Rutherford Journal of Church & Ministry, Issue 2:1, Spring 1995

33 Pages·1995·4 MB·English

by  Rutherford House

ISSUE2.1-SPRING 1995 1
Contents
1 GuestEditorial
DavidWright
4 Preachingthe Word:
Cerebral or Emotional?
DavidWright
David Searle
10 The Sin unto Death
O f one thing we may be sure: cause ofthe growing acceptance, in Andrew Bonar
challenging issues about sectors ofmixed denominations, of
sexual relationships other sub-Christianpatternsofbehaviour (as 12 Preachingfrom the
than (heterosexual) marriage will not they have hitherto been universally. Psalms(I)
go away, whatever the General Ass regarded), internalchurchdivisions are Alan Harman
embly ofthe Church ofScotland or likely to widen. The cohesivenessofa
anychurchorgandecides in 1995.The bodylike the Church ofScotlandwill 15 Prayer
reason for this is sinIple-that the surely be tested as never before-if George Philip
acceptance ofsuch relationships is (which God forbid) it tolerates elders
widespread in our society, and in living together outside marriage or 18 Reflections on Andrew
particular has deep roots in influential practising homosexuals pairing offin Bonar's Diary
areas ofBritish culture, both popular the manse.. Alastair Morrice
and more sophisticated. Pastors and teachers who are sens
Another reason is more worrying: itive to the signs ofthe times will 21 Visitation
some ofthe opinion-formers within already be equipping their cong Elizabeth Frost
themainstreamchurchesseemto view regations, especially at the younger
these developmentsa11110Stasbearersof end, to live.againstthestream. Isome 25 Alien amongst the Able
fresh wisdom from God. The social timeswonderifministers are director Bodies
realities ofsexual behaviour are no explicit enough in their teaching on Susie Easton
longer, itseems, to be evaluatedin the sexual morality. Apropermodestymay
light of God's once-for-all self haveitsplace,butsometimestoomuch 26 Ann AlIen meets Alistair
revelationin Christ; theymay even be is taken for granted. Why is it that Stewart
held to constitute norms which,the from time to time students turn up in
churches ignore at their peril. As the universityCUsneverhavingheardthat 29 Book Reviews
present Archbishop ofYork once put sex outsidemarriageiswrong? It isan
it, unless the Church ofEngland odd situation ifevery other means of
changes itsmindon divorce, itwilllose communication that influences our
touchwiththepeople-asthoughthe livescallsaspadeaspadeapartfrom the
latter is more to be feared than de pulpit.
parting from what that Church Moreover,we haveto be ready with
believes to be the mind of-God. Such more than straight affirmation, The
an attitude informs many a revisionist arguments ofthe revisionists must be
approach to these questions, even ifit shown to be wanting. What follows
isnot expressed in such naked terms. will attemptto providesomeguidance
We may expect, therefore, that for this task.
Christianswhosee no reasonto aban
Relationships: values versus
don traditional teaching grounded in
form?
Scripture will increasingly find them
selves.swimmingagainst the tide. The Itisoftensaidthatwhatmattersisnot
Christian lifestyle will become more the structure ofa relationship, butthe
and more counter-cultural, and be- qualities that inform it. What gives it
2 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCH& MINISTRY
integrity are virtues like trust, open that very fact Inarked him out as It is no new challenge for biblical
ness, commitment and acceptance, destined for a highly exceptional Christians to regard deeply ingrained
irrespective ofwhetherit conforms to calling amonghis contemporaries. inclinationsororientationsin menand
God's design. Much better, so it is We must refuse to let go ofthis women, whethergeneticallycausedor
claimed, a partnership that displays starting point. Too many discussion not, as part of the detritus of the
these values, whether heterosexual or documents from churches in recent fallenness ofthe race. In this respect, as
homosexual, than aloveless shrivelled years have begun elsewhere-with a in others, homosexuality must not be
marriage. As countless pop songs put general or common sexuality celeb isolated eitherfrom the reach ofbasic
it, love is all you need-scarcely·dif rated asGod's gift. Onlylaterdo they Christian beliefs or from other com
ferent from the 'new morality' ofa go on to consider the proper ex parableconditions,suchasalcoholism,
generationago OohnRobinson, Harry pressionsofthissexuality.Butthe Bible kleptomania orpaedophilia.
Williams etal.)whichopposedlove to knows nothing ofan undifferentiated
Lovingthe sinner,hatingthe sin
law andfirst taughtChristiansthatsex or abstract sexuality, which may be
outside marriage might, with love, be exercisedin differentways. Fromstart This soundsgliband facile, andisoften
OK. (Whatafearful responsibilitythat to finish it presents heterosexuality resentedby 'gay' lobbyistsasinsulting.
'newmorality' generationbears for our mencreatedassexual beings for sexual Yetit issurely, asa general phrase, no
present disorders!) matching with women, and women more-and no less!-than what the
Ifwe take ourbearings from Scrip likewise for men. Toabandonthisbasis core message of Christianity is all
ture, this is a false choice. Divinely (which is embodied in the differing about! Ifthe mission ofJesus, and the
ordered relationships and God-given anatomiesofmale and female) is"toset reason why the incarnate Son was
qualities belongtogether. Thefactthat offon the wrongfoot at the outset. giventhis humanname, was to saveus
some marriages go sour isno warrant So the biblicalcasefor disapproving from our sins, then not only the dis
for dispensingwithmarriage. Thereis ofhomosexual conduct does not rest tinction between sinner and their sins
no basisin Scripturefor believingthat on a few contested texts, but on a butalsotheseparationofonefrom the
love and other Christian qualities widelypervasivefeature ofthe revealed otherlie at the heart ofthings. Again,
justify or hallow an improper rel wisdomofGodfor humanlife.Yetthe this approach to homosexuality sets it
ationship. It is undeniable that explicit New Testament references in the context ofthe gospel which
cohabitingcouplesmayshowdeepand (Rom. 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9) carry a encompasses 'allsortsand conditionsof
selfless affection for each other, and heavier punch than revisionists allow. men'. I emphasize this point in the
thata'gay' partnershipmaybe marked (See my CuttingEdge series booklet faceofdenials, implicitorexplicit, that
by enviable mutual care. (We have no TheChristian Faith andHomosexuality, homosexuals need, or can benefit
interest in rubbishing all such rel and morefullymy article in Evangelical from, thecentralmessageofthe Chris
ationships as fired by selfish Quarterly 61, 1989, pp. 291-300, tian gospel, whichsummonsusall-or
gratification.) But they fall short in 'Homosexuality: theRelevanceofthe rather, only sinners, not the right
varyingdegreesofGod'splanfor one Bible'.) eous!-to faith and repentance.
