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The Tone of Our Preaching

The Tone of Our Preaching. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2.

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The Tone of Our Preaching

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  1. The Tone ofOur Preaching 1 Corinthians 2:1-2

  2. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

  3. Background - 1 • This past week I got an email from an individual, first name Ron. • Unsolicited, but obvious he felt that I needed to hear what he had to say about the tone of preaching he found objectionable in churches of Christ. • At the end of the email, he advocated the teaching style of Max Lucado.

  4. Background - 2 • The email consisted of a quote from a preacher who lived in the late 1800’s, by the name of Thomas R. Burnett. (The quote is from an article in his paper, Christian Messenger, published on November 9, 1892. • After the quote, Ron expressed his objections to the attitude and tone of brother Burnett’s article.

  5. Procedure • In this lesson, I will… • Read the quote from Burnett • Explain my response to Ron’s objections, and the questions I asked him. • Read Ron’s responses to my questions • Compare Ron’s responses to what is revealed in scripture • The purpose is to reveal the danger and unscriptural nature of present day appeals to “The Positive Gospel”

  6. Tom R. Burnett on Our “Tone” in Preaching The MESSENGER is sometimes charged with being a "quarrelsome paper." Brethren say, "Print the truth, but let other people alone." This is the same cry that we have heard for many years. They say, "Preach the gospel, but let your neighbors alone." How shall we carry out the command?...

  7. Tom R. Burnett, continued… … If we preach faith, we hit the infidel; if we preach repentance, we hit the impenitent; if we preach baptism we hit the affusionist; if we preach honesty, we hit the dishonest; if we preach Christian union, we hit the sectarian; if we preach the Bible as a creed, we hit the many with a human confession; if we preach the New Testament church model, we hit the church with the organ and fiddle and hired pastor. And so on to the end of the chapter. How shall we carry out the command to publish a peace paper?...

  8. Tom R. Burnett, conclusion… … Those journals called "sweet spirited" are continually quarreling at some imaginary beings whose names they will not pronounce. But they quarrel all the same. The MESSENGER is the paper of peace, because it advocates the things that make for peace. The Christian MessengerVol. 18, No. 31, November 9, 1892

  9. Ron’s Response to Thomas R. Burnett The "spirit" in which we write shapes what we think and say, doesn't it? It's possible to preach about baptism without insulting those who imagine that sprinkling is an equivalent of burial. It's not ever necessary to display a spirit of self-righteous despising of those who understand things differently than we do. Isn't that all the editor was asked to do? How about us? Do we love people who don't yet know the truth, or do we despise them? Our attitude as expressed in our words tells the tale. Brother Burnett clearly states his feeling about those who disagree with him. Many write and speak similarly today.

  10. Q1: Are we to follow the examples of Paul and Jesus, who often offended their hearers? Ron’s Response: Often? Jesus taught the multitudes who heard Him gladly because of the tenor of His teaching, which differed greatly from that of the scribes and Pharisees. Paul taught lovingly and won many by teaching happy truths concerning joy and life and mercy and happiness in Christ. He opposed those who opposed truth and attempted to disrupt the peace of the churches Paul had founded by loving teaching. Neither Jesus nor Paul set an example of offending by their teaching. Quite the contrary.

  11. What the Bible Reveals • It was not the “tenor” of Jesus teaching that differed from the Jews. Rather, he taught as “one who had authority” (cf. Matthew 7:29) • Jesus told people what they needed to hear. Note Luke 4:16-30. Especially verses 22, 28-29. • Paul imitated his master, and spoke what was needful, cf. Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Corinthians.

  12. Q2: Do you consider the groups mentioned by Burnett to be guilty of teaching egregious error? Is the infidel lost? Ron’s Response: Are those we seek to win "teaching egregious error"? Are those who have never heard the gospel taught in love necessarily infidels? If approached as enemies, unbelievers are apt to respond as did the Sanhedrin when they heard Stephen. Human nature is apt to respond in the same way that they are treated. We know that all outside of Jesus are indeed lost. Must we quarrel with them about it, or are we to bring to them good news of how salvation is offered by Jesus?

  13. What the Bible Reveals • Definition “infidel” – One who is not a Christian or who opposes Christianity. (Primary definition – Webster Online Dictionary). • Ron’s mistake is considering the term “infidel”, as used by Burnett to be a slur. It is not. It is not quarreling to convict the alien sinner of his sin. • cf. Acts 2:36

  14. Q3: Does affusion (pouring rather than immersion) invalidate baptism? Ron’s Response: Baptism is by immersion. It's our job to teach so and practice so. We don't make friends by fighting against everyone who doesn't know this. We win and baptize by preaching/teaching good news of how baptism IS performed and why it's performed that way.

