ARTICLES FROM THE PERSUADER
VOLUME II (1993-1995)

 

Preachers Will Have A Lot To Answer For!

 

Luke 12:48

     Right after I came to New Hope Baptist Church in 1987, I spent some time with one of our members who had been diagnosed with cancer. As we Talked, we discussed specifics concerning the doctrine of salvation. After hearing These specifics This Man Said, "You know, preachers will have a lot to answer for!"

     This is true Because Luke 12:48 says, "... Unto whosoever much is Given, of him Shall be much required..."   Much is Given to an Individual When God calls him to be a preacher of the gospel and as a Responsibility result is much laid upon that preacher. Preachers will have a lot to answer for! James 3: 1 states, ". My brethren, be not many masters, Knowing That We Shall receive the greater condemnation"   Those Masters or in a place of leadership with a Responsibility of instructing others Shall receive the greater condemnation (judgment).

     If a physician instructs his patient to the extent I wrongfully dies, Doctor That Will Have to answer for the patient's life. But if a preacher instructs Those under His leadership wrongfully, to the extent They Die without Being saved, then a preacher That will be more accountable than the doctor. Why? Because if one dies physically, That is only life of the body, but if one dies without Being saved, I will go to hell for an eternity. THEREFORE, preacher That Will Have That Man's blood upon His hands.

     Preachers, we must find out what God says acerca salvation and stand for truth That no matter how much criticism other brethren make. We are not to seek to please man but God. Gal. 1:10 states in principle, "If I seek to please men Then I am not a servant of God."   THEREFORE, we need to practice what II Tim. 2:15 says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman That needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."   We have to answer to a Holy God.

     What will preachers Have to answer for?

 

WE PREACH THE MESSAGE

 

     We will Have to give an account for the message we preach. Gal. 1: 8 says, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than That Which We have Preached unto you, let him be accursed."   Paul Preached The gospel is the good news of what Christ did for fallen man. We usually define the gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor. 15: 3-4) This is true but it Involves the virgin birth. (John 1: 1,14) If Jesus HAD Average User born of a virgin then a mere man died on the cross. If That was the case, I would not have any qualified as our Saviour. But I did qualify Because Jesus was virgin born. (Luke 1: 26-35)

     This message Involves not only the fact That Jesus died but That He died for our sins.   Thank God, I took my place and bore my sins and paid the penalty of sin for me.

     The empty tomb That lets me know Jesus Arose, overcoming death, hell and the grave. I is now seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for His own. (7:25.) When I was About to leave this earth, He promised to send the Comforter (Holy Spirit) who would reprove (convinces and convict) the world of three things; sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 16: 7-11) This Means salvation is of the Lord; I Initiates it, He produces it, and I consummates it.

     The message we preach Should include the fact That the Lord Jesus will one day bodily come back to deliver all the saved from this world of sin. This is what is Referred to as the rapture, a word not in the Bible but in principle there. (I Thess. 4: 16-17)

     Preachers, one day we'll Have to answer for the message we preach. Oh, may we be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and always be caught preaching the truth out of the Word of God as He enlightens us. May we not follow tradition and what others Have Said, but follow God.

 

WE PRACTICE THE METHOD

 

     Also we will Have to give an account for the method we practice. Many today preach the right message but They err in Their practice of Dealing with people and short circuit the work of the Holy Spirit in many RESULTING Being deceived, thinking That They are saved When in reality They are made ​​"twofold more the child of hell. " (Matt. 23:15) Brethren we will Have to answer for what we practice When Dealing with people Concerning Their souls.

     Many practice what I call easy believism . Preachers will ask Those in the congregation Who are lost or Those Who do not know for sure They are saved to raise Their hand. Then They will tell them to repeat a prayer after him. After praying and giving them time to repeat the prayer, the preacher will tell Those Who prayed the prayer That They are saved. Brethren, this is Causing many to be deceived into thinking They are saved When in reality, They are not.

     Some say, "Well, one out of ten May Have gotten saved." That May or May not be true, but if it is, what about the other nine? They May die and go to hell Because They Depend on the preacher They thought was a man of God and what He Said, for Their assurance. Preachers, if you practice esta form of easy believism You Will Have to answer to God for your practice Because there is coming a day When deceived That person lost His finger will point at you and say, "Why did not you tell me the truth . You dumped me I was saved when i was not. i had confidence in you. I trusted you. Why did not you practice the truth? " Then That person will be cast into the lake of fire. Preachers will have a lot to answer for!

     May you say, "But look at the one That was saved. " Let me say, if one was saved That When He prayed prayer, it was HAD Because the Holy Spirit worked a work of conviction and godly sorrow Which worked repentance. (John 16: 8-11., II Corinthians 7:10) Also faith So THAT HAD Been produced the single Could repent and believe That I Might Be saved. THEREFORE, If You Had practiced individually the truth That would have been saved anyway, Because of the work of the Holy Spirit. Also, the other nine would not be deceived and on the road to hell. I know you HAD rather go on practicing your easy believism Because ten professions to the brethren sound better than one. But, what does God think? Preachers will have a lot to answer for!

     There is another group of preachers who say They are against easy believism They still practice it but in another form. Oh, They Would Never Have sinners to repeat a prayer after They deceive them but in another way. When a sinner comes to the altar They quote Romans 10:13 Along With They use other scriptures. Then They will ask the sinner to pray. They try to get the sinner to pray out loud so That They can hear him. They next if I ask the sinner is saved. If He does not give a positive answer, They get him to pray again making sure They instruct him to call on the Lord. They ask him if the second time I have is saved and if I does not give a positive answer They will take the Bible and ask him to read Rom. 10:13, "For whosoever Shall call upon the name of the Lord Shall be saved." Then comes the question, "Did You Do That, did you call?" Usually the sinner will say, "Yes." Next, you comes the question, "Are you saved?" And if the sinner still does not give a positive answer They will take the Bible, point to Rom. 10:13 and say (usually in a forceful tone), "Are you calling God a liar? God Said if you call I will save you. Do not call God a liar." 

     Pressure is Placed upon the sinner by Man That causes him to say Usually I is saved, When in reality many are not. Why? Because With Their They Called Their mouth and not heart. Rom. 10:10 says, "For With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and With the mouth confession is made ​​unto salvation."   I Cor. 12: 3b states, "... and That That no man can say Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."   A work of the Holy Ghost must be done before one can be saved.

     Brethren, if you are practicing esta method When Dealing with sinners, you are Being used as an instrument of the devil to deceive people into thinking They are saved When in reality They are not. Also this is another form of easy believism That is making many "twofold more the children of hell."

     Lord, help us as preachers to preach the truth and to practice the truth Also Because We as preachers will have a lot to answer for!

 

THE PERSUADER - Oct.-Nov, 1993.