to-one relationships in which alone is
Notforgetting the fall Humanidentity-increationand
sexual fulfilmentto be found. Honour
in Christ
amongthieves may be trulyadmirable, Against thisbackclothofGod's creative
butit does not sanction thieving. blueprint, the many distortions of One reason why revisionists resent
sexual disposition and behaviour in 'love the sinner, hate the sin' is that
Startingat the beginning: the
human society have to be understood theytreathomosexualityasconstitutive
heterosexualnorm
in terms ofthe fallenness ofall hum ofaperson'sidentity. Talkofsundering
Therearefew things asfundamentalin ankind. In the case ofhomosexuality, a man or woman from his or her
the biblical revelation as the divine this applies to orientationaswell asto homosexualityisthus felt asathreatto
orderingofheterosexualmonogamy. It behaviour, and this will not change if their essential being. What they de
is found throughout Scripture-for orwhen agenetic explanationfor the mandisacceptancespecificallyas'gay'
example, in two ofthe Ten Comm homosexual conditionisdiscovered. or lesbian.
andments, in the. teaching ofJesus, There is no mileage in denying or Thissenseofhurtcallsfor asensitive
where it is reaffirmed and its impli resisting the identification ofgenetic response. It lnay well be the case that
cations deepened, and in Ephesians as factors aswholly or partly responsible whenwe talk about homosexuality in
an image ofthe love between Christ for homosexual tendencies. To do any public.gathering, one or lnore of
and his church. To excise or override otherwise would be to take refuge in those listening will feel that their
thisfoundationisto do deepstructural something like God-of-the-gaps whole being is under challenge. We
damage to the teaching ofScripture. theologyin reverse, asthough only in need to be aware ofthis possibility,
And ifit is objected thatJesus, the the gaps in current genetic science withoutacceptingthe assumptionsand
perfecthumanbeing,wasnotmarried, couldonediscernthe effectsofthe fall. instinctsit represents. Itmay be under-
ISSUE 2.1- SPRING 1995 3
standable, in asociety so preoccupied tradition has probably erred in the relevance ofthe Old Testament and
with (heterosexual) sexualfulfilmentas direction oflegalism, but this is no most ofthe NewTestamentapart from
ours appears to be, why persons of excuse for swinging to the other the Gospels on.the grounds oftheir
different sexual disposition should extreme ofcheap grace that makes no historical relativism (they reflect the
perceive their identity so much in moral demands and expects no moral social and cultural worlds in which
terms ofthis difference. renewal. they originated), butasksquestions of
Butit issurely far healthierto insist the Gospels in atotally non-historical
Reading the Biblewhole: or,
that our worth ashuman beings con fashion. Ifany ofthe Bible is his
againstseparatingwhatGodhas
sists in our being created in God's toricallyconditioned, allofitis.There
joinedtogether
image and recreated in Christ. No is no core-gospel (not even 'God is
highervaluecanbeplaced on aInan or The revisionist liberalism that isnow love') which comes to us except in a
woman than this. It is a particularly ready to accept non-rnarital particular vocabulary (first-century
worrying feature of the 'gay' and heterosexual and same-sex relation Greek in this case), from a particular
lesbian Christian movement that it ships often seems a throwback to the context (that of1John, its authorand
seeks recognition ofhomosexuals Jesus-only liberalism ofan earlier era. recipients). 'God is love' is true in a
precisely in terms oftheir homo The Old Testament and Paul are biblical sense, i.e. as biblically warr
sexuality, instead ofas creatures of largely pensioned offas incurably anted, only when 'God' and 'love' are
God, sinfullike allofusbutcapable of patriarchal, in an exclusive appeal to giventheirfirst-centurycontextualised
beingremadein Christ. Others do not theJesus ofthe Gospels. Yeteven this meanings-not asany modern might
rest their personal identity in their isnotfreefromselectivity-citingJohn care to conceive ofGod and love!
heterosexuality! 8:11a but omittingJohn 8:11b. A Note well: the sound response to
church in the Reformed tradition 'Butthat's allpatriarchalism!' isnot to
Acceptance and non-acceptance
should be the last to excise the Old try to carve out some reserved ter
The domination oflate twentieth Testament from the Bible like Mar ritory free ofthis plague, but to insist
century liberal Christianity by an cion, ifit isfaithful to its true genius. that there isno self-revelation ofGod
almost antinomian inclusivism is ref (Itisalarmingthat sorne ofthe strong except that given under such socio
lected in the way 'acceptance' has estpressure for changeiscomingfrom cultural limitations. Jesus was not
ousted 'forgiveness'. Forgiveness rec individuals who openly disown alle incarnate except as aJew in first
ognizes, and acceptance often giance to the Reformed tradition of centuryPalestine, norcrucifiedexcept
implicitly denies, the needfor repent Christianityin particular.) 'under Pontius Pilate', and the New
ance. Christ accepts us assinners, but It is difficult to take seriously asan Testament comes to us only in Hel
accepts us in forgiveness, not in mere argument in favour of accepting lenistic Greek. We eitheraccept-and
recognition that we are who we are. homosexual behaviour thatJesus said gloryin!-thescandal ofparticularity,
And where there is room for.for nothing about it. Ifthis isindeed the or set about creatingourownreligion
giveness(andthereisno acceptanceby case,it would not be surprising.Jesus in embarrassment at the once-for-all
God without it), there is room for saidnothingaboutagreat many topics givenness ofhistoric Christianity.
