Being a True Prophet

I'm sure, like me, you are delighted to move from Rom.7 to Rom.8. The theme of condemnation is depressing but is very honest and realistic. It is depressing because it faces us up with the spiritual realities of Christian life and experience. You have the wrath of God in Rom.1:18f, and the following catalogues of sins which characterised the life of Gentiles (pagans), and of the Jews. The fact is that there is no difference between religious and irreligious sinners, because the depravity of mankind is universal; we have spiritual struggles with the world, the flesh and the devil on a daily basis, with indwelling sin, powerlessness in face of temptation, sinful desires, and on & on it goes. It is so depressing.

In Rom.1-7, Paul may be viewed by some as a depressing preacher. Or, he may be facing his readers with the reality of spiritual experience in this fallen and hostile world. He is describing God's attitude to human rebellion and disobedience. You can 'feel' the condemnation, doom and gloom, and the despair, and you can almost identify the subtle working of Satan. It seems unending.

Remember, preachers sometimes have to preach sermons that deal with depressing subjects. Some subjects are depressing - fall of man, sin, judgement, the demands of the law, death, condemnation, hell, spiritual defeat, temptation, unbelief - these are depressing subjects. And they are part of life experience for the Christian!

But no preacher worth his salt can refuse to deal with such biblical truths. The unfaithful preacher with not address these doctrines because they might make him unpopular with his congregation and elders. False Prophets and "seducers," as Calvin calls them, prefer to turn a blind eye to sins of their people,and flatter them - in order to keep the peace!

But the True Prophet will "tell it as it is." He will show you the other side of Gospel tapestry, why? To get at you? To hurt you? To enrage you? Not at all. He will do this because he loves and cares for you! He values your soul. He knows the value of the human soul.

You love your sin much more than you love the Saviour from sin. By doing this, do you know what you have done? You have, listen to this, you have dethroned God from your life, and reduced Him to something less than your sin. You have demoted Him. & you have insulted Him big time.