A Letter To A Preacher

    

Recently I received a letter from a friend, asking me to write his pastor, encouraging him to preach the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ. After writing the letter, I feel strongly that many need to be encouraged in this matter. Many preachers, trying to shepherd a herd of goats, find themselves in situations that demand one of two things, compromise or boldness. Here is a portion of the letter I wrote to that pastor. I hope many will be encouraged by it to preach the gospel of Christ boldly and without compromise.

     "If God has taught you the gospel of his free and sovereign grace in Christ, then preach it, my brother, with boldness! If men oppose you, (as they shall), preach it more boldly still! Do not pare off the rough edges. If we are God's messengers, let us act like God's messengers. `Cry aloud!' `Spare not!' Give forth a clarion sound. If the church puts you out on your ears, (as is most likely), God whom you serve will continue to feed you.

     Please do not take offense at my candor. The church of God in these dark days needs some voices, some men who have no desire but to honor God in their preaching, men who have a message from God that they must deliver! If I am not such a messenger, I ought to stop pretending that I am one of God's preachers. So speak up and speak out for God!

     Faithfully proclaim the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ. Preach the particular distinctives of the gospel distinctively and constantly: Divine Sovereignty - Absolute Predestination - Total Depravity - Unconditional Election - Limited Atonement - Irresistible Grace - Perseverance of All Believers. Be relentless in doing so! Preach Christ in all the fulness of his redemptive, saving glory. I make you this promise; no, God makes you this promise - `Them that honor me, I will honor!'"

     The preacher's business is to proclaim the truth of God for the glory of God. The emphasis of his ministry must be upon that point of Divine Truth that is under attach in his day. Today, that is the effectual, substitutionary work of Christ in redemption and grace. No preacher honors God, or seeks to honor him, who does not declare God's truth in unmistakable terms!

 

 

Don Fortner