hearts and lives to be changed. Jesus thatwere notliveissuesin Palestine in So the debate about homosexuality
refused to condemn the adulteress to his day-like social security schemes, turns out to encapsulate a number of
the punishIllentJewish law required, democracyandvotes for all,and equal the critical issuesin the battle to hold
buthisacceptanceofheraccompanied payfor women (and even aboutmany on to aChristianitythat isrecognisably
a sharp summons to abandon her that presumablywere, likenationalism, the faith ofourfathers. Thealternative
adultery. Muchthe samecanbe saidof housing the homeless, disarmament is a faith that is made in our own
the use of'affirm' (except that gram and the care ofthe terminallyill)And image, and made anew in every gen
matically it is much odder to say'the itisagreed that homosexualitybecame eration. Butofafaith in whichwe see
gospel affirms me'I). an issue for the Jews only when they the reflection, narcissistically, ofour
Evangelical churches above alloth spread into the Hellenistic world Gust contemporary society's values and
ers should be places where the good asearlier it had beenanissuefor Israel aspirations, one thing is sure-it
news ofa forgiving and welcoming only when encountered alnong its cannot save contemporary society. A
Godisheard in unmistakeabletones by Canaanite neighbours}. gospel read offeven thebest oftoday's
sinners ofall kinds-including the This argument from the silence of insights and wisdom will be so dif
notorious offenders ofthe Gospels. Jesus isa kind ofnegative prooftext ferent (a gospel) that it will not be
Butthereisno hintin the Gospelsthat ing-andreflectsanaivelyunhistorical (another) gospel at all.
Jesus approved or tolerated prostitutes treatmentofthe Gospels. Assuch, itis
continuing to ply their trade or tax- anotherinstanceofthe arbitraryselec David Wright is Senior Lecturer in
gatherers continuing to fleece tivity thatthe revisionist caserelieson Ecclesiastical History at New College,
tax-payers. The Scottish Reformed throughout: it severely restricts the Edinburgh
4 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCH& MINISTRY
Preadiing
least twofold. First, in general people
use their brains less and less today.
Technology provides instant know
ledge. We areno longerencouragedto
think for ourselves. The television
advertisements, to saynothing ofthe
the content ofl1lanyprogrammes, assume
that peopledon'twantto think.While
road-menders, carpenters and crofters
ofScotland could hold their own a
hundred years ago in profound phi
or
losophicaldebate, oftenatsecondyear
university level, Joe Public today
doesn'teven knowwhatphilosophyis.
Many in our congregations have a
reading age ofabout eight years. I
recall the numbed sense ofdisbelief
with which I discovered, as a young
minister, that certainofl1lyelders who
were professional men-s-bank man
agers, headteachers and businessmen
---couldn'tactually think! AsIcame to
know them in their homes, I found
DavidSearle their staple reading matter was The
Sunday Post. Take them away frorn
theirprofessional expertise, and invite
them to explore a new area ofthink
ing, and my awful discovery was that
theirbrains had atrophied.
T he charge is often brought mounting 'an assault on our reason'.
Sub-Christian
against evangelists that their Hehad beenthrownto the groundby
preaching is too emotional. the Holy Spirit, he claimed, because But there is asecond reason why this
Some ofthem are distinctly thin on he had been too cerebral in his matter ofthe rational element in our
contentand majorinsteadon plucking approach to faith. He had lost touch preaching is a contemporary issue
at the heart strings. They tell senti withspiritualpowerand thatwaswhy, demandingourattention. Whilemost,
mental stories aiming for conversions against all reasonable explanation, he ifnot all,Scottish homes used to have
viathe emotionsoftheiraudience.We had experienced the phenomenon of aBible,most nowadaysdon'tevenhave
haveallheardthatkindofpreaching. It uncontrollablelaughterand othersthe a book. The shelves are lined with
can be very well done, people are accompanying animal noises. video tapes offilmswhich, ratherthan
moved-e-sornetimes to tears-but at Well,isittrue that reformedpreach expandingthe mind, debase and defile
the end ofthe day,when one actually ersgenerally aretoo intellectual? Isour it. That being so, 1110st ofthose in
analysesthe message,ithasbeenalmost approach to faith, and to that preach Scottish Churches today listen to our
without Biblical content. ing which is God's appointed preaching frorn a starting point of
Onthe otherhand, reformedtheo instrument through which the Holy almost complete ignorance. SOIne of
logians are often accused ofbeingtoo Spirit brings people to faith, too our elders have views, strongly held,
cerebral. In his article onNewAge in cerebral?Dowe emphasisethe place of which are not merely sub-Christian,
thefirstissue ofTheRutherfordJournal, the mind too much? Ought we to butareevenanti-Christian.We can no
JohnDranestates thatreformed theo work far more on our hearers' em longerassume abasicunderstandingof
logians 'have most easily worn the otions? Ought we to seek to reach Scripture and the Christian faith.
rationalistlabel'. their wills via their emotions and be Many young ministers begin in con
content to by-pass theirbrains? gregations where the faith sincerely
An assaultonreason
heldisno longer a 'Christian' faith.
