WHEN SOUND PREACHING IS NOT TOLERATED

By Charles N. Spence, Jr.

We know that anyone who refuses to hear, never mind heed sound (healthy, spiritually wholesome, beneficial to the soul’s health) preaching and teaching from God’s word will cause their own destruction (read Pro. 1:22-32). God’s word supplies what everyone needs to live a good and happy life in the will of God (2 Pet. 1:3). Sound preaching of God’s word provides the hearers with all that is necessary to keep them on the straight and narrow way (2 Tim. 3:16-17). God’s word will teach, warn, correct, and guide a person in the right way. God’s word not only helps a person become what he needs to be, but also provides a person with what he needs to do what God wants him to do. So what would happen to a congregation of God’s people that no longer tolerates sound preaching?

Intolerance of sound preaching is not a new phenomenon among the people of God. God’s people of old at times grew intolerant of the sound preaching of His ministers. Rather than hear the truth concerning their condition, God’s people wanted to hear what was pleasant. “Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever: that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the LORD; who say to the seers, "Do not see," and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us" (Isa. 30:8-11). The People loved to hear from lying prophets and enjoyed the watered down teaching of the priests (Jer. 5:31). When God’s people grew intolerant of sound preaching and more tolerant of feel-good, sanitized, watered down preaching, they did themselves more harm than good. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the LORD” (Jer. 23:16-18). When sound preaching was no longer tolerated among God’s people, they were destroyed. God allowed them to fall as He broke them into pieces. (Isa. 30:12-14). God was angry with His people and brought His fury down upon them (Jer. 23:19-20). God would forget, forsake and cast them out of His presence; they would be a reproach and a perpetual shame (Jer. 23:39-40).

Some congregations today need to go back and learn the lessons of the past (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:13). Just because they are a church of Christ does not mean they can become compromising where the preaching of the word is concerned (1 Cor. 10:12). Paul wrote that a time will come when some will no longer endure sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3). Like those in the past, they will seek out preachers who will tell them what they want to hear (no rebuke, no discipline, and no admonishment). I know of some congregations where the preaching of the word is watered down. Preachers cannot address certain topics such as attendance, immodesty, immorality, marriage and divorce and even doctrinal purity. They must preach on things that are not controversial or hard hitting. Some do not want preaching that upsets the status quo. More and more, some congregations are looking for “feel good” preaching. The reason for this is that the minds of some members have been corrupted to the point of drifting from the simplicity of Christ (2 Cor. 11:3; 2 Tim. 3:8).

Sound preaching is necessary for a congregation’s vitality. Such is needed to be able to oppose those who are contrary (Tit. 1:9). Such is needed to order the lives of its members (Tit. 2:1-10). Just like those in the past, these congregations will die off without sound preaching; they will depart from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1-2). This is because, when churches no longer tolerate what is sound, they open themselves up for what is unsound (Rev. 2:18-23) and will come to ruin. Because they no longer love the truth, God will allow them to believe a lie, bringing condemnation on themselves (2 The. 2:9-12).

Now, what are those who work with congregations that no longer tolerate sound preaching to do? They are to keep preaching sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:2). Preachers must keep reproving, rebuking and exhorting. They will be considered by God, good ministers of Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 4:6). They must stay on guard, do their work and fulfill their ministry (2 Tim. 4:5). If a congregation gives a preacher grief because he won’t cease from preaching sound doctrine, that preacher needs to keep in mind that the congregation of Israel persecuted God’s preachers in the past who would not refrain from sound preaching. A Preacher should never compromise his faith for those who have compromised their faith (1 Tim. 6:3-5). He should never water down or sugarcoat his preaching just to pacify members of a congregation. The man of God should be able to say with Paul, “How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house . . . For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God ” (Acts 20:20, 27 NASB).

Yes, God’s people can grow intolerant of sound preaching. Consequently, they become more tolerant of smooth things and watered down preaching. This will lead to their ruin, for God will not tolerate those congregations that no longer tolerate him (Rev. 3:14-20).