1 Corinthians 9:15-16 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done to me… I. WHAT IS IT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL? 1. To state every doctrine contained in God's Word, and to give every truth its proper prominence. Men may preach a part of the gospel. I would not say that a man did not preach the gospel if he did but maintain the doctrine of justification by faith, but he would not preach the whole gospel. No man can be said to do that who leaves out one single truth. Some men purposely confine themselves to four or five topics and make an iron ring of their doctrines, and he who dares to step beyond that narrow circle is not reckoned orthodox. God bless heretics, then, and send us more of them! 2. To exalt Jesus Christ. A great many preachers tell poor convinced sinners, "You must go home and pray and read the Scriptures; you must attend the ministry," and so on. I would not direct to prayer, &c., but simply to faith. Not that I despise prayer, &c. — that must come after faith. None of those things are the way of salvation. 3. To give every class of character his due. He who preaches solely to saints, or solely to the sinner, does not preach the whole of the gospel. We have amalgamation here. We have the saint who is full of assurance and strong; we have the saint who is weak and low in faith; we have the young convert; we have the man halting between two opinions; we have the moral man; we have the sinner; we have the reprobate; we have the outcast. Let each have a word. 4. Not to preach certain truths about the gospel, not to preach about the people, but to preach to the people. To preach the gospel is to preach it into the heart, not by your own might, but by the influence of the Holy Ghost. II. HOW IS IT THAT MINISTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GLORY? Because — 1. They are conscious of their own imperfections. 2. All their gifts are borrowed. The life, the voice, the talent are the gift of God; and he who has the greatest gifts must feel that unto God belongs the glory. 3. They are absolutely dependent on the Holy Ghost. III. WHAT IS THAT NECESSITY WHICH IS LAID UPON US TO PREACH THE GOSPEL? 1. The call itself. If a man be truly called of God to the ministry, I will defy him to withhold himself from it. He must preach. 2. The sad destitution of this poor fallen world. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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