Mental stagnation
Oneyoungmanwho hasbeencaught Little wonder, then, that so luany
up into the Toronto Blessing wroteto This question is not ~implyan aca preachersabandonthe great endeavour
tell me about his experience and demic one. It is actually a pressing to bringpeople to faith by addressing
informed me that the Holy Spiritwas contemporaryissue.Theproblemisat their minds. They have taken a route
ISSUE 2.1- SPRING 1995 5
out through the back door, and have The effect ofthese physical pheno mighty God in which mere mortals
said, 'We can'tbeat them, sowe'lljust mena-e-healings, demonicactivity and find they must put their hands over
have to join them'. Many sermons the castingoutofdemons-c-all created theirmouths.
have becomebanal in the extreme-e-a a huge stir with people flocking from The presence ofthe Holy Spirit is
few stories, with the sort of exp miles around. awesome. In my limited experience,
lanation which pretends the text Whatwasthe Lord'sresponseto this when the Spirit comes in power, one
contains no theology at all. excitement?Even acursoryreadingof yearns to bowlow, to hide one's face,
My question is, therefore, 'Where the Gospels tellsusthat he did every and the tearscannotbe keptback. The
oughtwe to be in this final decade of thingin His powerto avoidit. Hesaw only possible initial response is to
the centuryin thiswholeareaofmind itasamajorobstacleto Hisrealminis- surrender oneself to God with a
totality that reaches into every
compartment, every nookand cranny,
When the Devil asked the Lord to bow down
ofone'sinnermostsoul. Icannotthink
ofawordto describe one's emotionsin
and worship him, he was not askingJesusfor
the presence ofGod less appropriate
than excitement. Adoration, yes.
a song!
Excitement, no.
Emotionalintoxication
and emotions? Have we been too try ofpreaching. No crowd bent on Yet, in so many churches today, and
cerebral? Have we neglectedthe erno witnessingsupernatural activity wants especially in youth rallies, the aim
tionalappeal?Dowe needachangeof to listen seriously; they want to spec seems too oftento be to excite. There
direction?' Ihave certainpropositions. tate. So when those whom the Lord is no worse preparation for the
Theyareallconcerned, eitherdirectly healed, and whom he sternly com preaching.ofthe Word ofGod than
or indirectly, with preaching. And I manded to say nothing to anyone excitement through pure emotional
bring them before you in the con about their healing, disobeyed and ism. I recall speaking in Northern
victionthatpreaching, empoweredby broadcasttheirgood news, he couldno Ireland at a Youth Rally which was
the Holy Spiritwhoworks in response longeropenlyenterthe towns, buthad held in myformerchurch. Theremust
to believing prayer, isthe single most to hide away in the remoter areas have been about 900 to 1000 young
important activity any minister of (Mark 1:45). people gathered. (That is not un
Christisever called upon to do. EarlierinMark1,SimonPeterwent common in the Province). A musical
to look for the Lord because He had group had been brought in to lead
disappeared, and the crowds wanted what they called 'TheWorship'. That
Emotional excitementis Him after the evening ofhealing in large gathering had had over an hour
to be avoided as far as Capernaum: Simon and his com ofsinging.
possible panions went to look for him, and When Istoodto speak, few wanted
whenthey foundhim, they exclaimed: tolisten. Theyhadbeenintoxicatedby
I don'twant to comment on the Tor 'Everyone is looking for you!' Jesus drums and beat and a kind ofsinging
onto Blessing movement which replied, 'Let usgosomewhereelse-to whichhad excitedthememotionally. I
recently has come to Scotland, apart the nearby villages-so I can preach found that before Icould get through
from makingthis oneobservation: itis there also. That iswhy I have come' to them, I had to overcome the spirit
not difficult to fill achurch, or even a (Mark 1:36ff.). thatwasabroad in the gathering. That
stadium, ifemotionalexcitementislaid isnot the only occasion when I have
Silence
on. That is not to say that everyone had that experience.
who hasespoused the Toronto move My first proposition, then, is that
Tmeworship
ment is motivated by emotionalism. emotionalexcitementisto be avoided
But it is to assert that wherever one as far as humanly possible. I believe We need discernment, therefore, to
findsphysicalphenomenabeingmani with allmy heart that there is a huge know the difference between the
fested, the crowds will flock. difference between emotional excite presence ofGodand emotionalexcite
ment and the presence ofthe Holy ment. Sometimes, Iknow, the two can
Physicalphenomena
Spirit. lain Murray, surely one ofthe overlap as the Spirit works in spiteof
Weonly haveto turnto the Gospelsto world's leadingauthoritieson Revival, the excitement. Butmostly, the Spirit
seethis. People in the Lord's daywere hastold usthat the effectofthe Spirit's absents Himselffrom the spirit of
no different to people today. Certain presence has alwaysbeen, in the first excitement for reasons which I hope
miraculous phenomena accompanied instance, silence; a silence that can be we shallsee. Worship is not making a
the Lord's own ministry, aswe know. felt; a silence in the presence ofAl- jolly, loud noise or singing our heads
6 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCH&MINISTRY
off. Worship is nothing to do with whichthey arefullyaware,namely,the situationto hisAreopagiticain Athens.
that. Worship isthesurrenderofourwills recent crucifixion and resurrection of Therehavebeenmany studies done of
toGodtoserve Him asHisslaves allour Jesus ofNazareth. He ties in those this sermon, and we haven't time to
days. recent events, along with the phe- look at them today': Suffice it to say
The third temptation ofour Lord nomenon ofPentecost itself, to the that I believe it hasbeen satisfactorily
should teach us that. When the devil Old Testament scriptures. He shows demonstrated that Paul's approach
asked the Lord to bow down and howthese events-theministry, death remains essentially an appeal to the
worship him, he was not askingJesus and resurrection ofthe LordJesus minds ofthe Athenians and that Luke
for a song! He was asking for our along with the outpouring ofthe records for us a 1110del ofpreaching
Lord'ssurrenderto him; he wasasking Spirit-fulfil scriptures which his whichisaddressedto anaudiencewho
for capitulation, allegiance, for the hearers already know and believe. had no prior knowledge ofthe Lord
pledge ofhis will in life-longservice. Third, he callsthem to repentance God, an approach which brilliantly
Thatisworship. Singingcanbe almost and faith in Christ. crossesthe cultural gap and builds the
incidental to worship. You can have Now we know that in Acts 2 we necessary bridge over which Paul will
hours ofsingingwithoutanyworship. only have the merest skeleton outline later cross to bring the full Christian
Worship, you must know, liesatthe ofPeter's preaching. We know that gospel.
