Truth Magazine

Some are critical of those who preach short sermons! I for one, do not believe that a gospel preacher should be limited to the length of his sermon. This article takes a look at the length of a sermon.

The Length of the New Testament

The New Testament I am using in the writing of this article has 248 pages. Not all that long, right? Ever thought about all the things the Lord said in 248 pages? His birth, earth-life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension are all recorded in a short essay. Of course there are other things Jesus did which are not written. “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). The book of John that I read, has 23 pages, enough evidence to cause all to believe that Jesus is divine.

Few Words

Paul penned, “How that revelation he made known unto me the mystery: (as I wrote afore in few words” (Eph. 3:3). They mystery referred to here is the uncovering or revealing of the gospel of Christ, that men might read and understand. Paul said what he did in few words! I know of nothing that God wanted us to know that Paul left out, do you? Because a man speaks few words does not mean that he is not bold. Paul said he was “bold” (2 Cor. 11:21). Just because a man speaks few words does not mean that he does not condemn sin. Read what Paul said of sin in Galatians 5:19-21 and 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10.

Bible Sermons Were Short

All agree that Acts 2:22-36 contains the first gospel sermon as recorded on Pentecost. That sermon contains the facts, commands and promises of the gospel. This gospel sermon saves, Paul said (1 Cor. 15:1-2). Some say, “Well, Peter exhorted with many other words.” True, but this was after the sermon was preached (Acts 2:40). Folks don’t listen very long; that’s just the way it is! One reason some sermons get so long is that the preacher repeats everything two, three or maybe four times. Or, a lot of the preaching time is used to talk about unrelated sermon matters. In our preacher training program, we call that “chasing rabbits.” Many preachers lose their audience way before they get finished, in that the points of the sermon are not parallel and have nothing to do with the sermon topic at hand.

Short Servings

The preaching of a short sermon does not mean that the preacher is not interested in the disobedient and that he does not preach on needed issues facing the Lord’s people. If a man can preach a sermon in a brief time, due to study and good organization, he should not be faulted for such.

My dear beloved brethren: I am indeed perplexed over a most ungodly condition which is very prominent in our nation today. For example, the rapid rate of increase in divorce, abortion, and premarital sex statistically is alarming.

We may well ask who or what is responsible for this deteriorating condition, which continues to create many problems? Is there no cure for these ills and solution to these problems? Will you kindly permit me to share with you some of my humble experiences while in Hinduism?

Seventy-five years ago I was born a Hindu in George- town, Guiana, now independent Guyana, South America. My ancestors came from India being brought to George- town by the British people as immigrants to work in the sugar plantations.

At the age of twenty (February 1944), I was married to my wife, under the Hindu culture, and in keeping with Hindu tradition. My wife was thirteen years of age at the time. This beautiful and harmonious marriage has lasted for 55 years in which our family has grown to include one daughter, three sons and daughters-in-law and five grand- children. The young age of marriage may be attributed to Hindu custom and tradition, the system being characterized strictly by parental arrangements and supervision by both sets of parents. In the best interests and in consideration of the best welfare, parents of both myself and my wife were seeking and choosing the wife and husband respectively. With this thought in mind, both sets of parents will investigate and examine thoroughly the background and history of each prospective husband and wife; sometimes requiring months of periodical meetings together between the parents before they finally decide upon the proper partners for marriage. The final decision in this important matter is based upon the findings and analysis of the parents. While all of this investigation and study is being done by the parents, the boy and the girl do not even see each other. When the decision has been finalized by the parents agreeing for the son to marry the daughter, the parents of the son will then bring him to the girl’s parents’ home to meet the parents of his prospective bride. This is the first time the boy and girl have any knowledge that they are to become husband and wife. Thus, according to Hindu custom and tradition, the boy and girl have no choice but to respect the decision that has been made for them by their parents. They under- stand that, just as was the case in the lives of their parents and grandparents, they must live together “until death do us part.” Under Hindu arrangements divorce, fornication, adultery, abortion, and things of this nature were relatively unknown. In fact, virginity was highly respected and honored and both husband and wife, under this arrangement, have the highest regard for each other, although neither knows God or Jesus Christ or the gospel.

