Twenty things you should never hear from the pulpit

 

Many things are being taught in pulpits across the land that simply should not be happening. Perhaps fewer bad sermons would be given if more red flags went off in the minds of the audience.  If you hear the following in a pulpit, know that God’s word is being twisted:

 

1. Any false teaching (I John 4:1). “Mostly correct” is still wrong (Acts 18:24-24). This should not be tolerated.

 

2. Telling people exactly how much they are to give (I Cor. 16:1-2). Christians should not be told how much to give as that is left to individual Christians. Nor should they be told to tithe as this is part of the Old Law (II Cor. 9:7). This should not be tolerated.

 

3. Making assumptions on what one might have seen or heard, without verifying (Jn. 21:21-23).  We are told to speak the truth (Eph. 4:15). We are not to speak, then check it out, then retract. This should not be tolerated.

 

4. Teaching opinions as law (Rom. 14:1-3). No one has the right to bind his opinions on others. Christ holds all authority (Matt. 28:18). This should not be tolerated.

 

5. Making light of any sin (Gal. 19-21). Sin must be taken seriously. We should not make positive references to incorrect conduct we see in movies or TV (Rom. 1:29- 32). It does not

matter if these shows are fictional or not. This should not be tolerated.

 

6. Using people to your advantage (II Tim. 3:6). This sinful action is being done privately and publicly. As a young preacher, I was incorrectly told to use wealthier members as positive examples (I Thess. 2:5). This should not be tolerated.

 

7. To build oneself up (I Cor. 2:1-4). Trying to create an “image” or “persona” as a preacher and expecting to be treated differently than other church members is wrong (Acts 10:26). This should not be tolerated.

 

8. Speaking to embarrass or make fun of someone (Rom. 10:1-3). The last thing we want to do is hinder people from obeying (Acts 26:28). This should never be tolerated.

 

9. Anything that should have been dealt with privately (Matt. 18:15). Preachers should not “air their dirty laundry” or that of their members (I Tim. 5:19).  This should not be tolerated.

 

10. Promoting a product for a side business (I Pet. 4:11). The gospel message does not include advertisements (II Cor. 12:15-17).  This behavior need never be tolerated.

 

11. Promoting ungodly entertainment (Acts 20:20). To fit in with the world, act worldly. To be a light, one must not promote darkness (Eph. 5:11).  This should not be tolerated.

 

12. Inciting a rebellion against government (Rom. 13:1-7). You can hate sin without speaking evil of leaders (II Pet. 2:9-11). Such behavior should not be tolerated.

 

13. Threats to hurt people (Rom. 12:19-20). It is sad when people persecute Christians, but physical retaliation is not justified (I Pet. 5 2:21-23). This should never be tolerated.

 

14. Justification for sinful behavior in family (Matt. 10:37). Not preaching against something due to family ties is wrong (Acts 5:1-5). This action should not be tolerated.

 

15. That they have received “special” knowledge from God (John 16:13). The gospel is for all, and the message is understandable (John 8:32). Claims of special revelation should never be tolerated.

 

16. Lessons that are not practiced (Rom. 2:1-3). Preaching lessons that you do not try to reflect in your conduct is a double standard (Matt. 23:4). This should not be tolerated.

 

17.  Using personal testimonies to prove truth (Rom. 1:16). The gospel of Christ contains the power to save. Personal experiences are not needed because the rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45). This should not be tolerated.

 

18. Promising health and wealth to those who give financially (Acts 20:35). There is something wrong when Christians give and expect to be paid back physically (II Cor. 8:1-5). This should not be tolerated.

 

19. Words that promote prejudice (John 3:16). Those who do not believe the truth need not be hated – they need to be loved and taught the truth (Rom. 5:8). This should never be tolerated.

 

20. Filling sermons with stories and not God’s word (Col. 3:17).  The Lord gave the commission to go and preach the gospel. If a sermon is not primarily filled with the doctrine of Christ, it is not worth listening to (II John 9). This should never be tolerated.

 

What if one or more of these things are happening in the pulpit where you attend? The answer is simple – stop listening to it. Either the teaching in the pulpit must change or you must leave. You do not want to oppose God by endorsing error (II John 10-11). Consider these things during your next sermon.

                                                              

                                                                     Chuck

 

Look for the truth

 

After writing the first article,  I briefly wondered why so few people see the problems that exist in the religious realm today. Do they not care about God? Do they just want to rebel against Him? Have the majority of the religious people today become cold and callous? I do not think so. I am convinced the root cause is a lack of understanding.

 

When Jesus was dying on the cross, He cried out, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34). He was saying that His persecutors were not really aware of what they were doing. Did they know they were killing an innocent man? Yes. Did they realize the pain and the suffer Jesus was going through? Yes. So what did they not know? They did not know (accept) that they were doing these things to the Christ – the son of God.

 

The overwhelming majority of people who gather for religious purposes are confident that what they are doing is correct. So how can we help people separate truth from error?  In Christ’s case, people were taught (again) on the day of Pentecost that they had crucified the Son of God (Acts 2:36). From that teaching, a great many understood, believed and obeyed (Acts 2:37-38). Some still did not understand, though, because they refused to accept the truth.

 

Without question, many people settle for assumptions and do not truly examine their beliefs. They firmly believe that what they are doing is approved by the Lord, but they are mistaken. This is nothing new (Matt. 7:21-23). How can we know with confidence that we are right? We must honestly seek the truth and continue looking until we find it (Matt. 7:7). Be willing to challenge and be challenged, and do not let pride get in the way. Apollos is a good example (Acts 18:24-26).

 

Every religious body worldwide – Muslims, Jews, Hindus, atheists, etc. – claim they have the proper religious perspective. We should all seek truth and ask questions to avoid becoming blind followers (Matt. 15:14). Someday we will all stand and give an account (II Cor. 5:10).

 

                                                                                      Chuck