heartofthe Ten Commandments. The because Luke tells us so: (Acts 2:40)
Dramaticconversions
first and second commandments are 'With many other words he warned
built around trueworship ofGod and them and he pleaded with them...' Move on with me to consider for a
prohibition offalseworship. 'Love so But before Peter came to what your moment the anguish through which
amazing, so divine, demands my soul, homiletics teachermightcallhis'app Saul ofTarsus had to pass during the
my life, my all'. That, in the final lication', he explainedand expounded three daysofhisblindness after he had
analysis,isworship. the Scriptures the people knewin the encountered the risen Lord on the
I haven't strayed from my point. light offacts ofwhich they were fully Damascus road. We tendto emphasise
Modernhappy-clappysinging canvery aware. that encounterand to talk and thinkas
subtly cross the line into emotional Thattends to be the Actspatternof ifthat was Paul's conversion. But try
excitement. When it does, you might preaching in Jerusalem and in the and get into his mind and follow his
aswell close your Bible and put your synagogues. We might call it, 'The thinking ashe prayed for those three
sermonin yourpocket, becausewhen fulfilment pattern', because it isbased days.
the congregation has been stirred up on the Old Testament Scriptures. Its His assumptionshad been,first, that
likethat no onewillreallywant to hear methodology is to demonstrate that Jesus was a criminal who had been
the preaching ofthe Word ofGod. the events ofthe Lord's life, together cursed [excommunicated]by hiscruci
withthe growthofHisChurch, canbe fixion; second, that Christians were a
explained and understoodin the light bunchofdeludedheretics who needed
Preaching is addressed ofOld Testamentpromises. annihilating, and he was genuinely
to people's minds You must see that it isprimarily an serving God in vigorously seeking to
appeal to the mind. Luke summarises dojustthat; third, thathe himselfwas
One only has to take aBible in one's for usthe apostolic synagoguepreach attaining righteousness through strict
hands and turn the pages over from ing: (Acts17:2-4) 'Ashis customwas, observance ofthe law.
Genesis to Revelation to seethat God Paul wentinto the synagogue, and on Try and understandthe massiveshift
is addressing himselfto men and wo three Sabbath days he reasoned with in the thinking ofSaul ofTarsus. His
men first and foremost through their them from the Scriptures, explaining anguish as he discovered that the
minds. Let us focus on this more and proving that the Christ had to cursedNazarenewho had beencut off
particularly. Look at some of the suffer and rise from the dead. "This from the people ofGod-even from
preachingin the Actsofthe Apostlesto Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the God himself-by hanging on a tree,
see this demonstrated for us. Take Christ", he said. Some ofthe Jews thisJesus was actually Lord! His mind
Peter's great sermon on the Day of were persuaded and joined Paul and was grappling with the Scriptures he
Pentecost. What is the methodology Silas, as did a large number ofGod knew so well. The Holy Spirit was
inherentin his preaching? fearing Greeks and not a few leadinghiminto anewunderstanding
prominentwomen.' ofIsaiah53, Psalm 22,Jeremiah31, as
PreachinginActs to Jews
well asofthe whole Levitical system.
PreachinginActsto Gentiles
First, he speaks to them about what These Christians-what ofthem?
they already knowandbelieve. He takes What about preaching to Gentile Followers ofthe Way? They must be
the passage from Joel 2, and then audienceswhowere notfamiliar with right! In persecuting them, he had
quotations from Psalms 16 and 110. Scripture? We have to go for an ex beenpersecutingtheirLord. And what
Second, he speaks of events of ample ofhowPaultackled that kindof ofthe Law,in whichhe wasso deeply
ISSUE2.1 - SPRING 1995 7
schooled and to which he was both 20:18. osition? That's all very well, but
intellectually and emotionallybound? avaYYEAAro-announce, explain; see consider SOIneofthese NT words:
All along, it had been aschool-master John 4:25; 16:13, 14, 15; Acts 20:20. speak out, conversewith, narrate [the
to lead him to the Christ and he had a1tayyEAAOl-announce from one preachernarrates astory, there should
never realised it. Righteousness was place to another;seeMatt. 11:4;12:18. often be narrative in our sermons],
not by the law at all; it was through OtaYY£AAOl-announce throughout interpret/explain, reason, makeknown
faith in the risen Saviour. Paul had to theworld; see Luke 9:60; ROIl1. 9:17. /unfold, announce, declare, bring
square all he knew ofthe Old Test £~aYY£AAOl-announce publicly, good news, speak boldly, call to wit
alnent (and who would deny that his declare; see 1Pet. 2:9. ness, give solemn evidence, urge/
knowledge and grasp ofthe OldTest l(ataYYEAAOl-announce, proclaim; persuade, confess, cry aloud, teach,
amentwas imrnensel) with the fact of see Acts 4:2; 13:5, 28. pass on, warn, admonish, define,
the risenJesus who hadrevealedhim £uaYYEAAt~oJ..L<Xt-bring good news; strengthen, eomfort, exhort, reprove,
selfto him asLord. see Matt. 11:5; Luke 3:18; 4:18; Acts rebuke, chide, instruct.
