The responsibility of every preacher is to communicate the truth. That is all! We do not tweak it, we do not twist it, and we certainly do not take anything away from it. Each week we stand before a church family that is weak, needy, and desperate - although some are not even aware of that reality - and the chief remedy is the preaching of the Word. Scripture binds our wounds, satisfies our souls, and provides a firm foundation amidst the storm. As Paul writes to Timothy, the role of the preacher is simply to “Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season: reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).
When a preacher approaches the pulpit, he addresses the congregation by relying on what he believes is the most powerful weapon at his disposal. Some get it wrong. Charisma can be a great asset to a leader, but can a charming personality pierce a hardened heart? Likewise, it is good to have a clever mind! But is your wit the greatest ammunition you possess? Our sermon content will reflect what we believe about ourselves as pastors. I believe I have nothing of value compared to offering my church family the treasure of Scripture. Therefore, that is what I preach. Sadly, and far too often, this is not the case in the American pulpit today.
By God’s grace, there are some who remain convinced that the most powerful weapon to brandish Sunday after Sunday is the inherent Word of God. Dr. W. A. Criswell expresses this conviction when he says,
“The source of my authority in this pulpit is not - as we shall soon see- my wisdom; nor is it a private revelation granted to me beyond the revelation of Scripture. My Words have authority only in so far as they are the repetition, unfolding and proper application of the words of Scripture. I have authority only when I stand under authority.“
The Word never leaves us wanting, and it never leads us astray. Simply put, if a preacher does not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, he will continually look beyond the Bible to create a message appealing to his hearers. But we who are convinced of the inerrancy of the Word of God will seek to submit to the authority of the Bible and proclaim it as simply and faithfully as we can. God is faithful to bless faithful preaching. His Word will go forth and accomplish what we never could.
When we believe in the inerrancy of Scripture it greatly affects our preparation. If the Bible is indeed the perfect and pure Word of God, then its authority is absolute. The hours spent in study should be a joyful time of pouring over the words of Scripture in order to gain a greater understanding and clarity of its teachings. For the man of God who is persuaded that his Bible records - without error - the revealed heart and mind of God, there is no knowledge in the universe more meaningful than sacred Scripture. When we read the Bible carefully, deeply, and with tremendous thoughtfulness and prayerfulness, we are seeking the help of the Holy Spirit. Through our desperate prayers of longing, God allows the mysteries of His Word to unfold before our eyes! Does the inerrancy of Scripture impact your study in this way? Does your passion burn bright to rightly divide Scripture as you are called to do? I challenge you, dear pastor, to ask God to increase both your knowledge and desire in this area.
Further, when we believe that the Bible is inerrant, it impacts how we handle difficult passages. There is simply no circumstance or social view that would reveal a single verse of Scripture to be untrue. His Word is true from cover to cover. (And while we are at it, it is also relevant from cover to cover!) It is with confidence that we, as preachers, stand on the firm foundation of inerrant Scripture regardless of how it may be received. Certainly, we want to imitate Christ as we preach the truth in kindness, gentleness, and respect, yet we do not back down on what the Bible teaches because eternity is at stake. As the world continues its moral collapse and certain parts of Scripture clash with cultural trends, we must remind ourselves that the Bible is right and must be taught. Therefore, those of us who believe and preach the inerrancy of Scripture will not skip portions of it to, instead, chase popularity. In confidence we prepare and preach, knowing that the inerrant Word of God holds the power to change the hearts of those who hear.
Although preaching is indeed for the benefit of mankind, it is often not for his pleasure. When a man of God teaches the inerrant Word, God alone is glorified and well-pleased. The listener can be pleased perhaps, but more than likely, they are rebuked, confronted, and compelled to repent. Not so pleasant! However, when the Bible is altered or portions omitted for the approval or good opinion of man, what the preacher truly believes about the purpose of preaching and the truth of Scripture is suddenly revealed. If the Bible is not the inerrant Word of God, then the mood of the audience becomes the measuring stick for how much truth the minister is willing to reveal. This type of preacher wears himself out chasing popularity and cultural relevance. To fail to collect the praise of the listeners would be to risk losing his standing among them. And so, where biblical truth is at odds with the pleasure of the listeners, it is a sad reality that many will seek to please the audience rather than God.
It should also be stated that a man’s preaching should be a direct reflection of his home life. Both his message from the pulpit and his behavior in his homelife should be greatly impacted by the inerrancy of Scripture. Sadly, many preachers treat the Bible as nothing more than a collection of wise sayings to be cleverly weaved into a sermon, but best left within the walls of the church building. For such a man, the Bible is a book of pep talks and divine suggestions. What a tragic misuse of such a treasure! This unbiblical and inaccurate view drives such men to ignore parts of the Bible that do not suit them. As a result, their home life becomes a mockery of their calling because, after all, if the Bible is only somewhat true, perhaps the areas that bring about conviction are among the passages that contain error? Never let it be so of you! For those of us who firmly believe that all Scripture is breathed out by God, we acknowledge sin in all situations and with a heart of humility. The truths contained within the words of Scripture should permeate all aspects of your life whether you are in the pulpit or in the stands at your kid’s little league game.
For those of us who understand that we hold the inerrant Word of the Creator, our hearts desire is to please Him above all. The God who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things is worthy of our praise and admiration. His approval is all we need. So, when we boldly proclaim, “Thus says the Lord” knowing in our hearts that we spent time in careful study, we can rest in the assurance that God is pleased. In a letter to Timothy, Paul writes “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). This instructs the pastor to labor in his knowledge of Scripture. Paul instructs Timothy to work as one who will be inspected and to labor for God’s approval. Finally, he urges him to rightly handle the Word of truth.
Faithful study is difficult and time-consuming. Rejection by the world is frustrating. But all is gain if a preacher is absolutely convinced that his message is forever the true Word of God. The Lord blesses and rewards those who labor to deliver the message of Scripture accurately and with great care. This makes the burden of preaching light. In order to rightly divide the Word against the winds and waves of an ever-changing culture, we persevere when we hold tightly to the words of Isaiah 40:8 which states, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.” Do you want to have a ministry that impacts people long after you’ve gone home? Preach the inerrant Word of God.
