Is it right for a preacher to preach his opinion as Bible doctrine?
Categories: Bible Questions and AnswersIs it right for a preacher to preach his opinion as Bible doctrine?
No. I have included this question because I want to go on record as stating that I have no right to teach my opinion as Bible doctrine and neither does any other person have the right to so do. The Bible says in Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Everything that I say as a preacher must be authorized by God. Everything that I do in my life must be authorized by God. In 1 Peter 4:11 Peter writes, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31 “whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Everything that I say must 1) be authorized by God, 2) be as the oracles of God, and 3) be to the glory of God. So no, I have no right to preach my opinion as doctrine. This is not to say that when I get in the pulpit to preach the gospel that I have no right to preach the truth of God’s word as I believe it is the truth. It is incumbent upon me, therefore, to make sure that everything that I say whether in Bible class or from the pulpit is the truth of God’s word and that my words have a “thus saith the Lord” behind them.
Now, this does not mean or imply that everything that I say must be inspired of God. That is, it does not mean that all I do is get up in the pulpit and read the Bible. That would not be preaching the gospel at all–that would simply be reading the scriptures. We read in Ezra 7:10 the following words, “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” Then we read in Nehemiah 8:5, 6, and 8 “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground