Short Thoughts

Any preacher who really believes something, and preaches it like he believes it, has likely been charged with pride or arrogance. Certainly, preachers can be guilty of arrogance and real pride is a reproach upon any ministry. However, some folks are quick and often to charge preachers with having too much pride. One preacher told me, “You always think the preacher is arrogant when he preaches something you disagree with.” Unfortunately, there is much truth in that statement.

I once sat and listened to two preachers discussing a biblical subject. They had opposing views. The first man presented his case and the second responded with Scripture after Scripture. The first man would press and the second would quote verse after verse. The first man referenced a few verses, but the second quoted and referenced them in abundance. The second man’s demeanor was humble, yet his defense was bold. The conversation ended when after a long chain of verses was presented by the second man to prove his position, the first man responded, “Well, that’s just human reasoning.” He probably also later charged that preacher with arrogance.

So, I am thinking now about the false charge—the charge that is leveled against the man who preaches the Word with boldness. In the first place, when a man is called of God to preach His Word, he does not have his own choice about how to go about it. Paul asked for prayer from his fellow believers that in preaching, “I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:19-20). It was Paul’s boldness in preaching that caused some in Corinth to charge him with pride.

The truth of God’s Word ought to be preached boldly. The specimens of preaching in the Bible reveal boldness in the delivery. If a man is convinced of truth, he ought to preach it boldly. If he is not convinced, he ought not to preach at all. Usually though, bold preaching will be met with charges of arrogance against the preacher.

In part, this is a function of postmodern thought in today’s society. We have moral relativism that doubts everything and the only thing they are sure of is that they cannot be sure of anything. It is an offence to the age for a man to proclaim truth as the truth. If only the preacher would preach truth as a possibility, he would find a broader audience and a better hearing from modern man. Christ did not pander to relativists when He boldly proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6 Emphasis Added).

Another reason for the false charge of pride in the pulpit is the reality of pride in the pew. When truth is preached boldly, sin is reproved and rebuked, and man’s pride is offended. It is much easier to hear a sermon when it applies practically to everyone else. Oftentimes, those who are the quickest and loudest to charge the preacher with pride, are trying to cover up their own pride that cannot admit of their own wrong doctrine or practice. They typically cannot produce any biblical evidence that the substance of the preaching is in error and must avert their own embarrassment by accusing the preacher of being prideful.

It is our response to reproof that reveals whether we are scorners or wise, “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee” (Proverbs 9:8). The fact is, even if the preacher is prideful, that does not relieve our responsibility and accountability to God and His Word. Pride must be rooted out of the preacher’s heart as well as the congregant’s, but often men hide behind this charge so they do not have to face their own problems and deal with them. A wise man will receive a reproof, regardless of where it comes from. How do you think they got to be wise? “He that regardeth reproof shall be honoured” (Proverbs 13:18). “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (Proverbs 9:9).

It is a terrible thing for a man to preach with pride. However, in the end, the hearer will not be accountable before God for the amount of pride in the preacher. But, they will be accountable for what they heard and how they obeyed.

Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives a simple definition of wisdom.

the right use or exercise of knowledge

This agrees with the scriptural use of wisdom as discernment and application. Knowledge is necessary to wisdom. There cannot be much wisdom without knowledge, but there can be much knowledge without wisdom.

The Bible often pits wisdom in contrast to folly. The self-professed wise men in Romans 1 are in reality great fools. You will note that they have a tremendous amount of knowledge, but they do not make the right use of it. Consequently, they deny God the Creator, worship the creation, and practice all forms of abominable ungodliness. Despite their high IQ’s and mental stockpiles of information, they are fools.

So then, what is a wise Christian? James addressed those who lack wisdom. Does that mean that they do not know about God or His Word? That is not the case; rather, they are not able to make right use of what they know, or they are not able to make practical application of the knowledge they have.

The lack of wisdom is addressed in Hebrews 5:11-6:2. It is interesting that the knowledge of doctrine—“the first principles of the oracles of God” and “the principles of the doctrine of Christ”—is there termed “milk.” Also, those that have progressed no further are called babes. For many the knowledge of doctrine is the pinnacle of Christianity. To have knowledge of some deep doctrine means that one has arrived and to wax eloquent about abstract doctrine from some obscure passage is nearly idolized among some.

However, the passage in Hebrews makes it plain that knowledge is not the summit, but a necessary climb on the ascension to the peak of wisdom. That wisdom is called “strong meat” and is the practical application of Scripture knowledge: “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). This wisdom is considered adorning the “doctrine of God our Saviour in all things” (Titus 2:10-14).

The babes with all their coveted knowledge are either unwilling or unable to discern “both good and evil.” In other words, they do not make practical application of what they know. Their lives are not impacted and shaped by the application of doctrine. They may speak a long while on the doctrine of Christ’s Lordship, but they know nothing of personal submission to Christ’s reign (Luke 6:46) and forsaking all for the sake of His kingdom. Consequently, they live lives of antinomianism (though they may deny the doctrine), worldliness, and ungodliness, bringing a reproach on the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:27).

The ascension to wisdom is on this wise. The beginning of knowledge is to know the stories and facts of the Bible. We progress from there to gain knowledge of doctrine. We begin to understand the big picture of the Bible and the flow or progression of the stories. We begin to understand the spiritual significance of the Scripture. Climbing yet higher, we begin to make use of this knowledge and discern good and evil. So, we ascend to wisdom and we cannot skip the steps on the way up. If wisdom is like a tall ladder, we cannot get from the bottom rungs to the top rungs if we are missing the rungs in the middle.

Oftentimes through the wrath of man and the providence of God, we find ourselves in unexpected situations. Uncertainty causes much anxiety to us and our minds become greatly distressed. This is man responding to his circumstances. We are responsive creatures and cannot help but respond in some way to an unexpected circumstance. However, a prolonged response of anxiety is not Christian.

Paul had learned to be content from one extreme state to another and everywhere in between (Philippians 4:11). The secret of his contentment was stated plainly in the first chapter of the Philippian epistle, “For to me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). He was Christ-centered, providing a sure and steadfast anchor for his soul. The storm may come suddenly and his vessel rise and fall with the swelling sea, but his position was fixed because of the anchor.

God’s word to His people is this: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). With our mind stayed on God, we will not waver with the tumult of circumstances. The peace spoken of is in contrast to protracted anxiety of mind over uncertainties. The passage does promise we shall never be exposed to danger, but that we may abide the danger with peace in our mind. So, let us be stayed on God, trusting in Him, and let storms come what may.

Jesus, Savior, pilot me Over life’s tempestuous sea:
Unknown waves before me roll, Hiding rocks and treacherous shoal;
Chart and compass come from Thee, Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

As a mother stills her child, Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boisterous waves obey Thy will When Thou sayest to them “Be still!”
Wondrous Sovereign of the sea, Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore, And the fearful breakers roar
‘Twixt me and the peaceful rest. Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me, “Fear not, I will pilot thee.”