1198. A Startling Subterfuge

A Startling Subterfuge

"Then is the offence of the Cross ceased" (Gal_5:11, l. c.).

"Then is the offence of the Cross ceased." What does this expression mean? It simply means that if one ceases to preach the Cross, he will cease to suffer for his testimony.

Let us go back to the days of Paul. Why was it that the Jews hated him and sought to slay him? It was not because he preached what he had learned at the feet of Gamaliel; it was because he preached Christ crucified, Christ risen, and Christ coming again.

The devil once said to the Lord, "If Thou wilt fall down and worship me, all these will I give Thee." This was nothing less than an endeavor to compel Christ to shun the Cross. Jesus Christ waved satan back and pressed on toward Calvary.

The devil came to Paul, and he comes to the preacher, and he says, "Why should you suffer? Why should you preach that which is offensive to cultivated ears? If you will cease proclaiming your ancient dogma about sinners and the Saviour; if you will cease to preach the saving efficacy of the Blood of Christ you will have an easy time; you will eliminate the offense of your message. "Why," says satan, "should you be maligned, ostracised, persecuted?"

There came a time in the life of Abraham when he sought a wife for his son, Isaac. To his servant he had given command as to how the wife should be obtained. "But," said the servant, "peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?"

The aged Abraham rose up with seeming indignation, and seemed to hurl back the words, "Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again."

Sometimes the same alternative comes to us. We are sent to call a Bride for Christ. Suppose the world will not hear and will not heed our message, shall we take Christ down from the Cross and preach a human Christ, the idealistic man of Galilee? Shall we take Christ back to the level of superlative humanity? No, we cannot change our message.

We can almost hear our God cry: "Thou shalt not take Christ back again." Is the minister to tone down his message to please the world? Never! What right has the pulpit to tone down its message for any man? We must preach Christ crucified; we let the chips fall where they will. Our message is no camouflage, no compromise. We have no fluttering flags of truce to offer. We will never parley with sinners. We will preach the preaching that we are bidden of God to preach. "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR