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Lost – While Preaching the Truth!

The apostle Paul described the preaching pleasing unto God as being the “manifestation of the truth” (2 Corinthians 4:2). The charge is that those who proclaim the Word of the Lord “preach the Word!” (2 Timothy 4:2). Jesus’ own statement regarding the Word, in His prayer to the Father, was that “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). So precious is truth that in the long ago Solomon stated, “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23). The sum statement of the Christ, in this area, is that “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). The servant of the Lord then believes the truth, loves the truth, lives by the truth, and teaches truth to those in the world around him. When he stands in the classroom, or in the pulpit, his work is to declare God’s truth!

These things being so, and truth being the honored commodity that it is, it is all the more striking to realize that one can teach the truth, and still be lost! Indeed, one can, should such be possible, never utter anything but truth, and the end result can be displeasure in the sight of God, and separation from Him eternally. When those statements are made, one can with some justification ask, “but how can it be? I thought truth saved, and that one preaching truth would be doing the noblest work of God!” It will be well for us all to consider the matter of truth, and how that one really cannot take pleasure in knowing that “I’ve only taught truth. I never have taught error” – if that’s as far as it goes. The study of truth, the responsibilities we have regarding truth, goes farther than that.

Preaching only the Positive

Suppose one would decide, “I will henceforth speak only positive things. I will speak no negative words.” Some have thus decided today, and we fear for their souls. The example of the apostle Paul is that of God’s servant declaring ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD (Acts 20:27)! The Lord commissions no one to take a positive-only message, or a negative-only message; rather, all of the message of God is to be proclaimed to men. Should one decide to speak only the positive, he would have to shun two of the items said to make the Word profitable; yes, two of the items designed by God to furnish a man completely (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

It is obvious that God has placed both the positive and the negative in His will to man. Can any preacher/teacher be any more arrogant and presumptuous than to decide, on his own, that he will cut into the Word and preach only that portion that he desires? He can choose to do so, and following that positive-only course, always preach truth, but still be lost! In the long ago, the Lord instructed Ezekiel concerning the warnings to be given the wicked – there is the negative for you – and pointed out that when one fails to thus warn, in keeping with the words of the Lord, the wicked man will die in his sin, and “his blood will I require at thine hand!” (Ezekiel 3:17-21). Yes, one can preach an all-positive message, an all-truth message, and still be lost because he ignored other portions of God’s Word!

The Failure to Speak Out!

There is another aspect of this that needs our attention. One can always speak the truth in his/her teaching, and still be lost because in critical times when God’s servants need to raise their voices all the more, the servants were silent! Once more, the Lord condemned the silence of that teacher whose duty it was to give warning! (Ezekiel 3:17-21). Every teacher and preacher faces this matter each time the teaching situation presents itself. There are the ever-present issues facing the saints of God – such issues as alcohol, drugs, the dance, profane speech, immodest dress, etc. Especially concerning our young people, as they begin to establish values many will maintain, for good or ill, throughout all their lives, and what will we do? Will we be silent on these issues or will we boldly condemn all such ungodliness?

Always there are vital issues arising within the kingdom itself. These are issues because some men begin to pursue a line contrary to the Word of God, and due to their teaching and influence, saints are affected in a hurtful way. Such issues spread across the entire brotherhood, and the issue is of concern throughout the world! In recent times we have seen false views on God’s marriage laws, false views on the Holy Spirit, false views concerning God’s grace, and false views concerning whether God has children in denominational systems. Now, what will the preacher/teacher do? Will he, because of the influence of prominent members, prominent preachers, schools, papers, etc., or because of concern for his own job, his salary, his supporters, etc. now grow silent regarding these issues? Will he be silent, and yet still proclaim, “But I always preach truth?” He should know, and we all should know, that one can always preach truth, and still be lost, because he did not declare all the counsel of God, because he did not give brethren warning, because he did not reprove and rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2), and because he kept back portions of the Word of God that were profitable unto men (Acts 20:20).

THE EXPOSITORY REVIEW, August – October, 1994.