  15. What the Bible Reveals • How can one convince an affusionist that his baptism is not valid without pointing out the error of his position? • It is simply a casting of aspersion to label the refutation of error as “fighting against everyone who doesn’t know this.” • Our fight is against the error, not against the sinner. (cf. Jude 3) • Baptism is Immersion (Romans 6:4)

  16. Q4: Is sectarianism sinful? Ron’s Response: Jesus wants us to be one body loyal to Him. Some suppose they can force others to agree with us and join with us. It's unity we should teach rather than the sin of disunity.

  17. What the Bible Reveals • Jesus taught the importance of Unity in John 17:20-21 • However, Paul taught the sin of “disunity” (division) in 1 Corinthians 1:10-ff; 3:1-4

  18. Q5: Are human doctrines and opinions vain? Ron’s Response: Human opinions and teachings are human opinions and teachings. Since everyone has opinions (I do mean everyone, including you and me) I'll not hurry to say human opinions and teachings are all vain. Some place their opinions on a par with apostolic teachings, and that's not sensible. The Church of Christ preachers I know are far more apt to teach as doctrine human opinions and teachings than many preachers in other sects.

  19. What the Bible Reveals • The question directly refers to Jesus’ words in Matthew 15:8-9. • Note: Ron claims that to demand positive authority for a religious practice leads to “Church of Christ preachers” teach human opinions. (Re: instrument, it doesn’t say we can’t!) • But, the Bible teaches us to do all things “according to the pattern” (cf. Hebrews 8:5)

  20. Q6: Is using the instrument in musical worship unacceptable to God? Ron’s Response: You would think if God wanted us to practice worship services He would have said so. But Jesus said nothing about worship services, and His apostles said nothing about worship services. I'm confident that we should obey what God says rather than human teachings such as that God wants us to meet for "worship services" and there be regulated by human opinions based on what God didn't say and by our ideas of what is meant by what IS said concerning Christian living. The singing urged upon us by Paul and James is solo singing, the very thing which the Church of Christ partisans insist God forbids "in worship." If praising God on musical instruments is wrong, the apostles forgot to warn us of the sin.

  21. What the Bible Reveals • Note: It is becoming more common to deny the idea of a called assembly with corporate acts of worship. (cf. Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:20; 16:1-2) • Singing, as referred to in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 is not solos, but mutual edification. “speak to one another.” (You are no worshipping unless you are singing. Otherwise it is entertainment!) • Our worship must be expressly authorized in order to be acceptable (cf. Matthew 7:21-23)

  22. Q7: Is the denominational “Pastor” system a violation of authority? Ron’s Response: Is the pastor system wrong when done by others but all right when done in Churches of Christ? What's this foolishness about "authority"? The regulative principle was beloved by John Calvin, but is totally absent from apostolic doctrine. If we respect Jesus as Lord, we'll acknowledge that HE has all authority, so we'll not create laws as if WE had authority to do so. Jesus clearly claims all authority. I believe it rests in Him, since He says it does.

  23. What the Bible Reveals • Authority is “foolishness”? (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:15) • Pastor system equates to Evangelistic Oversight (One, often unqualified man, serving as the sole spiritual “overseer” or pastor of a congregation). • The New Testament teaches oversight to emanate from a panel of elders (cf Acts 14:23).

  24. Q8: Isthe only thing that is worthy of criticism the practice of criticizing itself? Note: This question asked with the observation that Ron was denouncing criticism in preaching, while he himself was practicing the same in criticizing the teaching of brother Burnett. Ron’s Response: Do you imply that I have no right to comment on what he wrote? But you do have the right to do so?

  25. What the Bible Reveals • It is hypocritical to criticize another for doing the same that you do (cf. Romans 2:1). • Regardless, it is not inappropriate to reprove, correct and convict (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Jude 3)

  26. Concluding Thoughts - 1 • At the end of my email, I asked Ron to explain passages such as 2 Jn. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-9; Gal. 5:11-12; Matt. 21:12-13; Matt. 23:27-33; 1 Kgs. 18:27,40; that promote the militant defense of truth and the plain condemnation of error. (In light of his promotion of the “positive gospel). • Ron did not even refer to the passages at all. He ended his response without acknowledging my request

  27. Concluding Thoughts - 2 • Those who advocate the “Positive Gospel” approach to teaching do so without scripture example or authority • We are to speak the truth in love, but it is wrong to claim that admonition, refutation and the defense of truth is anything other than an expression of a love for the souls of the lost. • If we are “nicer” than our Lord, we are too nice!

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