The girl was brought up to understand and came to a realization that her husband was all she possessed for the rest of her life. She must serve him “till death do us part.” This she has inherited from her Hindu culture.

I would now like to present some very interesting facts of the Hindu system which regulates the conduct of the prospective marriage partners. After the boy and girl have seen each other, they are not permitted any association with each other until after the marriage. Please note, that this rule does not imply a lack of trust, but I know it defeats the Devil in his devices to corrupt the prospective marriage partners before the marriage. During the waiting period before marriage, there is absolutely no love-making. In fact we did not know what love-making meant or was all about. We were simply following the rules and examples of our ancestors and this we understood that once married it was for all time and despite the hardships and trials they stuck together till the end. Since it was not possible to visit or touch your future companion until after marriage, we were ignorant of romance — dating, love- making, courting, kissing, etc.

Although Hinduism is idolatry and it may be backwards in culture. with the prohibition of the contact between the prospective partners, the Devil has a difficult time exercising of his plan. We may not altogether agree with these Hindu principles or Hindu culture, but I believe we can see the wisdom in some of these principles. In Hinduism, young women are taught by their mothers and grandmothers to love, respect and serve their husbands till death. During the Hindu wedding ceremony, the garment of the bride and the garment of the groom are literally tied (joined) together. As they walk slowly forward, she follows behind him in symbolic recognition of her husband as her guide and leader and in humbleness of heart she never feels equal to him. This is in great contrast with the attitude of many (some Christians) today. Too many wives today have very little, if any, regard for their husbands and this in a so-called “Christian nation.”

Now what is your estimation of the value of these Hindu principles. Please consider, if you will, that young people in our day and culture are most fortunate; living in a fully developed western civilization and “Christian” influences. They have the right or freedom of choice and decision. We are characterized by a society which professes to know God and his son, Jesus Christ, and yet we are besieged by the most degenerate prevailing conditions. The divorce rate is alarming, abortion may be had almost at will, and pre-marital sex is free on demand. Where are we lacking and who is responsible?

I do not recommend that in our culture marriages must be arranged by parents without the consent of their children as is practiced in Hinduism. But I humbly suggest we get back to the Bible, the teachings of Christ will make us better.

I’m told the congregation was formed about 1911. It was the result of instrumental music being brought into the local “Christian Church.” Some of my relatives had been charter members. Now several decades later I was preaching there two Sundays per month.

I understand that from the beginning, the Lord’s supper had been served using two silver plates, a silver pitcher and two silver goblets. Since the fruit of the vine started out in one silver pitcher, some in the church thought that made them “scriptural one cuppers.” Now after many, many years some were clamoring for individual drinking cups on the Lord’s table.

It was rather interesting to watch as the single goblet was passed down each side of the auditorium. Being more mind- ful of sanitary conditions than their forefathers, as each person took the goblet, he or she would turn it just slightly before sipping, in a vain attempt to find a clean spot.

More and more the elders were urged to get the individual cups. This was an especially tough decision for the oldest of the elders. You see, one of his granddaughters had married a man with strong convictions that the “one cup” was a matter of faith. He had long declared that the day individual cups came in, would be the day he and his family would leave. Of course the old brother hated to think that his decision would cause his granddaughter and several great-grandchildren to go elsewhere. But finally, at the insistence of the other elders, a new communion set was ordered with two trays of individual cups.

Then the fateful day arrived! Someone — I suspect one of the other elders, came early and set up the communion with the two trays of individual drinking cups. What would happen?

Shortly before time for the service to begin, the “one cupper” with his wife and children came in. It was a cold day and in those days no one had a coat room. Coats, hats, and mittens were just removed and stacked neatly on the bench beside each family. With this large family of three or four children, it took some time to remove all the coats and get everyone settled. All eyes were on them as the other members awaited the outcome. And then it happened! The man caught sight of the trays on the communion table. And true to his word, after a brief conference with his wife, they begin to hurriedly jerk the coats and hats back on and with a child under each arm they stormed out of the building to never return.

