Paul tells us to bring forth fruits of repentance. Repentance is NOT salvation. The fruit we bring forth is because of our repentance! We absolutely should bring forth works that meet it’s expectations.
Our works should meet the demand of our repentance. The love of Christ, not our repentance, should constrain us to witness and to be a testimony of the gospel. It should be natural to us. There is a big emphasis on should here. The Bible uses this terminology as well.
The Lord is not willing that any SHOULD perish, but that all SHOULD come to repentance.
Now with this in our minds what about offense? Paul brought offense as Christ did. Jesus Christ himself was the offense! But Paul did not seek out occasion to offend or mock. That is the difference today between the public ministry of these great men of character from the Bible in contrast to the bully pulpit baboons we see today.
Paul was a defensive minded man, entirely different from Peter’s offensive attributes. Paul could be offensive when he had to, and showcased it several times in the word. Nearly every one of Paul’s epistles to the churches had decisively more defensive elements in dealing with others then offensive. So men camp in the prophets, the gospels and Acts to have their occasions to publicly offend!
Those 12 letters have much more standing, defending, and confirming then it does the usual “go and fight and destroy the heathen” themes we hear from our nations fundamental pulpits.
The Christian soldier only has one offensive weapon and several defensive weapons. There are great lessons in this. This was God’s heart for the New testament Christian, especially the Laodicean Christian in a age of total apostasy.
Paul justified himself several times. He wasn’t offending anyone. Justifying and offending are different. “What have I done?” Give none offence! Jesus was bringing the offence. He was the offence. It wasn’t Paul bringing the offense in Acts 17, it was the Resurrection!
Paul was asked to speak for himself on several occasions. The Christian should understand, that Paul was not purposefully offensive in his spoken word or his living manner. It was always Christ who was the offense. And it will always be Christ who is the offense.
Matthew 13:57
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Mark 6:3
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
He was the “offence”! Any time you bring his name up in a conversation outside of cursing, Christmas or Easter, it’s usually offensive.
He brings the judgment. His book is the offensive black book. It was a prophecy.
His blood is the disdain of many. It’s a bloody religion, a slaughterhouse religion some used to call it.
Isaiah 8:14
And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Romans 9:33
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
He was not commanding you to bring a message of offence! He was not giving you charge to preach the word of God offensively!
Matthew 18:7
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Jesus said this himself. Jesus Christ came to bring division and a sword. Paul talks of “offence” in the manner of testimony, not offending the world. You men have it all wrong!
He is the judge, not us.
John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
1 Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
With the New Testament, comes a new commandment. The New Covenant brings new ways. Jesus Christ was the only person in the word, outside of God the Father in the Old Testament, to use the phrase MY COMMANDMENT.
And that commandment was loving one another, and we know this is for us. This was carried all the way through with Paul, Peter, and John, after Acts, and after the gifts of the apostles died out, well into the early church, and into what some call the age of grace.
Is much as we tough, macho, fighting-spirit-Baptist hate to admit it, a large part of our ministry HAS to due with love and charity. Without it, we will profit little (I Corinthians 13). We may profit, and there may be fruit, God may use us, in spite of us, but if things are not done with Charity and love, we run the risk of laboring in vain and our fruit being corrupted. Look people, Duh! God can always use a jackass if he wants to to get a job done. I think us Bible believers have a too high opinion about ourselves.
In 1 Corinthians 9 - Paul was afraid of being a castaway to others! This is not a reference to losing your salvation or backsliding, but to the “others” hearing him preach. The, “them” and the “others” in the passage are those without the law. They are those that may hear him, and if Paul is not keeping his body under subjection, others may cast his words aside.
This is the only time that word “castaway” shows up in the word of God. Doing something to cause people to totally ignore your words. Acting in a way as to cause others to reject your gospel message. Acting in a offensive manner, froward, and even bordering on fleshly.
