Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The time comes in every
age and in every church when sound doctrine is rejected in
favor of a more palatable message which allows men to bask in their
knowledge, morality, and good deeds. When Paul warns Timothy
that some will not endure sound doctrine, he is not telling him
of something which will occur far off in some future time,
hundreds of years hence. Rather, he is identifying the
necessity of sound doctrine to build up the saints in the present
tense, for days of darkness are not far removed from any ministry
which declares the truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Much
seed is sowed upon the stony and thorny ground, and it is
difficult to discern such from that which falls upon the good
and fertile soil until some time has passed. Indeed, Satan has
planted tares among the wheat, which grow until the time of
harvest. They are identified by Paul as those who receive
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for
this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believe not
the truth. Therefore Paul begins his exhortation
with the most somber note, so that Timothy might not mistake
the seriousness of the charge which is given to him, nor of
the fact that the Lord has a people to whom he is sent as an ambassador
of Christ, to feed the sheep of the Lord in the face of those
who will surely gainsay and seek to subvert the truth of God.
Thus he tells Timothy to preach the word. To preach is to declare
loudly with purpose, even as one who is a herald or announcer.
He tells Timothy to preach the Word. To preach the Word is to
preach Christ. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It is impossible
to preach the Word with the mixture of any other doctrine. Christ
is all. Paul described this preaching
as, I determine not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. He describes the manner in which
he is to preach the Word as being instant. This Word is literally
defined as to stand upon presently. There is to be no equivocation
in the preaching of Christ and Him crucified. Nothing is to
be added. Christ and Christ alone is the
message upon which we stand, and it is here that God's people
are edified, encouraged, and comforted. He tells Timothy to
preach the Word in season and out of season. This literally
means when it is convenient and also when it is not convenient.
We live in a convenience-oriented society, yet it is not always
convenient to declare the unsearchable riches of Christ. The circumstances
of time and place must not dictate the preaching of the word. Singleness
of purpose in the proclamation of the gospel is that which encourages
the sons of God to stand fast. Then he describes the application
of the truth as being reprove, rebuke, and exhort. The gospel
is a message which by its very nature corrects, admonishes,
and encourages the sons of God. This activity is not something
done in addition to the preaching of the gospel, but is the result
of it, as the Lord is pleased to empower His truth to the heart
of those whom He is pleased to give ears to hear it. No amount
of law work will accomplish this, but he who gives the law of the
Spirit of life sees to it that it will achieve what he sends
it to do. The fashion and attitude of those who are sent by Christ
is to be with longsuffering. This is synonymous with patience
and forbearance, remembering that we know nothing as we ought
to know, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being
examples to the flock. The true message of the gospel
rests upon sound doctrine, without which there can be no true gospel
preaching, and the saints cannot be edified and built up in the
most holy faith. The message of the gospel can
only be heard by those who have been given life. The giving of
this life comes as a man is born again by the Spirit of God. Apart
from that new birth, he will remain dead in trespasses and
sins. When Paul speaks of him who will
judge the quick, and the dead. He contextually speaks of those
who are alive and those who are lifeless. All men, whether living
or dead, shall stand before Almighty God in the day of judgment. Those
who are alive in Christ shall stand in Him who has borne their
sins, and they are judged as righteous because of Him. Those
on the other hand who come into that greatest eyes as dead men
shall indeed experience the second death, for they have not the
life of Christ. He that believeth on the Son
of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath
made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave
of his Son. And this is the record, that
God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Do you
have life in Christ which causes you to love sound doctrine?