I don't for one 1110Inentwant to 5:42 Ifind the versatility and broadnessof
detractin anyway from themysteryof 1taPP1l0t~0f..1at-speak boldly; see the NT's portrayal ofpreaching very
regeneration. Neverthelessitwouldbe Acts 9:27£;14:3; Ephesians 6:20. challenging. Isuspectthatmuchofmy
foolish, even dishonest, to deny that J..Laptup£Ol-bear witness, testify; see preachingfor thepast thirty-fouryears
Paul's mind grappledwiththeologyin John 1:7,8, 15; Acts 10:43. has been far too narrow in its scope.
the most remarkable way. His mind E1ttJ..LaptUp£o>--call to witness; see 1
Holy Spiritunderstanding
wasenlightenedbythe HolySpirit,so Peter5:12.
thathispaststrictreligiouslifebecame OtaJ..LaptuP0J..L<xt-givesolemn evid We must be careful not to think that
like refuse, dross, dung! What a ence, warn; seeLuke 16:28; Acts2:40. preaching addressed to the mind has
conversion! My conclusion is that 1t£t9ro---urge, seek to persuade; see anything to do with a·oongregation's
preaching is addressed to our people's Acts 13:43; 17:4; 18:4; 19:8. IQ. The understanding comes from
minds, oJ..LoAo)'EOl-publiclydeclare, confess; the Holy Spirit. We allknowbrilliant
seeJohn 1:20; Heb. 13:15. minds which cannot grasp the sim
Morethan 30NTwords for
l(pa~Ol-cry aloud; see John 1:15; plicityofthestatement, 'Godsoloved
preaching
7:28, 37; 12:44; Acts 23:6. the world that He gave His only be
I recently came across a short para 1tP0<Pllt£uro-declarethe will ofGod, gotten Son'. Yet we know simple,
graph in the article on khrussw, 'I prophesy; see Luke 1:67; Acts 2:17; uneducated folk with very little int
preach', in Kittel.' The point is made 19:6. ellectual apparatus who understand
that in the New Testament there are OtOaOl(ro-teach; seeMatt. 5:2; 7:29; Romans 8 with a clarity and delight
about30 synonyms used for khrussw. I 9:35; Acts 4:2, 18. which isastonishing.
took time to look up each word and 1tapaOtOOlf..1t-handover,handdown; In thatregard, contrastthemeaning
discoveredthatthewriterhad actually see 1 Cor. 11:2, 23; 15:3; 2 Pet. 2:21. oftwo words in our list, 'teach' and
omittedseveral. Here are afew ofthe VOU9EtEro-admonish,warn, instruct; 'instruct'. Is the distinction between
NT words used ofpreaching: seeActs20:31; 1Cor. 4:14; Col. 1:28. 'teaching' and 'instruction' the dis
(rov AOYOV) op8o'tof..1£ro-define;see tinction between the theoretical and
A£y(O--speak, mean, tell; see Matt. 2 Till1. 2:15. the practical? Theclinical instructorin
5:33ff. 1tapal(CXAEOl-strengthen, exhort, the hospital works on the wards help
AaAero-talk, say;see lCor. 2:6f. plead; seeLuke 3:18; Acts2:20; 14:22; ing the student nurses to put into
a1to<p9£YY0f..1at-speak out, utter 15:32. practice the theory they have learned
forth; see Acts 2:14; 26:25. EAEYXOl-reprove, rebuke, expose from the tutors in the classroom; the
0f..1tAEro-comll1une, converse with; error, correct; seeJohn 6:18; 2 Tim. instructor on the mechanical eng
see Acts 20:11. 4:2. ineering course takes the students to
OtlTYE0f..1at-relate, narrate; see Luke Emtlf..1aor-rebuke,chide, censure; see the workshop and helps them strip
8:39; Heb. 11:32. 2 Ti1l1. 4:2. down an engine and put it together
£~ll)'EoJ..Lat-interpret, expound; see again. 'Instruction' suggests to me a
Full-orbedNTpreaching
John 1:18; Acts 15:12ff. process whichisvery practical. With
OtaAEY0J..Lat-:-address, preach, reason; We need a full-orbed picture ofNT outthe 'teaching' element, it isalmost
see Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19. preaching. What are we doing when certainly a waste oftime. But com
Ot£Pf..1llvEuro-interpret, explain; see we stand andpreach? Thinkofsome of binedwith good teaching, instruction
Luke 24:27; 1 Cor. 14:5, 13,27. your sermons ofthe past months. will form mature solid Christian men
YVOlpt~0l-n1akeknown; see Luke What did you do? Did you expound and women. Nevertheless, it is still
2:15, 17;John 15:15; 17:26. doctrine? Ifyou did, whatpercentage directed to the understanding-the
aYYEAAro-report, announce;seeJohn ofyour sermon was doctrinal exp- better understanding-ofwhat has
8 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCH& MINISTRY
been taught. Let me quote: 'Paul in Romans has Beauty: Psaltn 27:4; 29:2; Desire:
been expounding great and mighty Psalm 40:8; 42:1; 63:1.
Somequestions about our
doctrines ofgrace. Nowin chapter 12 What do we find? We find that in
preaching
we havethisword, Therefore. Theorder variably godly emotion-e--and our
So, do we warn, persuade, reason, expose in Scripture is always the Sa111e, First Bibles are packed with godly enl.
error, chide, exhort, strengthen, declare?Do exposition, then exhortation. First otion--arisesfrom anunderstandingof
we bringgoodnews? Ohfor goodnews come the divine indicatives-what thewill, purposes, goodness, love and
in our pulpits! We have some dep God has done for us. Then come the holiness ofGod.Withagreaterknow
ressive characters in Scottish pulpits divine imperatives-what God de ledgeofGodcomes deeperemotional
who have no good news to tell. Their mands ofus'. experience. The shallowerthe under
sermonsare99%badnews. Yes,preach My preaching for thirty-four years standing, the thinnerthe emotion; the
thesinfulness ofsin. Yes,preach death hasbeenbasedon that paragraph. 'First greater the understanding, the deeper
to self. But never preach any ofthat exposition, thenexhortation.'Because the emotion.
