Why I Insist on Telling You the Truth from God’s Word
The characters in the Bible were seriously flawed human beings. Their problem, like our problem, was sin. Every sin listed in the Bible seemed at home with one or more of the people we read about on the pages of Scripture. Of course, the one exception is Jesus Christ, the God-man, who was like us yet without sin (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15).
Sinning is destructive to individuals, groups, and nations. Sin warrants the just wrath of God against sinners (Rom 1:18). It is sin that kills people, soul and body (Rom 6:23). When death visits a person, the judgment of God is the deceased’s next appointment (Heb 9:27). The criminal sentence for guilty sinners is eternal. The punishment is depicted in the Bible (mostly from Jesus), as fiery hell and outer darkness (Mt 25:41, 46; Jude 7; Rev 20:14–15), where torment visits both the body and soul of the unrepentant unbeliever (Lk 16:23, 28), who lived as a vessel of wrath being prepared for destruction (Rom 9:22).
Here is the bad news for reprobate law breakers, who prefer to ignore the Bible and dismiss the fool for Christ who preaches this warning to all people. Not only do people not believe the bad news of God’s pending judgment, but they do not believe the good news, either.
The good news is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is considered foolishness by unbelieving scoffers who rage against God and Messiah (Ps 2:1; 1 Cor 1:18). Oblivious to the world in which they were born, sinners are lost in the darkness of this present evil age (Gal 1:4). They do not know where they came from, what life is all about, or where they are going when they die.
Jesus Christ is our God and Savior (Titus 1:3; 2:13; 3:6). He is the only way of salvation (Jn 14:6), which is deliverance from sin, the world, and the evil ruler of this world, Satan (Jn 8:44; 12:30; 14:30; 16:31). Salvation is also deliverance from the righteous wrath of God directed against the ungodly and their ungodliness (Rom 1:18).
As the Lamb of God, without sin (blemish), Jesus offered Himself to God as the substitute sacrifice for the sins of God’s chosen people (Rom 11:5; Eph 1:4; 1 Pet 2:9), drawn out of the nations of the whole world (Rev 5:9; 7:9). It is the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet 1:19), within the terms of God’s covenant of grace that brings about the forgiveness of sins for those brought into the covenant, that is, into Christ and His kingdom (Mt 26:28; 1 Cor 1:30; Eph 1:7; Col 1:13).
The Bible presents many different analogies for this transfer/transformation. The point in every one of them is that the natural man, heir of original sin (Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12), must be changed. To remain dead in trespasses and sins is an eternal death sentence (Eph 2:1). Unrepentant, unbelieving sinners, outside of Christ and the kingdom of God, are doomed (Jn 8:24). They are without God and without hope in the world (Eph 2:12).
Because men are unwilling and unable to change their status before God (Gen 6:5; Is 64:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 1:18–32; 3:10–12; Eph 2:12), salvation is an exclusive work of God (Ps 3:8; Is 26:12; Jon 2:9; Titus 3:5; Rev 19:1). In this, God is glorified for having mercy upon whom He will have mercy (Rom 9:16). He is also glorified in judgment of sinners, with no mercy, but with perfect justice (Ezek 28:22; 39:21; Mt 19:28; 25:31; Rev 14:7). The fact that God reserves the right to judge — or to save — is an offense to those who hate Him (Rom 1:30) and who hate His only begotten Son, our Lord (Jn 7:7; 15:18–25).
Now consider how familiar you are with these truths from the Bible that I have stated here for you. There is more that could be written, but what I have presented to you should suffice for supporting my proposition, which is, that too many preachers are withholding the unpopular doctrines of the Bible, which causes biblical illiteracy in both depth and scope. In some number of cases it produces false conversions to Christianity.
The so-called “difficult doctrines” are not difficult to understand, but they are difficult for wretched sinners to digest. For years, I was deprived of essential truth, by preachers who were far too self-interested, despite their being very nice people. In order to preserve their pastorates, they ignored or diluted teachings of God’s sovereignty and sovereign grace. They taught me self-help techniques on how to be a better (nicer) Christian. The fact is that I was not even a Christian, despite being in church my whole life up to that point.
My commitment, when God converted me and called me into Gospel ministry, was to never neglect telling people the truth, as it is in Jesus (Eph 4:15, 21). I insist on telling you the truth in my daily writings because the church has little-to-no interest in hearing me preach or teach the Gospel of God. The reason I refuse to waver in this matter is that I have zero vested interest in the world or its progress. People are dying all around us every day and far too many have never heard or have never been convinced about the Gospel of God’s sovereign salvation of His elect, redeemed, regenerate, believing people.
It is my cross to bear, to suffer in diverse ways for the sake of the Gospel of grace. I am not alone. Faithful pastors throughout history have been kicked out of the church by godless kings, popes, and parishioners. Embracing my current elongated excommunication, I have turned to preach with my pen. Even as people refused to listen to the truth preached by me, they now refuse to read the words that I write (you are one exception!).
Far from this being a pity party, I rejoice that this is my lot to overcome. By His grace, He called me to preach to those who would not listen. When I was cast out of the church three times, it was His grace to supply all of our family’s needs. By His grace, God put a pen in my hand and illumined His Word for me that I might proclaim his excellencies in cursive writing (yes, I hand-write everything before typing) that contemplates and hopefully explains His Word of truth with some measure of clarity.
As John the Baptist cried out in the wilderness and Jesus Himself preached — I, too, encourage you to repent of your sinful rebellion against God and allegiance to the devil, who has blinded the sons of Adam from seeing the truth of the Gospel (often with the help of lukewarm pastors!). If you have already repented, then rejoice that today is another day of repentance, as are all the days of our lives in these bodies of sin and in this domain of darkness.
There is no other hope for sinners or saints than Jesus Christ, our Lord. Look to Him, come to Him, trust Him, cry out to Him, and rest in Him for He alone wills the salvation of His beloved saints, and He alone executes our salvation, today, by His Spirit. That is the truth and there is hell to pay for not believing what I insist on telling you with my pen…every day.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
June 18, 2022
