Biblical Convictions and You

By: American Decency Staff

In the last week, I have heard people that I have respected so much state that the most serious lacking in the church today is expository preaching – line upon line. Yesterday, I heard it from a 90 year old saint who had a high leadership position with the Gideons in the state of Michigan for many years. Dr. John MacArthur and Dr. R.C. Sproul stated the same recently – the most serious lacking in the church today is expository preaching. Personal note: Having been involved as an activist since 1985 – first as a volunteer – and since 1988 as full-time, I have stated many times that my greatest concern has been the hesitancy of the church to stand for truth – from the pulpit and the highways and byways of life. That’s why I took to Dr. Francis Schaeffer’s works back in the 80’s. Schaeffer, just before his death in 1984, wrote in his last book “The Great Evangelical Disaster”: “But once the Christian consensus has been removed, as it has been today, then the very freedoms which have come out of the Reformation become a destructive force leading to chaos in society. This is why we see the breakdown of morality everywhere in our society today – the complete devaluation of human life, a total relativism, and a thoroughgoing hedonism. In such a setting, we who are Bible-believing Christians, or our children, face days of decision ahead. Soft days for evangelical Christians are past, and only a strong view of Scripture is sufficient to withstand the pressure of an all-pervasive culture built upon relativism and relativistic thinking.” [Taken from “The Great Evangelical Disaster” by Francis A. Schaeffer, 1984, Crossway Books] This morning reading out of Acts 21:13b-14 “For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus, and since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, ‘Let the will of the Lord be done.'” Churches in their insecurity instead of preaching the full counsel of God resort to mannish techniques to draw a crowd, to please people rather than the preaching of the cross. A couple of years ago I spoke with a Christian who went to gambling casinos. He was a stumbling block to others. I asked him what he thought God would say about gambling. He answered, “That it was a sin.” I asked “As a Christian, how can you so readily backhand the standard of God?” He answered that we all sin and that God is a forgiving God. Cheap grace that’s what Dietrich Bonhoeffer would have called it. Where are Biblical convictions today? Paul was ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Where are such men and women today? What about me? As Christians we have grown soft and weak-willed (with some exceptions.) The weak kneed preaching that so many of us sit under contributes to our lack of being willing to identify with Christ in His sufferings. Questions that too many pastors fail to preach about that we as God’s people need in order to stand as Biblical Christians. How to discipline our children? The importance of and how to do devotions? How to date or court? What does the Bible say about “unequally yoked?” The Christian and financial management. What is Biblical manhood? What is Biblical womanhood? What does God say about men as spiritual heads of the family and church? The wrath of God. The pursuit of holiness. What does the Bible say about gambling? Abortion? Lust? What about homosexuality? Adultery? Same sex marriages? How to educate your children especially in a culture where the public school system has become increasingly liberal and relativistic? What about you? What about me? Are you hot? cold? lukewarm? “Stand therefore!” That’s what the Bible says. American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 PH: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org

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