The Absolute Necessity for Discrimination in Preaching
The Bible uses clear distinctions when it explains how things are in reality. There is a type of preaching, however, that obscures the truth. It lacks discrimination. It does this for numbers of reasons.
First, no one is offended when one preaches Universalism. If a preacher tells people that God loves them, then they have no problem with the one who is speaking. Further, if the preacher tells them Jesus Christ died for them, they may shrug in ignorance, or say, “Ok, great,” but there is still no offense in that message. This, “God loves you and Jesus died for you,” is a very popular way of preaching a non-offensive gospel, which is no Gospel at all. The problem is the lack of transformation because of the deficiency of truth.
Second, there is a way in which some preachers speak in generalities, exclusively. In other words, preachers may avoid the direct address. They will avoid the pronoun “you” altogether. John the Baptist preached on one occasion where he said to a particular group of religious leaders, “You brood of vipers” (Mt 3:7). Jesus did the same when He said, “You are of your father, the devil” (Jn 8:44). These types of direct address, void of the “God loves you” message, are very costly to the preacher. Many preach, but few preach in this manner.
Third, when direct address is being avoided, the preacher is probably giving a lecture. He is merely giving information for people to store in their heads. There are many facts in the lecture, but there is no call to action. There is a gained knowledge of Christ in this exchange, but there is no transforming power of God’s Word preached, bringing faith and life change.
Fourth, there is also an enthusiastic way to avoid truth. It is zeal without knowledge in its preaching style. “I don’t know the truth” or “I won’t tell you the truth” but “I will whip you up into a mindless frenzy” style of preaching. This, of course, can hardly be called, “the preaching of the Word.” It is something, but preaching, it is not.
Fifth, vagueness in preaching demonstrates lack of love on the preacher’s part. Love tells the truth, not half-truth, nor misdirected truth. Without the truth of God’s Word in the message, it is fake love that is being communicated. A fake lover (preacher) will not sacrifice himself, in order to see that others hear the true Gospel message. Many preachers, today, are mere hirelings (Ezek 34). In contrast, Paul said, “I suffer all things for the sake of the elect (2 Tim 2:10).”
True Gospel preaching is like a hot knife cutting through butter. Two realities exist where only one reality existed before. When the Gospel is preached, two hearers manifest. Although there is one message preached, there is a message for one group and another message for another group. This is observed in each group’s response to the Word preached. One repents of her sins. Another one listens and his heart is hardened in unbelief.
Noah’s verbal and non-verbal preaching brought comfort to his family (Gen 6–9). They saw the building of the ark for what it was in reality for them, a vessel of salvation from God’s wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10). The same message Noah’s wife, sons, and daughters-in-law heard, was also heard by neighbors and curiosity seekers. It had a very different effect on those who had not received the Word of God. The unbelievers felt judged by the old preacher. They were offended and provoked that the ark builder would suggest that God’s soon-coming judgment was justified against them. They deserved God’s wrath in the worst way because every thought and intention of their hearts was only evil all the time (Gen 6:5).
Pride swelled up in them, as they responded to the provocative preacher of righteousness (2 Pet 2:5), “No sir, we are good people, and we have many good works to prove it.” Those who trust God’s proclamation of judgment, and who agree with God’s unique salvation, respond in humble repentance. They know the truth about themselves, so when they hear the truth, as it is in Jesus, they believe that, too.
Faith is not just a head matter, however. The heart has to receive the message of truth, too. This results in the transformation of the will. Very different decisions are made by the truly converted, in contrast with hypocrites. These hypocrites claim to be Christians (Heb 6:1–8), but they have not received the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thess 2:10). They have no love for God in their hearts because God never poured out His love in their hearts, by giving them His Spirit, as a gift (Jn 5:42; Rom 5:5).
Every true preacher in the Bible was discriminating with his message from God. With the sword of the Spirit, coming from their mouths, they told the people the truth of God’s exclusive love for His chosen people (Jer 31:3; Eph 5:25). By this, the vessels of wrath, prepared for destruction proved themselves to be exactly what God says they are in truth (Rom 9:22).
Discrimination in preaching should always have this dual effect on people. Some will hate the preacher because, in truth, they are haters of God (Rom 1:30). Thus, Jesus’ words do add some comfort, “If they hate you, they hated Me before you (Jn 15:18).” There is a line of demarcation in true preaching. If there are not some in the congregation who despise the preacher and his message, then the preacher must examine himself and what he is preaching. Simply put, the Gospel of Jesus Christ divides. The true Gospel preacher can expect opposition (Lk 4:28), even to the point of being thrown out of the church (Mk 13:9; Lk 21:12; Jn 9:22; 12:42; Jn 16:2).
Christian, it is for these reasons there are so many factions in local churches. The Word must discriminate. It cuts and divides (Heb 4:12). It separates and separates again, and only then is there true unity in the reduced assembly. They must go out from us because they are not of us (1 Jn 2:19). Without discriminatory preaching, they will not leave, which is why discrimination in preaching is an absolute necessity.
David Norczyk
Wallace, Idaho
July 23, 2022
