "Salvation" was okay since they were probably on their way to true salvation by just being part of "Community."

And each of these are ways that the church has tried to be relevant to the culture.

Some churches try really hard to find ways. Some churches have committees just to discuss new ideas.

But each new idea is simply another way that the church has been forced into the world's scheme of thinking and behaving. They are all ways that the Truth of God's Word has been sacrificed in order to get more people to attend church.

Is this the reason we have churches? . . .To get as many people through the doors as we can?

By doing this, the church has created a continuity with the world instead of a separateness from the world. Being separate from the world is commanded in God's Word!

The church - as a body - has become "conformed!"

On a global scale, our post-modern world holds "unity" and "community" as the ultimate goal for world peace. If you understand even a small piece of eschatology, you know there is no "world peace."

But it is this "world peace" mindset that encourages socialism, big-government, multiculturalism , relativism, tolerance, etc. in our culture. These schemes are being pushed on us. Sometimes by the church itself!

Even "Christian" agendas (such as The Purpose Driven Church, P.E.A.C.E , 40 Days of Community, multicultural outreach, etc., etc., etc,.) that define "unity" in the sense of a spirituality that transcends all faiths and cultures are manufactured to usher in a new global community where peace will be achieved by consensus and synthesis. (Wrong!)

I am not a pessimist. Really!

My passion - my calling - my purpose - is that Christians be grounded in God's Word. . . . To understand that God's heart is not necessarily what today's churches are dispensing.

I believed the lie myself for many many years!

The saddest part of telling "my story" is that so many professing Christians just don't "get it." They get angry and indignant when this is shown or told to them.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. "
- Romans 12:2

- Esthermay Bentley-Goossen

© Copyright 2008 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

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Is Preaching All That Important?

"Word and worship belong indissolubly to each other. All worship is an intelligent and loving response to the revelation of God, because it is the adoration of his Name. Therefore, acceptable worship is impossible without preaching. For preaching is making known the Name of the Lord, and worship is praising the Name of the Lord made known. Far from being an alien intrusion into worship, the reading and preaching of the Word are actually indispensable to it. The two cannot be divorced. Indeed, it is their unnatural divorce which accounts for the low level of so much contemporary worship. Our worship is poor because our knowledge of God is poor, and our knowledge of God is poor because our preaching is poor. But when the Word of God is expounded to its fullness, and the congregation begins to glimpse the glory of the living God, they bow down in solemn awe and joyful wonder before his throne, It is preaching which accomplishes this, the proclamation of the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit of God. That is why preaching is unique and irreplaceable."
- From "I Believe in Preaching" London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1982), p. 82

Teaching historical and sound doctrine should be the passion of every church. A generation has arisen that seeks answers. And real answers are not found in a cursory understanding of God’s Word. Yet a generation has arisen that does not grasp simple Biblical concepts. A generation has arisen that has not been taught sound doctrine. A generation has arisen that cannot even sit still long enough to hear and listen to a sermon or Bible lesson and when they do, they hear topical sermons that with only a glance into God’s Word for a simple answers to complex contemporary issues. This produces superficial Christians who are no better than the world we are instructed to “go into.” (Matthew 28:19)

Defining Expository Preaching
Let me define expository preaching: Expository preaching is a kind of preaching that expounds upon the meaning of a particular text or passage of Scripture. It gives full meaning -- in context -- to what God's Word actually says and what it actually means. The defining characteristic of expository preaching is that it does not dwell on non-biblical examples. It does not focus on stories, jokes and anecdotes. Instead, it seeks to stay focused on Biblical text. In other words, expository preaching brings God's Word alive! It applies God's Word to today! And because every word of Scripture is God-breathed, expository preaching is the only avenue by which we really know God's heart. Don't you want to know all about Him?! Or do you prefer an out-of-context-soundbites understanding of the creator of the universe?

