by Steven Deaton
Synopsis: We must "preach the word" because the gospel of Jesus Christ is God's power unto salvation. Doing anything else represents a failure to keep the divine charge.
There is subtle influence, as well as not-so-subtle pressure, to not preach the word. In our increasingly secular, humanist, godless culture, preaching the word is not only less popular, but downright despised. Preaching truth goes against the current; unless we are deliberate, we will drift down the river of compromise. Thus, we need to be reminded to "Preach the word! In season and out of season" (2 Tim. 4:2).
There is a reason the Spirit gives the charge to "preach the word." It is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). It alters the eternal destiny of souls, turning them from damnation to salvation (Rom. 1:16; Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:5-7, 13; Mark 16:15-16).
The word stands alone as the means by which men know the only true God and His Son. It is what draws men to the Lord (John 6:44-45). Nothing else enlightens the mind or informs the spirit in this way. No other body of knowledge leads to salvation of the soul. Therefore, we are to preach it.
There are repeated examples of the power of the word in Acts; how it was used to convict men of their sin and turn them to Christ for salvation. Among those impacted by the word were Samaritans, previously bewitched by sorcery, with even Simon believing and being baptized (Acts 8:9-13). Amazingly, many of the Jewish religious leaders, who previously had been violently opposed to Christ, heard the word and were obedient to it (Acts 6:7). On Pentecost, those guilty of murdering Christ were cut to the heart and submitted to the command of God (Acts 2:37-41). That is power, and that is why we are to preach the word.
The unique power of the word comes from the fact that it is the mind of God. Jesus told the apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13). Read John 16:13-15 and note the process by which this occurred. The Father shared His will with Christ who shared it with the Spirit who then gave it to the apostles (cf. John 12:49). Therefore, the apostles literally revealed the mind of God.
Paul put it this way: "God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10). Thus we see that the "word" is from the mind of God. It is God's will for humanity—His guide for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).
As the mind of God, the word is perfect, containing no deficiencies or weaknesses (Pss. 19:7; 18:30). No man or group of men can improve upon it. If a man could live 1,000 years, he could not research, experiment, meditate, or gain experience that would lead to enhancing the word in any way.
Still, men attempt to improve upon the gospel by preaching other words (Gal. 1:6-7; 2 Cor. 11:4).
You name it and it has been preached—from the seemingly sensible to the absolutely absurd. It is common in the denominational world with the likes of Osteen, Hagee, and Hinn. This is to be expected.
What is sad is the reality that some "gospel preachers" lean heavily on words other than God's inspired word. Some fill their lessons with (1) emotion-laden anecdotes, (2) humorous tales, (3) extra-biblical illustrations, (4) personal opinions and feelings, (5) trendy self-help advice, etc. (You can likely add to this list).
You may or may not understand the point being made here. So, to be clear, we are referring to a lesson where about 70-80% of it is spent talking about things other than the Bible. It might look like this: one to two minutes reading a Bible passage followed by 10 to 15 minutes or more with anecdotes, humor, quotes from non-inspired men, or extra-biblical illustrations. Yes, such lessons can entertain and even be emotionally stimulating, but to label them as "gospel preaching" is dubious.
The question naturally arises why some "gospel preachers" fail to keep the charge to preach the word. There are many reasons with one or several applying in a given situation: (1) lazy study habits, (2) focus on (and consumption of) other words, (3) to tickle ears, (4) to appear sophisticated, (5) poor training, (6) because they are allowed to do so by the congregation, (7) loss of faith in the power of the word, etc.
There is simply not enough space to elaborate on all the above, but we want to note the following: Too many preachers are enamored with popular speakers, whether in or out of religious circles. They see the influence and following of these luminaries and move to mimic their style and material. Tied to this may be the issue of rejection; rejection of the word by most of the world. When men who preach other words gain widespread popularity and a large following, it may tempt some brethren to pursue the same path. That path, however, is one that lacks confidence in the word. In other words, the deciding factor of what to preach is not truth versus error, but a large following versus a faithful few.
In contrast, Paul stated that his preaching was not with "persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:4-5). Because he faithfully preached the word, Paul was rejected and relentlessly harassed from town to town. Few responded to the inspired message, but he kept preaching it. We must be ready to accept this reality and do the same.
Before you think we are saying any illustration, or information beyond Scripture is sinful, consider the following.
Paul referenced pagan poets (Acts 17:28). So, extra-biblical illustrations or information are not sinful; at times, they can be effective. Note, however, that in the recorded lessons and letters of Paul this is done extremely sparingly. He was not in the habit of using Homer, Plato, or Aristotle as the foundation of his material with some Scripture sprinkled in.
There are more than enough Bible events, examples, and exhortations to illustrate any lesson or point. The Old Testament is there for our learning, so let us fill our lessons with illustrations from Moses, not Maxwell (Rom. 15:4).
The charge to preach the word is weighty because it is offered in light of Christ's return and His final judgment (2 Tim. 4:1). This command comes from the Holy Spirit and carries the force of divine authority. To resist, ignore, or neglect it is to resist, ignore, or neglect submission to Almighty God and will bring eternal consequences for the one who speaks and those who listen.
Remember, we are not striving to get people to "join a community of believers," but to commit mind, body, and soul to the cause of Christ. The means and method given by God to accomplish this is nothing more and nothing less than to "preach the word!"