withoutthejoyand gloryandlife and in my Bible, the argument is from Guiltisatitsmostintensewhenthe
love and assurance of our blessed mindto will!Theexhortationisalways knowledge ofGod's lawsand character
Redeemer. down-to-earth, massively relevant, are most clearly understood. Fear and
Do we define, rightly dividing the anchored in the real world ofwork, holyaweofGodare greatly heightened
wordoftruth? Dowe converse---create home,living, growingold, dying. The as knowledge of God is increased.
a mental dialogue with our people? Bible is earthed in the real world of Confidence and assurance grow strong
when understanding of covenant
mercy is clearer.Joy reaches its zenith
many ofus send shells which explode when the grace ofa good and loving
God is grasped. It is not only the
harmlessly in some place in the Church where Psalmswhichtellthisstory. Ourwhole
Bibles tell the"same story. So what,
u-e
no one is sitting. need...direct hits then, are the lessons for preaching
today?
Addresspeople's minds
Preaching, you see, dies when it be service, temptation, the world's all
comes a monologue. Ifourpreaching urements, Satan's stratagems and We live an apostate age, in which
is a monologue, without feedback, accusations, grace to live by. Is our much ofoursocietyhasbecome quite
withoutan ongoingexchangeofheart preachingin this realworld? pagan. Those who minister in pulpits
and soul betweenthepreacherandhis withoutanevangelical traditioncannot
hearers, thenit hasbecomesterile and assume their congregations know the
thepotentialfruitofrighteousnesswill 1iulygodly emotions Scriptures.Theymustbegin, therefore,
never form or mature butwill wither sprtng from an ever teachingthe WordofGodwithaview
on the stalks. greater understanding of to bringing understanding of the
Dowe explain, interpret, makeknown, the truth of God. character,ways,laws,holinessand love
declarethetruthofGod? Dowe address of God. They need to use the full
people? Yes, address real people? So About two weeks ago, I embarked on scope ofBiblicalpresentationwe have
much preaching is to the middle dis a reading ofthe Psalms looking for justseen.
tance. We fire oursalvos,but into the evidenceofemotions.Whatdid Ifind? Ifourownknowledge ofpreaching,
air.IknowthatKingHaroldwaskilled AsW~ Nicolsonused to say, 'Boys-a asit is portrayed for us in Scripture,
at the Battle ofHastings by an arrow days!'Boys-a-days!DidIfind emotion! increases, then our style ofpreaching
shotinto the air. Butmany ofus send Let me share with you alittle ofmy will be expanded and will perhaps
shells which explode harmlessly in discoveries. Here isjust a small sel begin to include elements and aspects
some place in the church where no ection ofemotion which leapt out at which we never utilisedbefore. What
one is sitting. We need, Sunday by me from the Psalms as I skimmed we will be doing will be addressing
Sunday,directhits. Notnearmisses.So through them: Guilt: Psahn 32:3-5; ourselves in many differentwaysto the
address people! 38:4; Fear: Psalm 111:10; 119:120; minds ofour hearers.
Away back in 1959, while I was 119:161; Confidence: Psalm 91:1-2; Perhaps a reference to music will
studying divinity, the tape ofJames Jealousy for God's glory: Psalm illustrate. Thinkofthemanymoodsin
Philip's 1958 Keswick address on 119:126, 136, 139;Joy: Psalm 119:35, afine piece ofmusic. Those listening
Romans 12:1 came into my hands. 47,62,111, 162, 171;Sorro~:Psalm can be carried to great heights, and
That address hadaprofound effect on 43:5; 119:136; 119:153; Pleasure: thenbe takendownto solemndepths,
my own life and subsequent ministry. Psalm 16:3,6, 11; Appreciation of and then swept away into some ro-
ISSUE2.1- SPRING 1995 9
mantic dream, and then taken on Becausethe greaterourappreciationof mustdo that. We must 'instruct', that
tiptoe into S0111e mysterious valley. the salvation ofour God, the loftier is, show the relevance ofwhat Amos
A much 1110re crude illustration is will be our praises ofhim. Flat, dull, said 800 years before Christ for the
thatagoodfighterin the ringwill vary lifelesssingingalmost alwayspoints to people ofGod2000years afterChrist.
his punches. He will box defensively, acongregationuntaughtin the truthof We do that, but also preach with
and 1110ve about lightly, drawing his Scripture. The key to praise lies emotion. Preach with fire. Fire that
opponent cunningly into an through the mind, warms. Fire whose flames bring
unguarded 11~0111entwhen he will corpses from the stiffcoldlifelessstate
Avoidslush
unexpectedly land an uppercut that oftheir deadness to stir and know the
sends the other reeling; then he will Please don't allow your congregations poweroftheHolySpiritbeginningto
draw back, keepinghisownguard, and to sing pap and slush. I have been in flow in theirveins. Fire whose flames
onceagain will lure his opponentinto gatherings where grown adults, ed cast lightinto the darkestplaces.
aInOlnent ofhesitationwhenastraight ucatedpeople,havebeenexpectednot Oh, preach with fire! Don't climb
left will again send his opponent only to sing words which could have those pulpit steps unless and until the
reeling; butthis time, he will follow it beenwrittenbyMcGonagall, to music fireofGodburnsin yoursoul. For itis
up with another powerful blow and which was so bad that it made me aswe bring together into holy union
another, until he gets either aknock wince, but also words which were our theology and the fire ofholy
out or the towel isthrown in. vacuous, banal and often such bad emotion that the words we speakwill
We have to go for that knock out! theology as to be misleading, ifnot cut to the heart, and will reach the
We have to box for it with skill and altogetherfalse.(What,for example,is consciences and wills ofthose listen
patience, waiting the opportunity the the Biblical warrantfor singing, 'Make ing.