Let me make a comparison: I am homeschooling my children. At this point, they understand basic math: 1+1=2, 2+2=4, 4-1=3. I would not attempt at this point -- and no teacher begins -- teaching math by explaining long division or calculus. You need to understand the "whole counsel" of math beginning with counting to ten before you can solve quadratic equations.

In the same way, you cannot understand perplexing difficulties in your life or your children's lives or the life of your church if you simply open your Bible to one passage and rely solely upon it to address and solve the problem. Yet we do this all the time! We take pieces of Scripture -- out of both textural and historical context -- and attempt apply it to our lives and circumstances and we wonder why God doesn't bless us. Christians need the whole counsel of God's Word.

Studies prove that most "Christians" do not read their Bibles. To say that Bible illiteracy is rampant in America is black eye for a nation that thinks of itself as Christian. Sixty-five percent of Americans agree that the Bible "answers all or most of the basic questions of life." Amazingly, 28% of Americans who believe the Bible “answers all or most of the basic questions of life” say they rarely or never read the Bible. Therein lies the problem. An even smaller number actually study the Bible. The percentage of frequent readers, those who read the Bible at least once a week, has decreased from 40% in 1990 to 37% today. Only one American in seven reports an involvement with the Bible that goes beyond reading it (The Gallup Organization, October 20, 2000). These statistics are nearly a decade old! You know that they can only have gotten worse in the society in which we live.

So they're getting fed in church. Right? Think again. Most church members frown on the idea of studying the Bible in depth. Contact any church and ask about the attendance at its mid-week Bible Study. Or its Sunday evening service. It is a fact born of study and statistics that the majority of "Christians" in America prefer a feel-good-about-myself sermon about "God's Love" over an expository study of -- lets just choose . . . the Book of Romans or I Corinthians. And even then, the preaching should never come before or take precedence over the music/worship/drama portion of the Sunday morning church service.

The preaching in most churches is a secondary portion of the service when most people feel it's okay to leave either early or altogether. Yet -- for those who want the feel-good sermon about God's Love -- what a far more astounding understanding and grasp of "God's Love" when we understand the depths of ugly that He overlooked when bestowing such Love! The "Love of God" has profound and inexpressible meaning once you've read and fully understand the entire story! Have you ever read the book of Hosea in the context of a lesson on John 3:16? A good expository preacher has. If you have a good expository preacher, you have. The vast majority of Christians have not. And the vast majority of Christians don't care to read it either. They want sermons fed to them that make them feel good about themselves. They want sermons that do not offend anyone. They want a watered-down doctrine that does not confront or label or condemn. The sorry news for these people is that the Bible absolutely does confront and label and condemn.

Paul addressed this in II Timothy: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (II Timothy 4:3-4)

Here's what Martyn Lloyd Jones says about expository preaching: "One advantage in preaching through a book of the Bible… is that it compels us to face every single statement, come what may, and stand before it, and look at it, and allow it to speak to us. Indeed it is interesting to observe that not infrequently certain well-known Bible teachers never face certain Epistles at all in their expositions because there are difficulties which they are resolved to avoid."

e.g. Preaching Romans. . .
"Bible teachers never face certain Epistles at all in there expositions because there are difficulties which they are resolved to avoid." That's interesting. No wonder people are so Biblically illiterate. Pastors are afraid to preach God's Word! My own husband faced criticism when he preached from the Book of Romans. (Any surprises here?) Sadly -- so sadly -- people just didn't want to hear what Roman's had to say to them. Romans is but one example. And denominational boundries and theological differences are illigitimate arguments when people are unhappy over Scripturally-based preaching. When a body of belivers is confronted with the Truth of Scripture, troublemakers always rise to the surface. It's an old preachers' saying that "when you throw out the Word of God, the ones who 'yip' are the ones that got hit." Whether you're Methodist or Baptist or Lutheran -- Calvinist or Armenian, God's Word is God's Word. Truth is Truth -- and but for a few churches which could be categorized as cults, the entire Bible -- from Genesis to Revelation -- is still God's Word. (And "troublemakers" aren't so much troublemakers as they are blinded by satan to the Truth of God's Word.)

