I have had several conversations with believers lately who give a very sad report of churches they know were terrible direction has been adopted by the church’s leaders. They have made the choice to eliminate clear theological distinctives from their teaching. They have identified a number of specific Bible truths that they will not state from their pulpits. They have chosen to become non-committal, bland, tasteless. There’s a growing number of doctrinal issues they will not touch in hopes of attracting more people to fill their auditoriums.
This is not a matter for me to judge in these churches. My duty is to do my best to lead and teach the dear people of my own church along with the pastors with whom I serve. But it is a matter that God addressed in the Bible, to which all churches and their leaders should listen very closely.
The Apostle Paul stated clearly how he led those churches then in Acts 20:27-28. “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” And He instructed the church elders specifically, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” The church is not ours to do with it as we see fit. It belongs to God. He bought it with his own blood! We must do with it what he has instructed in the Bible.
Charles Spurgeon, called “the prince of preachers” and whose sermons are still read today a hundred years after he lived, gave similarly strong instruction and warnings. Pastors and churches today would do well to heed this admonition from Spurgeon (21 Servants of Sovereign Joy, John Piper).
Those who do away with Christian doctrine are, whether they are aware of it or not, the worst enemies of Christian living…the coals of orthodoxy are necessary to the fire of piety.
Some excellent brethren seem to think more of the life than of the truth; for when I warn them that the enemy has poisoned the children’s bread, they answer “Dear brother, we are sorry to hear it; and, to counteract the evil, we will open the window, and give the children fresh air.” Yes, open the window, and give them fresh air, by all means…But, at the same time, this ought you to have done, and not to have left the other undone. Arrest the poisoners, and open the windows, too. While men go on preaching false doctrine, you may talk as much as you will about deepening their spiritual life, but you will fail in it.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