HolySpiritwill give,perhapsnotuntil lny flesh life melt away'?) Because the One final thought. Many ofour
the ninth or tenthround, after along, item being sung had been in intro people are longing for us to speak to
exhausting fight that has sapped our duced by some platitudinous rubbish, themlike that. Theyare cryingoutfor
strength and demandedmore than we people felt obliged to join in, though a word that will address their minds
thought we could ever give. Such is theyfelt somehowthis waslittle more and tell themabouttheirtemptations,
our address to the minds and con than sentimentality. their worries, their battles, their
sciences ofmen and women. I suspect that some ofthe modern sorrows, theirjoys, their daily work,
song-writers are undermining true their families, their homes, their
Choosinghymns
The second lesson regards the hymns
My preachingfor thirty-Jour years has been
we choose. I know that we are aware
hymns shouldhave reasonablepoetryand
basedon that paragraph. 'First exposition,
be set to singable music. But there is a
third criterion. It isthat any hymnwe
then exhortation.'
use must have Biblical content. It must
havesoundtheologyembeddedwithin
it. Christian piety, on the one hand, and neighbours, their money-and just
Singingis a crucial pathway to our implanting seriously false ideas about howallofthatcomesunderthemigh
people'sminds. Aswell asprovidingan grace and sanctification on the other ty graceandpowerofGod. So preach
opportunity for adoration, singing hand. Put the hymns you choose with fire, the fire of God in your
shouldbe partofagrand campaignof throughthethreesieves:poetry, music bones, in yourheartsandonyourlips.
enlightenment. Go backfor amoment and-above all-content. Remember, So may the Holy Spirit honour and
to my earlier comments about emo Paul said, In understanding bemen! authenticateHis writtenand Incarnate
tionalsinging. Ihaveno problemwith Word.
Theologyonfire
a certain kind ofemotional singing.
Myproblemiswhenpeoplesing their The final lesson-in aword-is that Notes
heads offbutby-pass theirminds in so true preachingis theology on fire. If I am indebted to an unpublished MTh
doing. Spiritual singing (which will there is one thing that the Church of Dissertation: The Cognitive Element of
certainlybe emotional-how couldit Godneeds today it istheologyonfire. Conversion in the Acts of the Apostles,
not be, when God has created us Ifyouwantto emptyyourchurchjust TerenceJHarkin, NewCollege, 1994.
emotional beings!), will be with un preach pure theology. Did Paul ever 2 TheologicalDictionaryoftheNewTestament,
derstanding ofwords that express the preach pure theology? I hardly think ed. Kittel, Vol3, p703.
mighty doctrines ofgrace. so. His theology was ablaze with
Ifyou long for better singing from passion andlove for God.
yourcongregations, gofor theirminds, Lift Biblical truth into 1995. We
10 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCH& MINISTRY
HistoricalSermons
__ne Sin
D
a sermon by Andrew Bonar
T
he sin mentioned here is not the earthlyCanaan,were notdelivered
Ifany man see his brothersin a
the same asthe sin against the over to eternal death. Moses himself
sin which is not unto death, he
Holy Ghost. The persons (we might add Aaron and Miriam) is
shall ask, and he shall give him
spoken of, in the latter sin, are the an example ofthe same thing. In him
life for them that sin not unto
Scribes and Pharisees-it is the we see a believing man suffering
death. Thereisasin unto death:
malignant enemies ofChrist who are temporal death for his sin, yet still a
I do not say that he shall pray
the criminals. In the formersin,that is, child of God, and an heir of the
forit.All unrighteousnessissin:
the case before us in our text, it is a heavenly Canaan.
and there is sin not unto death
Christian brother thatisthe offender:
Ifanymanseehisbrother sin.We must (1John 5:16, 17). God's chastisement
beware ofconfounding the two sins But have we any casesofthis kind in
and the two parties. The sin unto Deathmaymeaneithertemporalor the New Testament? Ifwe have, they
death is spoken ofas that which a eternal death; either the death ofthe will tend greatly to confirm our
believer couldcommit;hutno believer soul, or that ofthe body.Inthe passage interpretationofthe passagesbefore us,
could possibly be guilty of the before us, it seems to me to mean the and shew that, in allages,God's wayof
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. latter.Thesinuntodeath, wouldmean dealing with his saints has been the
asininvolvingtemporaldeath, though same;and that, while in some instances
Canwefallfrom grace?
he would not exclude the doer ofit therewaschastisement,in the shape of
This clears thewaysofar, or atleastit from his kingdom. pain, or disease, or lossofproperty, or
narrows the ground, and so facilitates The difference between these two loss offriends, in others there was
chastisementin the shape ofdeath. In
the case of Moses, we have this
Does it not assume the possibility offalling
paternalchastisement,involvingdeath;
in the case ofJob, we see it involving
from grace, and deny the 'perseverance ofthe
lossofsubstance, lossoffamily,lossof
health, butstoppingshortofdeath; but
saints'?
in the New Testament, we shallsee it
in the infliction ofdeath upon the
our inquiry. While removing one kinds ofsinsmay be illustratedby the child ofGod.
difficulty, does it not introduce case of Israel in the desert. The Themost remarkableinstance ofthe
another? Does it not assume the generationthat cameoutofEgypt died kindisin the Corinthianchurch. That
possibilty offalling from grace, and in the wilderness, because oftheir churchwasin many respectsnobleand
deny the 'perseverance ofthe saints'? murmurings. Yet many ofthese were Christ-like, comingbehindinnogift.Yet
We think not. But, asmuch depends believing men and women, who, therewas much sin in it, and many of
on the meaningofthe expression, asin thoughthus chastisedbythe infliction its members were not walking as
untodeath. We mustfirst take up this. oftemporal death and deprivation of becomethsaints. Speciallyin reference to