I Corinthians 9:11-27
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
The context of 1 Corinthians 9 and Paul’s famous reference to being a castaway is not dealing with a backslider. It’s dealing with Paul being a castaway if he doesn’t control his flesh. It’s dealing with Paul keeping under his body, bringing it into subjection, remaining weak, for the gospels sake.
Paul didn’t want to abuse his power and make the preaching of the gospel of Christ without charge. This is the context of 1 Corinthians 9:27. He did this so men could not look at him, and say he did it for this reason or some other reason. He went without, and suffered necessity so men would have none offence and the ministry would not be blamed! He preached for the gospels sake. He kept his body under subjection, and brought it into subjection so that men could not say he preached the gospel with charge.
Now I have heard prominent men in Fundamental circles say that Paul was the exception here, as he didn’t take a salary, because surely they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Yes and no. I think Paul was giving a excellent, yet specific example, and he is our rule. He did everything he could to not be a castaway, even taking nothing from people but only that was necessary. Offerings, alms deeds, food, rainment, clothing, shelter, cheerful gifts. How many men today are blamed or their ministries are blamed over fiancees or problems with lucre? They have become castaways.
And it wasn’t just Paul that lived this way. He wasn’t the exception. In 1 Corinthians 4:9-17, we see the use of “we” referencing other apostles suffering without.
“VERILY, that when I preach, I may MAKE the gospel of Christ without charge!”
This is why its a horrible idea for a Christian and notoriety or fame should not mix. We will give occasion to the flesh at some point in our pride, and all the world will see us as we reproachfully try to conduct ourselves before a world that can’t understand us to begin with. You ask the world for offerings and lucre for the ministry when they don’t even know what the offerings are for. All the world knows of preachers is the crazy people in the movies and TV shows, youtube, the money grubbing hirelings they see on TV and the lunatics on the street corners sounding their brass!
We have made the gospel with charge! We invite sinners to revivals, and preach Christ for 30 minutes, and take up and offering for 30 minutes. We make the gospel of Christ with charge. We have faith promise conferences and empty poor Christians pockets and tell them if they gave of faith, they will get it back? We have made the gospel of Christ with charge!
I know it takes money to run the ministry. Paul was advocating that as well. He advocates cheerful giving, period. Not tithing or faith promise. When men use these other ways for the new testament Christian, there are other reasons for it.
Old time preachers, we love to hold to in our manners, even did not do these things, such as purposefully seeking occasions to offend, inventing ministries and calling them Gods, and new ways to get more money out of the saints. Preachers today secretly look for ways to have their name circulated among churches, bookstores, youtube, clicks, camps, or conferences. Many of our spiritual fore fathers tactics were much different than todays modern fundamentalist. Word of mouth was much more limited. They didn’t seek fame and vain glory. They were solemn men, who spoke with solemn words and carefulness.
How many professional athletes, and stars have professed some resemblance with Christianity, and then in their debaucheries, and lavish lifestyles, their law breaking, and lascivious ways are displayed for the world to see. This is what being a castaway is. Those men are now “castaways”.
Can we not see that the same thing can happen to us when we preach his offence with offence? Being his death on the cross. This is what is foolishness unto the world. Then those who get caught in fleshly situations, breaking man’s laws and God’s, they will always “Thank God” for this or that, throwing his righteous name around in the mud in front of the world. If you are guilty of such atrocities or sins in the public eye, keep your mouth shut about God. How many men think they are totally justified in God in preaching a certain way, but they are nothing more then castaways to ALL of their hearers.
I am not trying to be critical here preacher, but you guys need to hear this! We are so quick to put our public ministries on the computer, and youtube, and our websites, to show our own flesh and boldness. We preach to massive crowds on these videos, tell them all sorts of incorrect stuff, no gospel, much wrath. And then we see the videos from the churches these street preachers and lunatics hail from. Empty seats, no visitors, just the street preachers and their families, or the visiting evangelist. We brag about, “Well God didn’t call me to win em, but to preach to them”. Well, what is the point then? Complete and utter hypocrisy. Where did you recieve such a silly call! What are you, Jeremiah or something? You think to highly of yourselves!