For Christians, an understanding of the Book of Romans is the crucial hinge on which Salvation rests: If you don't understand the book of Romans - you're not intellectually capable of understanding salvation. That's sounds more complicated and harsh than it is. And this is not to say you must sit and read vast passages of this Book everyday and study and research the original Greek meaning of every word in every passage. But. . . it is the very simple and elementary understanding that being human equals being full of sin, that makes the entire plan of salvation even necessary. How can you be saved, if you don't know what you are being saved from? But people don't want to hear about sin. Most pastors who've been preaching for a while will tell you that it is easier to reach an un-churched and completely biblically illiterate sinner on the street with the message of salvation than it is to reach the religious sinner sitting in a pew with a fifth-grade knowledge of Scripture. Maybe because sin is embodied in many activities which are practiced so readily in churches: envy, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, insolence, arrogance, pride. Romans tells us that people invent ways of doing evil, that they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. (Romans 1:29-31)

Maybe its the gossip or envy part people don't like because they're engaged it . . . For whatever reason, something just hits too close to home and people get uncomfortable -- then they get angry -- then they gossip more -- then they begin to feel arrogant and heartless -- then they begin to slander -- and then they begin to invent ways of doing evil -- and before you know it, the preacher has created strife in the church. If the pastor just wouldn't preach from the Bible - none of this would happen.

Feel Good Sermons
"I fear that sometimes people in our church. . . want to be flattered more than they want to hear the truth. When you go to the doctor, do you just want a good report so you feel good when going home or do you want the truth?"

-- Mark Dever, Capital Hill Baptist Church, Feb 26, 2008, Southeastern Seminary Chapel

"The early church was met with persecution. Modern churches are met with a yawn."

-- Frank Page, SBC President and pastor of Taylors First Baptist, Taylors, SC, Feb 12, Southeastern Chapel

Modern day church-goers simply don't want to hear anything negative. My father (a pastor) was reprimanded once by a woman after he preached a sermon about hell! She thought it was wrong for a pastor to be so negative. Quite honestly, there's more negative in God's Word than there is positive when it comes to the human condition. And -- news alert! . . hell is real!

If pastors have to avoid expository preaching because -- as Martyn Lloyd Jones puts it -- "there are difficulties which they are resolved to avoid," what does that say about the future of the church? If pastors are having to water-down their messages to keep church attendance up, what does that say about the future of that rising generation with all the questions -- those in their teens and twenties who have little or no grounding in the Truth? And what happens when members of this rising generation are put into positions of leadership? It is a sad realization and a sad fact that pastors and ministries everywhere are attacked when the full Truth of God's Word is preached. As a result, ministries are abandoned, pastors leave the ministry, leaders and teachers leave churches. And in many cases, God's Word is compromised -- a divine calling ignored -- and a pastor caters to church members who want "Love of God" sermons to the exclusion of the other 90% of Scripture that might actually bring about revival and change in the church.

And How Does This Apply to Me?
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Sounds like the role of the church is to equip us. Yes, there is room for worship... Worship is scripturally based, however, churches should not be so concerned about drawing crowds with -- or losing people because of -- a certain type of worship style: Contemporary, Classical, Heritage, Hymns. . . you know what I'm talking about. Google "Worship Wars," and see what I mean. (The worship wars are for another time and another post.)

If you're in ministry: Preach the Word! "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." II Timothy 4:2.

If you're a church member: tell your pastor you'd like to hear more expository preaching.

If you're searching for a church: ask if the pastor preaches topically or expositionally.

If you're more into the worship part of Sunday morning than you are the preaching: re-read the entire post!

Acceptable worship is impossible without preaching. The two cannot be divorced. Indeed, it is their unnatural divorce which accounts for the low level of so much contemporary worship. Our worship is poor because our knowledge of God is poor, and our knowledge of God is poor because our preaching is poor. But when the Word of God is expounded to its fullness, and the congregation begins to glimpse the glory of the living God!

- Esthermay Bentley-Goossen

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