The old elder was bitterly saddened; but the rest of the congregation heaved a sigh of relief that an obstacle that had been there for years had finally been overcome. The individual cups were on the Lord’s table to stay. And so it is till this day!

The apostle Paul, writing to the church of the Thessalonians, spoke of iniquity which was working in their midst. He said it was “the working of Satan” as he exercised his power to deceive. He stated the cause of the catastrophe which would befall them when strong delusion came. Note what he said:

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thess. 2:10-12).

It is not unusual for God to be charged falsely. He is blamed for almost every evil thing that happens in this world. The lost would surely like to blame him for their damnation, for this would relieve them of responsibility for their fate. Those who think in this way cite the above passage as proof of their position. Does this passage make God responsible for those who are lost?

MacKnight (Apostolical Epistles, 430) gives this literal translation of the text: “And for this cause, God will send to them the strong-working of error, to their believing a lie.” He then gives this paraphrase of the passage: “And for this cause, God, as a punishment of their wickedness, will permit the in working of error in the minds of these false teachers, to lead them to believe a lie the most monstrous and pernicious that ever was invented.” He comments, “The verbs denoting action, are used to express, not the doing, but the permitting of that action . . . From this we learn, that, as a punishment of their sins, God suffers wicked men to fall into greater sins  . . . by suffering them to fall into the belief of the greatest errors and lies.”

Albert Barnes (Barnes Notes, 2 Thess., 90-91), wrote on this passage,

The original reason then of their embracing and adhering to the system was not an arbitrary decree on the part of God, but that they did not love the truth. Hence, he gave them up to this system of error. If a man strongly prefers error to truth, and sin to holiness, it is not wrong to allow him freely to evince his own preference . . . It is not necessary here to suppose that there was any positive influence on the part of God in causing this delusion to come upon them, but all the force of the language will be met . . . by supposing that God withdrew all restraint, and suffered men simply to show that they did not love the truth.

Barnes continues,

This does not affirm that God wished them to believe a lie . . . nor that He exerted any direct agency to cause them to believe a lie. It means merely that He left them . . . to believe what was false, and what would end in their destruction.

A similar statement appears in Isaiah 66:3-4, signifying God’s permitting men to go their destructive ways.

. . . Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

Paul, writing to the Romans, spoke of the Gentiles who refused to glorify God. He said, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness . . . For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections . . . God gave them over to a reprobate mind” (Rom. 1:21-28). When these people became so wicked that they pushed God out of their lives, God permitted them to do so.

The Cause of Delusion

Paul described in our text people who stopped loving truth, who did not believe truth, and found pleasure in unrighteousness. God will not force himself on such people as this. He will let them plunge themselves into delusion.

The Result

Those who do not love truth, but find pleasure in un- righteousness, will believe a lie. God will permit them to turn aside to delusion and to damnation. Vine (290) defines the word plane, translated “delusion,” in this way: “A wandering, whereby those who are led astray roam hither and thither, is always used in the N.T., of mental straying, wrong opinion, error in morals or religion.” We are not left to wonder if such is possible, for delusion is everywhere about us. Human thinking and opinion will always get man in trouble. Man cannot direct his steps (Jer. 10:23). A way may seem right to him, but death is at the end of that way (Prov. 14:12).

Modern man is wandering hither and thither in the areas of morals and religion (as the definition suggests). Most do not know what should be done in religion so as to be saved eternally. They listen to just about anything, except God’s word! Morally, most seem to be traveling without direction, heeding every weird idea that comes down the pike. We are being told that people no longer know the difference between right and wrong. Strong delusion has led them to believe a lie, and they will lose their souls because of it. In the meantime, error continues to relentlessly drain life and goodness from the family, community, and religion.

Each of us should examine his heart, measuring the depth of his love for the truth of the gospel. Are we studying it, living it, teaching it, defending it — or, are we ignoring it? If we are ignoring truth, damnation is at our door, and we can only expect to be sentenced to Hell at the Judgment.