We are all selective hypocrites due to us all being selective sinners, saved or lost. However, if you are to grade the hypocrite, I would say the worst of the hypocrites are the ones who parade their hypocrisy for all to see while naming the HOLY name of the Lord, and calling others hypocrites and every thing we can think to call them.
If men are going about preaching just anything” biblical”, it does not make them right! Biblical can be doctrinally incorrect. You can be biblical about Jeremiah and Jonah, and Ezekiel and their callings to preach all you want, you are not in sound doctrine when you act like them.
What are we preaching? What verses are we butchering? There has to be order, especially in preaching the oracles of God, and attempting to persuade men to seek God in this age. Disorderly conduct is disorderly doctrine. These are offences we don’t want to bring.
Over and over we see this warned in the New Testament! You want a New Testament example to follow? Follow Paul here. Paul said, “Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ”. You want some real Acts of the apostles to follow, and not just Acts 4, 7, and 17 stripped out of context? Try this one on for size thundering preachers of repentance and loud noises!
Acts 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Void of offence toward God AND TOWARD MEN!
What about this one from 1 Timothy 3, pastors, elders and bishops, what do you do with this one? Moreover he MUST have a good report of them which are without!
Again in Acts 25:8-11:
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
He warned against having company with those who are causing offenses contrary to doctrine. (Romans 16:17)
This is echoed through the New Testament
1 Corinthians 8:13
Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
1 Corinthians 10:32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
2 Corinthians 6:2-3
For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
This verse is thrown in with most salvation messages, to say “now is the day”, we must reach the lost before it is everlastingly to late. This is true. The lost do need to be saved, but lets not stop at verse 2.
Verse 3 says emphatically, Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
Why do we leave that out? I know why, because then we can’t rebuke and reprove as much as we want against the world and the wicked sinners in it. We can’t landblast the sheep under our thumb as much as we want.
Phillipians 1:10 says;
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
We see where we are to be without offence and sincere until the day of Christ and without offence before all men!
Christ thought along this line. But we usually hear how he brings division and a sword!
Jesus in this passage is talking to the Peter. We know that Peter is a “type” of the church.
Matthew 17:24-27
And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
Offences associated with him and the disciples were offences of the Cross. He told them what would happen to them. They would be cast out of the synagogues, as an offence. The disciples were thought to be heretics for what they were teaching. A risen Messiah? A resurrected sinless man? Heresy!
This is the offence that many sinners respond to in the early church era all the way until today. Not our bold, in your face, scornful preaching. This is bringing an offence in the flesh. And they DO respond to that unfortunately, but not in the way that the Lord wills. That is what the world will see before it sees Christ. They see us, in whatever manner we have adapted to our minds, bringing the offence.
"Wrong thoughts as to God's dealings, and our own place before Him, must lead to wrong judgment as to the conduct claimed from us; and thus all our service will be folly, and, perhaps, our hopes presumption; our light will be darkness, and then what will become of those "who are led"? - John N. Darby
Don’t call me a Calvinist because I quote him, but he was dead right in his assessment of the same kinda problems today. We better mirror the New Testament or we will be castaways to the world, the word returned void, our ministries reproached, and our labor in vain.
The offence is HIM! We must strive to live peaceably with all men and give the offence, without offending, as much as lieth within us. This is possible by following the Pauline epistles, and those traditions, patterns, manners, commands, conversations, examples, and the very ways in which we conduct ourselves by those things left to us, by Paul, the apostle unto the Gentiles. This is so against our grain as Independent Baptist, I know. We like it hard, straight, fast, the shock and awe preaching. All that hard, straight talking, Biblical preaching must be done with charity, longsuffering and sound doctrine though, or it is a big fat waste of time and breathe.
How dare we clamor on such with railings and exaggerations from the streets and the pulpits. We are merely likened to savage barbarians before the heathen. They hear our words, but they can’t understand what we are saying.
