Personal Relationships

The hue and cry throughout many pulpits is to “develop personal relationships” and to have a “personal encounter with Jesus.” This sounds lofty and noble, but what it often boils down to is simply to deemphasize the Bible and elevate man. The idea of teaching and accepting propositional truths from God’s Word is ignored for the sake of relationships. That is the reason so many brethren would rather attend a “fellowship dinner” than a Gospel meeting or lectureship. The idea of studying to refute religious error is unthinkable in most city churches.

More of us who know the truth would not disparage good influence or proper relationships, yet this can never replace helping men to see the truth as taught by Jesus in the Bible, or making them aware of the error they have espoused.

We all should be as kind and personable as uphold-ing the truth will allow, but this is a far cry from what is being advocated. Truth is being put down and neglected by many who advocate friendship, people, and relation-ships above the Lord. It is still “the truth” that makes man free (John 8:32), and all personal relationships must be subjugated to the Lord and His truth (Matthew 10:34-37).

This very attitude concerning “personal relationships” has destroyed controversy and the desire to defend the faith (Jude 3; I Peter 3:15). We become such loving people we cannot chance hurting our relationships by exposing people’s sins or errors. Neighbor, that is not true, biblical love. This religious philosophy is humanism, pure and simple, rather than a love for truth and Christ. Brethren, we need to wake up and see this as yet an-other ploy of Satan in our congregations today.

Andrew M. Connally

What the World Needs Now. . .Is More Weeping Prophets!

Jeremiah has long been recognized as the “weeping prophet” because of his lamentations for Israel and Judah. Jesus wept over Jerusalem and no doubt countless other prophets of old and preachers of today have cried over the sins of the city. But as these great men of God wept they also “cried” out concerning the sins they beheld! Notice, “I have spoken unto you the word of Jehovah, rising up early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened (Jeremiah 25:3). And again, “And Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, (but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear), saying, return ye now everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doing...and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the work of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me” (Jeremiah 25:4-7).

Jeremiah had become so discouraged with the wickedness of his brethren and their refusal to hear. He thought that he would shut up the Word of the Lord and speak or make mention of His name, but it burned like a fire, and he grew weary with his silence (Jeremiah 20:9). He had to speak!

The shepherds of Jeremiah’s day were responsible for scattering the sheep by refusing to visit them and God promised vengeance on such elders (Jeremiah 23:1-3). Elders today can be busy as a proverbial“cranberry merchant” and never do the work of elders – visit, counsel,guide, and succor the sheep. They, too, shall pay a terrible price for their negligence.

God pronounced a curse on all those who are negligent and who keep their sword back from blood in the service of the great king(Jeremiah 4:8-10). Oh, that such words would jar us out of ourcomplacency, compromise and conformity, and make us weep for the slain of our people!

Yes, what the world needs now is more weeping prophets dedicated to restoring the Will of God in our lives and spreading the Kingdom of God on this earth. Men and women who wield the Sword of the Spirit to separate us from idols. The idols of materialism, sensualism, negativism, liberalism, and procrastination. These are damning multitudes in the valley of decision and causing great men of God to weep for they see the patterns of history being repeated. Let us arise and weep, but let us cry too!

Andrew Connally