The Preacher Present day Christian Preachers’ duty is similar to the duty of the Apostles in Scripture. The duty is to preach the gospel. The difference between them is that while the apostles are chosen, ordained, and named of God in the Christian Scripture (Bible), the present day preachers are not. They are self willed. Nevertheless, the Scripture provides how one could be a true preacher, as written, “He that receiveth you (chosen holy men of Jesus Christ) receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me, He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.”(Matthew 10:40-41, John 13:20) When Jesus said “receiveth me,” He does not mean receiving the spelling of His name. He means receiving what he really is, which is, as written in the Gospel of John, the word of God with power, which was made flesh, as written, “And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.”(John 1:14) Thus, if a preacher is sent of God he should speak the word of God and not his, as written, “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”(John 3:34, Romans 10:15) It does not say speak about the words of God but the words of God itself, as written, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (II Timothy 2:2) For this reason, it is incumbent upon people who desire to be preachers to, as written, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15) How is this study done? Is it to study in so-called bible schools or seminaries under the tutelage of men? It is not, because it is written, “Thus saith the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:5) How then can a man who wants to be a preacher learn? It is written, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8) A person desirous to be a preacher should trust the Lord, and ask of Him in faith, and delight in His words. He should not trust in man for all men have been concluded in Scripture, as unrighteous, and therefore ungodly. Only the word of God through the Prophets and Apostles are godly and as angels, they cannot do otherwise, but do and speak according to God’s purpose. Persons who cannot subject themselves to the counsel of God to trust Him and not men, are not servants of God but of themselves. It is for this reason that we see strifes and divisions in Christianity which runs contrary to teachings, as written, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”(1 Corinthians 1:10) Preacher should be of the same mind as Paul, the Apostles to the Gentiles, who said, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ (suffering) should be of none effect.”(1 Corinthians 1:17) How then would the proclamation of the prophet John the Baptist saying, I will decrease and He (Jesus Christ) will increase when the power of the word being preached, subjecting the hearers are credited to the preacher and not to the word believed on? It is written, “For by one spirit are we all baptize in one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”(1 Corinthians 12:13) Based on this, are we baptize by a carnal baptizer, or by the power in the word which was preached? The Scripture provides guidance for persons to find the knowledge of God and to be a righteous preacher or believer. It is written, “My son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom; out His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:1-6) After all, this is the promise of the Lord, as written, “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shall thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 58:13-14) Foremost on the requirement of the Lord of His servants, and the commensurate punishment if unheeded, is, as written, “And Samuel (prophet) said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better them sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is an iniquity and idolatry.” (I Samuel 15:22-23) What is the perfect duty of a preacher does the Scripture give for persons who want to be preachers? It is written, “The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.” (Ecclesiastes 12:10) They must stick to the words as written. The duty of a preacher is just to preach the word of God in line with the Spiritual problems of man. It is not to form a group. If ever there is a group, the group is in the eyes of God and not by the formation of man, as written, “Ye also as lively stones, are built up a Spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up Spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 2:5)
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 13:44:35 +0000