FEAR vs LOVE in PREACHING

Why do some preach differently on the "form of doctrine" (Romans 6:17-18) regarding God's plan of salvation?

Because of the CHIEF TRAIT of a false teacher: FEAR OF PERSECUTION FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST [Gal. 6:12, "Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, SIMPLY SO THAT THEY WILL NOT BE PERSECUTED FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST."]

Otherwise, they would preach what the Lord's apostles preached when telling a sinner, [under conviction] how to "call upon the name of the Lord".

The apostle Paul here is addressing false teachers! It is THEIR fear of suffering persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

This is not just persecution in that it is hardship in general; this is persecution over what you preach on how to be saved.

What was the answer given IN THE BIBLE, that will cause persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST? It is to preach BELIEF, REPENTANCE, CONFESSION OF FAITH, BAPTISM FOR REMISSION.

Find a preacher who is not preaching THAT "form of doctrine", and you will find a preacher who fears to do so because he fears persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST!

To be saved by the Lord, is to be saved by the preaching that the Lord authorized and commanded the apostles to preach (for which they suffered persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST - 2 Tim. 2:9).

A preacher who fears to preach truth on how to be saved is likened to the 'hireling' of which Jesus spoke of in John 10:11-13, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep."

The apostle Paul attributed his persecutions FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST, to preachers who preached, not out of love for lost souls, but to stop him from preaching FAITH, REPENTANCE, CONFESSION, AND BAPTISM. He explained this in his letter to the Philippians in chapter 1:12-17, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment."

Preach anything other than this "form of doctrine" [BELIEF, REPENTANCE FROM SIN, CONFESSION OF FAITH, & BAPTISM FOR REMISSION OF SINS]; and there will be no persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST. However, in doing so, you will declare before God your own fear of persecution FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST. You will place yourself in the company of those of John 12:43, who, “loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God”.

But if you preach this “form of doctrine” [BELIEF, REPENTANCE FROM SIN, CONFESSION OF FAITH, & BAPTISM FOR REMISSION OF SINS]; you will declare: your love for truth; for lost souls; that you are “set for the defense of the gospel”; and you will be in company with Timothy, fighting “the good fight of faith” [1 Tim. 6:12, 18].

Jesus said it this way, "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” [John 3:20-21].

The apostle Paul warned of those who would preach so as to make disciples of themselves, rather than of the Lord. He said, “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, TO DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES AFTER THEM.” [Acts 20:29-30]

The church that Jesus promised to “build” (Matt. 16:18); has become divided into denominational bodies because of this change in the “form of doctrine” on how to be saved.

The sinner doesn’t know that there is a “form of doctrine” that will save him, nor does he know that there is “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6-9). But the preacher who reads what “form of doctrine” the apostles’ preached in the book of Acts, will know. Should he THEN continue to preach “another gospel”, God’s curse is upon him.

The “FORM OF DOCTRINE”, that a preacher preaches regarding HOW a sinner is saved, reveals which is stronger in that preacher’s life; his FEAR OF the truth, or his LOVE FOR the truth.

Let each preacher ask himself in regard to his preaching on the “form of doctrine”, the questions asked by the apostle Paul in Gal. 1:10: “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

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Haddon Robinson observed:
Men have preached a lie, knowing it's a lie if, in preaching it, they have put gold in their pockets.
Men have preached a lie, knowing it's a lie if, when preaching it, they have achieved power and authority.
But men do NOT preach a lie, knowing it's a lie if, every time they preach it, they are courting imprisonment, persecution, poverty, and death.
It is contrary to all human experience for men to go out and spend their lives preaching a lie, knowing it's a lie, if every time they preach it, they are ostracized from the community, hounded by the authorities, and turned into the laughingstock of society.
And yet THAT is precisely the penalty the early Christians paid for preaching that salvation was ONLY possible by faith thru repentance from sin, confession of Jesus as the Christ, and immersion in water into the death of Jesus Christ.
This was the "form of doctrine" (Romans 6:17-18) preached to a sinner throughout the book of Acts.
Note carefully that it was NOT until this was OBEYED that forgiveness came to them ~ "...being THEN made free from sin....NOT BEFORE OBEDIENCE!

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