This is an age which, more than most, rejects authority. It is an age therefore when the preacher ought to be particularly clear about the source of his authority. “By what right does a mortal man rise upon the rostrum,” asked American theologian W G T Shedd, “and make positive statements concerning the origin of the human race, the dark mysterious beginnings of human history, the purposes and plans of the infinite Mind, and conclude with announcing the alternatives of eternal salvation and eternal damnation?” Shedd is in no doubt about the answer: the preacher’s authority to make such positive statements stems from revelation – the revelation given in the Scriptures by Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth. “Apart from the light”, adds Shedd, “poured upon [these subjects] by a communication from the Divine Mind, Confucius and Socrates have as much right to speculate and dogmatise as you or I.” Apart from the Bible, the preacher has no right to stand in his pulpit and make definite statements on any subject, certainly not on the great matters which are unseen and eternal.
Among all the varying ideas about duty that swirl around the world today, how can any individual dare to insist on one particular set of commandments as absolutely authoritative for regulating human conduct – unless he can point to a higher authority than himself? How else can a preacher call on his hearers to repent and flee to Christ? It was because Paul had such a strong sense of the authority of the One who had sent him that he could speak with real conviction in Athens, where there was such anxiety “to tell or to hear some new thing”. Paul knew that his message was true; it was firmly based on those Scriptures which had already been written. And he was absolutely convinced of the accuracy of the statement the Psalmist addressed to God about the Scriptures: “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of Thy righteous judgements endureth for ever” (Ps 119:160).
Today’s preachers ought to have equal confidence in the truth of the Scriptures and their permanent relevance, in spite of the attitudes that have most influence on contemporary culture, which would allow Confucius, Socrates – or whatever religious teacher or philosopher one might choose – as much right to dogmatise as Moses or Isaiah or Paul or any other inspired writer. Through the Scriptures, God has spoken to the whole world, whether people are willing to listen or not. And the preacher must go on proclaiming the message of these Scriptures, for it is a message from God – one which is absolutely true, absolutely relevant and absolutely authoritative.
Paul also knew that his message was effective. “I am not ashamed”, he declared, “of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16). Many preachers may see much less of that power, especially in those generations in which the Holy Spirit is largely withheld. But they must not give in to any temptation to alter their message; any movement away from a fully-scriptural message must inevitably be in the direction of error. Even when the preacher sees little in the way of a blessing as he proclaims the truth, he should recognise that he has the authority of God behind him when he speaks. And those hearers who in unbelief reject his message will have to answer at last to God for their disobedience, unless they repent.
The Church must hold firmly to the whole counsel of God; what was true in the past is still true today. And the Church has a particular responsibility to pass on the testimony of Scripture to the next generation, for what is true today will still be true in the future. On this principle the Psalmist was resolved to pass on to the next generation what the people of his time had heard from their parents: “We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He hath done” (Ps 78:4). What the Psalmist and his contemporaries were to pass on was not a merely traditional account of events in Israel’s history, but the inspired record of them – so they not only had a true account of them but a totally accurate revelation of their significance. Which is what we too have throughout God’s revelation in Scripture, and what we in our generation are to pass on to our children.
And why is it so necessary to pass on these teachings? “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments: and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.” If they are not taught from the Bible, they will live ungodly lives, they will dishonour God and they will be a lost generation hurtling down the broad way which leads to everlasting destruction. No doubt this last sentence particularly has in it emphases which are widely rejected today because of their perceived intolerance. In many quarters, Christian claims to what has been described as a “monopoly of saving truth” are deemed unacceptable. But, in spite of all this, preachers must continue to proclaim such statements of revelation about Jesus Christ as this: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Christianity does have a monopoly of saving truth.
The preachers of each generation who are called by God Himself pass away one by one to receive their reward in heaven. And the Church has the responsibility to instruct her students for the ministry faithfully in the truths revealed in Scripture, so that they may be prepared to proclaim these teachings to their hearers too. It was one of Paul’s directions to Timothy: “The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2).
Each generation of preachers has the same authority to proclaim God’s Word to a lost world as the original apostles. Christ sent out His disciples with the commission: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt 28:18-20). Today’s preachers are to go out conscious that in themselves they have no power to make their message effective to anyone; their only hope must be that the almighty Saviour will, working by the Holy Spirit, use His power to apply to the hearts of their hearers the truths they proclaim. They have no right to adapt their message to what the people of their time may want to hear. They must keep to the message that has been effective in the salvation of multitudes throughout history. Whatsoever I have commanded you must be their motto today and always. Everything they bring out from that treasure house of Scripture is truth. And whatever teachings are inconsistent with Scriptures are wrong – however venerable they may be, or however widely accepted. In a generation which is becoming ever more unwilling to accept the concept of truth in religion, this is something which must be emphasised. And to the extent that the preacher departs from the teachings of the Bible, he loses his right to demand a hearing from others, for his authority is compromised.
But the faithful preacher will keep to the teachings of the Bible – he will go on proclaiming the truth. Let him remember the authority which he has as an ambassador of Christ and go on making known the whole counsel of God, in particular the great doctrines of sin and salvation. And let him not fail to announce what Shedd described as the alternatives of eternal salvation and eternal damnation. “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him” (Is 3:10,11).