We like to be the center of attention and the offscouring of all flesh don’t we. We like the forceful rejection and profanity cast at us. It makes us feel like we are alive and in the battle right? It allows us to say that we were met with resistance. It shows others how bold we are. Some even take it as persecution and develop a martyr complex. If they aren’t “suffering for Jesus” they actually feel they are not living for him. I have met men like this. I have sat under men like this. Our flesh likes being down trodden to be seen of men. You guys are such glory hounds!
If you are viewing men going directly against the New testament example of things because of their unwillingness to work, their own lust for recognition or lack of social skills, then either filthy lucre or a man’s own pride is the root cause of 90% of these actions. Men know other men like them will be attracted to their antics. That’s why they have to start their own fellowships and invent new para church ministries to appease their own flesh.
Whether it is on a street corner, or behind a pulpit, many men have resorted to more of a violent, verbal, confrontational mannerism and theatrics. We may try to justify it with the Bibles complicity to hardness and bluntness. But our manners and conversations should mirror the Christians of the early church, specifically Paul, that we see in the word of God. Those are our TRUEST ensamples.
1 Corinthians 4:9-17
For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
You are not to be a spectacle like that preachers. You are not to offend in the ways that you are. Men take this verse, remove portions of it to justify their disorder, because they want to be the offscouring of all, and have the persecution that comes with being a spectacle.
Again though, you never get the context when they rattle these things off at you for questioning them. They don’t want to work with their own hands, and suffer ridicule, but would rather charge for the gospel, make themselves something exclusive, and tell you they are following the NT. The Apostles were the spectacle! Not us, and certainly not street preachers and pastors following delusions of grandeur trying to conquer the streets fulfilling the commission.
Are actions have made us as distant to the unbeliever from being the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, that all the heathen see now is the red hot fire of our rage, the hate and bigotry of our denominational successions, and the bold sharpness of our tongues.
Paul’s reasons for being sharp was only for edification, and NEVER for destruction. Furthermore, it wasn’t before their face as he did with Peter, the passage us Independent have used to justify our frowardness with others. Paul was helping with these words, not condemning.
2 Corinthians 13:10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.
God help US. What actions have we displayed only to serve our flesh? What provoking have we compelled among the lost? In the pulpits, on the streets, in the homes of brethren, among the heathen, before the kings of the earth, before the world by a click of a button.
We let our flesh and pomp distract from the power of his very words when not conveyed with the right spirit. It is not so much our words that are important, but HIS!
In 1 Peter, a encouraging phrase is found. But the end of all things is at hand: We know where we are at in Revelations 3. We see the rumors of wars with more at stake then ever before.
We know we are in the last, and most apostate church age in human history. We also know that the church ages are not individuals but ages. How much more important is it, to speak the “more sure word of prophecy”, honestly, while displaying integrity, truthfully, with understanding, patience and godly reverence, to appeal to everyone who is poor, blind, naked, miserable, and wretched. In fear and meekness, providing all things honest, chargeable to no man, blameless, and without offence. Having done all, to stand!
Are we trying to gain men, or gain notoriety and notches.
We are to have fervent charity among ourselves. This would include the preachers. We are clearly told how to preach, and what to preach in the New Testament.
I Peter 4:7-11
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
So when you pridefully and foolishly throw around the oracles of God, remember to be a good steward of the manifold grace of God. You throw out your preferences and opinions from your pulpit or your street corner, and throw in a few verse references to make it sound biblical, you will answer for your idle words the same way as those who hear you.
Those prophets in the Old Testament had no idea about Christ. They did not understand much of what they wrote. The gospel of the grace of God was not revealed to the prophets.
Preachers and street preachers, you are not commanded to be like the prophets in any Testament. Where do you see it? You don’t see it. You just want to do it! That is called “flesh”.
You can take a simple man or woman off the street and practically make the Bible teach anything you want to teach. And this is what many of men have made their practice doing. Blind leading the blind.
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